Helpful hints to having a good team meeting

1.    Let the parents know what to expect (at the team meeting) when you make your initial call to them. Let them know what they need to bring to the meeting. Do you need a small picture for the player passes? Do they need to bring medical insurance information (policy number)?

2.    Some parents have unlisted phone numbers and do not want their phone numbers given out. Find out if there is a problem with you giving out phone numbers when you make your initial call to the parents.

3.    Develop a Coaching philosophy. Let the parents know what it is. Give the parents a clear definition of how you are going to coach. Let them know that any objections should be discussed prior to the first practice and in private. Once you have established expectations, any further objection should be easily resolved by stating that you told them what your coaching philosophy was up front.

4.    Try to have everything done at the team meeting that you can. Collect player’s pictures for player passes, get medical consent forms filled out and so on. Doing this during practice may interfere with your practice.

5.    Buy a cheap clipboard or folder and put everything that you need filled out with it. It is easier to keep everything together and collect it at the end of the meeting. Bring something to put the player pictures in. You don’t want to misplace these or you will have to ask for another one.

6.    If you are going to spend significant time talking to the parents (and not the kids), have your assistant coach do something on the side with the kids. Bring a soccer ball with you and have your assistant coach play games (like soccer kick ball) with the kids when you need too talk just to parents. Make the games non-contact. If the kids do not have shin guards, they should not be put in a position where someone may get injured.

7.    Cover good sportsmanship. It is a lot easier to head off a possible problem with a parent or child at this time than waiting until practice or game time. Let them know that yelling at the referee is forbidden and only positive comments should be yelled to the kids. Let your parents know that you don’t want any arguing on the sidelines (wheter it be between your parent and the other teams, or betwwen your own parents).

8.    Some parents may be divorced. Some divorces are amiable; others are not. It is a good idea to have enough extra handouts for the other parent. You want to make available all information to all parents, but you do not want to become referee in between parents. Let your parents know that they are there for the kids and conflicts should not be brought to the field.

9.    Be confident and positive. Saying that this is your first time coaching and you don’t have a clue what you are doing (even if it is true) does not give a parent the assurances that they are looking for. Don’t lie to them; Let them know that you have never coached before.

10.There are many questions you can expect. Have answers to these questions put in your handouts. If someone asks a good question that you did not anticipate, add this information to next season’s handouts.