Dealing with ........y'know.....THAT guy

I require all parents and coaches to sign a contract in order to play in my Org. Before the first practice 30 minutes of a mandatory parents meeting. At that time we spell our our no nonsense expectations of parents and players and our goals and base approach and review the contract.
If they don't "get it" I have slips of paper in my pocket with the names and phone numbers of orgs they can play with that have lower standards. I offer that at the end of the 30 minutes and always carry them in my pocket the first 2 weeks of practice.

As to coaches, I do in depth interviews, none of them would make it to the practice field asking those kinds of questions or making those kind of comments. They sign a very restrictive contract and are required to attend 2 days of coaches clinics, I personally teach where our no nonsense approach is very blatantly put out for all to see. Our "horror stories" session of bad coaching observations cover most of those points, If someone is like that Im pretty sure these examples hit very close to home. Have had virtually zero problems like that in 15 years of doing this, it is all about setting expectations and holding everyone accountable.

okay great....the interviews happen...the contract is signed....

now what happens when it DOES happen?

Just asking

It flat out never happens to me, in 15 years not a single time to my own personal teams. Thanks to the contract, the speech and the importance I put on it, I will not deviate from discussing just a few very narrowly defined pre determined topics with parents. That included teams directly accross the street from Omahas poorest, largest and most violent housing projects with little parental support, to rural/suburban helicopter parents.

When I show up Im a whirlwind of activity and they can see there really wont be an opening to talk to me. Stay moving, stay busy and dont get to practice or games too early or stay too late, dont loligag around. If they see you dont waste your own time, they usually wont either.

My 1000 yard stare would be my first response if cornered and then I would ask if they missed the mandatory parents meeting. I let them know Ive got things to do and to e-mail me if they think it's important. I think my parents know that I have a zero tolerance level for baloney or the wasting of time, mine or anyone elses. Example 95%+ of my cell phone calls are 1 minute or less etc. Read the One Minute Manager book, great read.

Remember to include all the bozo conversations you hate as examples you make fun of in your oepning speech of what not to do as a parent.

We remove all bozos from the mailing list each year, usually just a handfull. Just like coaching football, preparation and precaution is the key.

We do not give the coaches or parents much leeway and for certain things like missing 2 practices, being tossed from a game, throwing a helmet etc we give no leeway to the kids either. never had to let a coach on my own team go, one parent, and
2-3 kids for attendance issues.

Quality attracts quality, so the numbers work themselves up if you run a well run ship, waiting list etc The more exclusive you make something the more everyone wants to be part of it. The more you try and please everyone, the more"common" you become and the more problems you have. I've done it both ways and had much better luck with the strict, "we are glad your'e here but you need us more than we need you", exclusive approach.

I coached youth ball this last year and had one of "those guys". He showed up for evaluation day and made an ass out of himself. No respect, knew nothing about the game, told me (HC) how he was going to run the team.

Point blank, I told him never to come back.

It has been very effective in builiding and managing an org that is the largest in Omaha proper and successful youth programs in 2 other cities, proof is in the pudding and longevity, now in my 9th year. If you havent done it you wouldnt know.

Contract's are great. But after a parent meeting.
It really comes down to, say what you mean & mean what you say. Do not deviate.

I've had one knucklehead ex- youth league coach that was a pain in the backside in 5 years. He came on our sideline during the championship game last year. I told him he needed to leave. If not, the police would.

We don't run into "that guy" often. Usually I hear what he has to say because I am standing there and I typically ignore him as if he never said anything or doesn't exist. I had a dad last season try and tell me where to play certain players. I heard what he had to say and then didn't do it. Seems pretty simple to me.

We have had parents shout things from the stands, even with a parent contract. I make sure my players focus on the game.

We talk all the time about about what it means to be a part of our team. The standards the players uphold. When someone shouts from the stands, it gives us examples of what not to be like.

Sorry guys, I'm going to vent here about a problem "guy" we had last year. I was a the asst. AD & a HC.

This "guy" came over from another league that broke up the year before.

1st thing, he did was bring a bunch of players to field trials/ sign ups & signed his name as the guardian... Later we have to get their parents signature before they can practice. Our President confronts him about this problem he created. His attitude is it's our problem, he got them there.

2nd thing, he was able to bring all these kids, but not his own. Which we found out later they were not. In our league if you are not the head coach, you draft the players to get their fathers as a coach. If the kids don't go through field trials they are a hat pick. He had already planed to be a asst. coach on one team & his kids were on another team. He gave us he!! over not getting them.

3rd thing, last game of the year he tells the person collecting equipment that they have a game out of town that night. Not part of our league. He was told when the equipment is turned in they will get their trophies. Never got the equipment back.

This year, I'm now the AD & a Board member.

2 months ago he comes to a board meeting & tells us he's tired of the calls from parents not getting their trophies for last year. We told him get the equipment back & it will be taken care of. He made out like it was our fault. Still no equipment!

Last week after our 1st field trial he comes up & wants to argue that he IS going to coach one of our home town teams. We haven't heard a word or seen him since that meeting. Doesn't come to the field trial & he's going to tell us what he is going to do & we have no say in it. We already have the # of coaches needed & they have more seniority than he does.
This "guy" is not a team player, does not take responsibility for his actions & has a big chip on his shoulder.

WRONG!
1 down & maybe 1 or 2 more to go.

Let him play

Not getting any water- big no no in my book. Hydration is a necessity for safety, it is not a motivational ploy.

Do it through drills on schedule, be prompt, it's put into the practice schedule for that reason.

I agree but it doesn't really have a place on the sideline