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Post by nltdiego on Jun 2, 2014 20:58:28 GMT -6
Do you guys have closed practice to parents? I had my first situation today where a parent (former NFL player) showed up to lower level practice and started barking orders on where his kid should play.
Curious what your policy is and how you nicely tell parents no.
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Post by bluedevil4 on Jun 2, 2014 21:31:16 GMT -6
We prefer that parents stay away, but unless they become a problem, we usually let them be. The last time we had a situation like yours, we simply banned that parent from coming to any future practices.
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Post by coachguy83 on Jun 2, 2014 22:46:08 GMT -6
I'm not a big fan of closing practices to parents. In fact having parents watching practice can be a good CYA if an issue comes up. However I think it is important to be upfront with parents about your expectations on how they conduct themselves at practice. If you have not done so you need to have that talk with the parent. If he continues to act out you need to speak with your AD and look into banning him from practice.
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Post by larrymoe on Jun 2, 2014 23:42:08 GMT -6
I have never been a part of a program that allows parents to watch practices, nor do I ever want to be. At our current school, it's school policy that all practices are closed.
If you weigh the plus/minus of having parents there, I don't really know what positive can come of it.
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Post by Coach Bennett on Jun 3, 2014 4:40:17 GMT -6
Why do you NOT want parents there?
As long as they know your expectations for their attendance, what harm is there?
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nhs40
Freshmen Member
Posts: 64
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Post by nhs40 on Jun 3, 2014 6:46:06 GMT -6
Do not like parents being present for several reasons. 1) kids will "look to" parents for advice, instructions, etc. which undermines our coaches, 2) young coaches may be more hesitant to correct a player if a parent is present, 3) parents have "friends" from other schools, if we are working on a little wrinkle for the week, I'd rather that information not get out. Small things, but important to me. We cover our a$$ by having educated coaches working to promote safe practices and teaching our players.
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Post by larrymoe on Jun 3, 2014 8:22:32 GMT -6
Why do you NOT want parents there? As long as they know your expectations for their attendance, what harm is there? Yes, because parents, much like their children, always live up to the expectations that are outlined for them. What positive is there to them being there? Negatively, there is probably a mile long list of reasons you're better off without them there. Plus, you've got the whole issue of if you have a parent showing up there everyday to your practice, there's a reason they're there and it usually isn't because they just want to see Johnny practice. They're looking for a reason. If you want parents there at your practice, let them coach. Besides, don't they have something better to do? I'm off for summer break now and STILL have zero desire to go to my children's softball and baseball practices. And they're 5 and 9. I don't know why anyone would want to go to a football practice other than to go after the coach for something. |
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Post by coachphillip on Jun 3, 2014 8:31:51 GMT -6
I think Coach is a part of a club team in Europe. I don't know what the culture is there so I can't speak on whether you should close practices or not. If it's like HS ball, then it's feasible. If it's like youth ball, then I don't think that would fly at all. You should talk to that parent though. It's your team. If he can't get on board then buh bye. If he keeps it up after you've already talked to him about it, kick the kid off the team. That parent will hound and undermine you all year, especially if his kid isn't as good as he wants to believe he is.
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Post by blb on Jun 3, 2014 8:42:07 GMT -6
I would be suspicious of why a parent wanted to watch practice, but wouldn't bar them unless they were a distraction or problem is some way.
I tell them at our Parents' Meeting "Let us coach your son."
Friend of mine said that if a parent was too close to practice field he would run sweep right at him until he got the message.
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Post by jg78 on Jun 3, 2014 9:00:59 GMT -6
I don't ban parents from practice, but at the Parents Meeting I address it and make it clear that they are not to be on the field or interact with the team in any way. They have to keep their distance.
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Post by natenator on Jun 3, 2014 9:01:20 GMT -6
I would be suspicious of why a parent wanted to watch practice, but wouldn't bar them unless they were a distraction or problem is some way. I tell them at our Parents' Meeting "Let us coach your son." Friend of mine said that if a parent was too close to practice field he would run sweep right at him until he got the message. I coach summer ball and we have parents that watch and generally like to be close to the action. I keep telling our OC to throw the sideline out so we can work on our breaks. Suddenly parents are no longer close to the action  |
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Post by mattharris75 on Jun 3, 2014 9:22:39 GMT -6
We started summer practices last night. We generally have a few parents who watch from the stands, particularly those who have to drive their kids. No big deal, we've got a lot of really great parents.
But last night, I saw a first. Halfway through practice, as we were transitioning from offense to defense, a dad came out onto the field, walked up to the head coach, and asked him if we were 'getting anything' out of his son.
What is the thought process there, that you would interrupt a practice of 50 people in order to discuss the productivity of your son? Some people are just unreal...
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Post by larrymoe on Jun 3, 2014 9:25:16 GMT -6
We started summer practices last night. We generally have a few parents who watch from the stands, particularly those who have to drive their kids. No big deal, we've got a lot of really great parents. But last night, I saw a first. Halfway through practice, as we were transitioning from offense to defense, a dad came out onto the field, walked up to the head coach, and asked him if we were 'getting anything' out of his son. What is the thought process there, that you would interrupt a practice of 50 people in order to discuss the productivity of your son? Some people are just unreal... I guarantee you he's been allowed to do exactly that all the way through youth football. |
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Post by mattharris75 on Jun 3, 2014 9:33:02 GMT -6
We started summer practices last night. We generally have a few parents who watch from the stands, particularly those who have to drive their kids. No big deal, we've got a lot of really great parents. But last night, I saw a first. Halfway through practice, as we were transitioning from offense to defense, a dad came out onto the field, walked up to the head coach, and asked him if we were 'getting anything' out of his son. What is the thought process there, that you would interrupt a practice of 50 people in order to discuss the productivity of your son? Some people are just unreal... I guarantee you he's been allowed to do exactly that all the way through youth football. I guarantee you he won't be doing it again... |
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Post by spartan on Jun 3, 2014 9:47:35 GMT -6
Hell yeah practices closed. I have a parent meeting before the kid can play go over 3 rules
1. We cannot talk about playing time
2. we cannot talk about strategy ie where your kid plays
3. We cannot talk about another kid.
Parents are now limited to cheering and support. Some will try and go around the fence but their is nothing left to talk about.
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Post by larrymoe on Jun 3, 2014 10:21:55 GMT -6
I guarantee you he's been allowed to do exactly that all the way through youth football. I guarantee you he won't be doing it again... Certainly don't disagree with you, I was just trying to explain his thought process. |
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Post by jg78 on Jun 3, 2014 13:47:07 GMT -6
We started summer practices last night. We generally have a few parents who watch from the stands, particularly those who have to drive their kids. No big deal, we've got a lot of really great parents. But last night, I saw a first. Halfway through practice, as we were transitioning from offense to defense, a dad came out onto the field, walked up to the head coach, and asked him if we were 'getting anything' out of his son. What is the thought process there, that you would interrupt a practice of 50 people in order to discuss the productivity of your son? Some people are just unreal... Nothing really surprises me anymore when it comes to parents. |
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Post by rsmith627 on Jun 3, 2014 14:06:09 GMT -6
HC at my last school would let them in, and they would actually come, especially on the lower levels. Looked like a damn little league practice.
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Post by coachcb on Jun 3, 2014 16:24:36 GMT -6
They can watch from a distance. I have always expected them to either keep their distance so as to not be a distraction or stay away completely.
I did throw some parents out of a practice two years ago. It was a total fiasco, two days before the league championship game. Long story short, three parents, three completely different situations, all three booted.
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Post by newt21 on Jun 3, 2014 16:45:49 GMT -6
I don't ban parents from practice, but at the Parents Meeting I address it and make it clear that they are not to be on the field or interact with the team in any way. They have to keep their distance. This is my exact policy. I handle it at my parent meeting before the season, and they must abide by it. I have yet to have a parent interrupt a practice after I put the specific guidelines out for them because I tell them early on either abide by it or you can take your kid and go elsewhere. |
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rambler
Sophomore Member
Posts: 114
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Post by rambler on Jun 3, 2014 18:38:11 GMT -6
It would be a lot easier if we didn't have to deal with parents. For the most part they are helpful, but we all have horror stories. I finally figured out I feel like parents are just "agents" - even the good ones are still agents - they all want the best deal they can get for their kid. Plain and simple. They want the team to win, but they want their kid to play a role in that and usually a bigger role than they are playing. Some parents/agents will ask for the best deal others will work for it, others will just expect it. But even the best parents - guys I've had coach with me for years are still agents when it comes to their child. They're not good people or bad - just agents.
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Post by carookie on Jun 3, 2014 18:54:53 GMT -6
I coached lower levels at a big school once, we had over 100 frosh players each year. At least 10 parents a day would watch practice from a hill near the field; had no problem with it because they were not allowed on the other side of the fence near the field so no way they could really interact.
Had the same premise for varsity, maybe one guy showed up now and then, but he was never a problem. As long as you have a boundary line then there really was never a problem
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2014 10:32:38 GMT -6
It would be a lot easier if we didn't have to deal with parents. For the most part they are helpful, but we all have horror stories. I finally figured out I feel like parents are just "agents" - even the good ones are still agents - they all want the best deal they can get for their kid. Plain and simple. They want the team to win, but they want their kid to play a role in that and usually a bigger role than they are playing. Some parents/agents will ask for the best deal others will work for it, others will just expect it. But even the best parents - guys I've had coach with me for years are still agents when it comes to their child. They're not good people or bad - just agents. This is a really good post. I believe the less contact that you have with parents the better. The coaches that I observe being "open" and "proactive" with parents get burned every time. |
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Post by mahonz on Jun 4, 2014 11:25:58 GMT -6
I guarantee you he won't be doing it again... Certainly don't disagree with you, I was just trying to explain his thought process. Why do you blame youth football for this...even guarantee it? In 30 Seasons I have never not once had a Parent do that and that's a lot of Parents. Just trying to understand your thought process here. |
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Post by spartan on Jun 4, 2014 11:45:18 GMT -6
I blame MTV, Diet Pepsi and Friday Night Tykes.
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Post by Coach Bennett on Jun 5, 2014 4:22:41 GMT -6
I don't want Johnny's dad standing next to us as we're doing drills but if he wants to stand next to his truck and watch what's going on, have at it.
Last year, when Johnny wasn't playing as much as his pops thought he should, I simply said,"every time we're running scout defense, where did you see Johnny? Yes, that's right, he was playing grab@ss in the background. When it comes to running team O and D, Johnny always waits because he's not really sure of what he's doing because he's too busy fooling around."
Not much to say after that.
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Post by rudyrude9 on Jun 5, 2014 8:56:41 GMT -6
It's even better now that we film practice. So if a parent wants to know why their kids isn't playing as much as they'd like you can invite them in to watch some practice on hudl. They usually don't have time for that.
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Post by rudyrude9 on Jun 5, 2014 9:00:08 GMT -6
It would be a lot easier if we didn't have to deal with parents. For the most part they are helpful, but we all have horror stories. I finally figured out I feel like parents are just "agents" - even the good ones are still agents - they all want the best deal they can get for their kid. Plain and simple. They want the team to win, but they want their kid to play a role in that and usually a bigger role than they are playing. Some parents/agents will ask for the best deal others will work for it, others will just expect it. But even the best parents - guys I've had coach with me for years are still agents when it comes to their child. They're not good people or bad - just agents. This is a really good post. I believe the less contact that you have with parents the better. The coaches that I observe being "open" and "proactive" with parents get burned every time. Its an OK post and I get it from a coaches perspective. But as a parent I just see them as parents. Parents want the best for their kids. Well no sh!t. Hell when I watch my 7 year old daughter do gymnastics I get pissed at the coaches if I think there is too much standing around or no flow. Luckily I'm smart enough to keep my thoughts to myself. As a football coach it drives me insane though. |
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Post by newhope on Jun 5, 2014 10:54:16 GMT -6
Designated area where parents can be lets them watch if they want, but they are far enough removed not to interfere. When I first got to my previous school it was my first encounter with large numbers of parents coming to practice. It didn't take me long to designate an area where they were allowed to be. I can't recall having a problem since doing that.
I will say, though, that I did have a problem at a 7 on 7 at a college campus where parents were everywhere (shortly after coming to this school and before they got to know me and before we had in-season practices). I simply told the players "if I catch you having conversations or taking coaching from parents during games or practice, any future playing time you get will be on their team, not mine". That took care of it.
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Post by coachdawhip on Jun 12, 2014 17:22:16 GMT -6
Mine can watch on the fence as a matter of fact we call them the fence club. But close up view, NOPE MY PRACTICES ARE CLOSED.
I don't go to their job and watch them work over there cubicle!
But they can watch from the fence
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