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Post by option1 on Feb 26, 2020 12:20:15 GMT -6
If you are selling your program to a room full of parents, and your program depended on it , what are you saying?
What are the tangible elements of your program that others want to hear about?
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Post by mkuempel on Feb 26, 2020 13:34:15 GMT -6
I honestly think there are maybe 3 things that parents truly care about in any activity regarding their children, in no particular order;
1.) Winning
2.) Participation (will my kid play, often)
3.) Safety
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Post by 42falcon on Feb 26, 2020 21:03:29 GMT -6
For us when we talk to parents it is about:
1) Values - what do we value and how is it that what we value will impact your student athlete in the long run
2) Experience - what is the experience that your student will get and how will that be special
3) Whole Student - football is a vehicle for something bigger, what is that something, how is it defined and how is that represented in the program, how will they see it in their kid
Winning - I don't think this matters worth a damn, there are kids who are playing on winning teams who are having a $hit experience. They stay because they want to be associated with winning and would be chastised by their peers if they left.
Participation: is important and I see that as part of the experience it is what is your kid getting by being here
Safety: I've spoken to parents every year for over a decade we have done 3 separate research studies on concussions, we've been part of the recent NFL funded study. We have had some of the most high tech gadgets inside our helmets, space age mouthguards, wireless, ipad bluetooth monitoring systems etc. Maybe, just maybe I've put 2 parents at ease with our discussions. We want to change the safety culture in football? The NFL needs to eject every player for hitting another player in the head with their head regardless of intent or circumstance. We can all we want but Mom and Dad see HS football for a sliver of time, they are instead bombarded with pro football coverage. Change from the PR standpoint starts at the top.
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Post by dubber on Feb 26, 2020 21:39:45 GMT -6
If our focus is on winning, we will become failures...,.if we focus on genuine care for one another, the winning will take care of itself.......this isn’t my program, it is our program, and from the star player to the ball boy, everyone will matter, and be honored.
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Post by Defcord on Feb 27, 2020 6:27:14 GMT -6
I have never been great at public speaking. I don't think I have the ability to win the room with a speech. But I do a really good job at building relationships with players. I think it goes a long way in winning over the parents. When your kids love you and their parents question you, the kid will bring em back in line. When the kids love you, the parents most likely will too. And when parents start to support you when another parent questions you, it goes a long way.
I don't know if you can win them all, but if we can win most of the kids, you will get most of the parents.
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Post by CoachJohnsonMN on Feb 27, 2020 6:49:31 GMT -6
For us when we talk to parents it is about: 1) Values - what do we value and how is it that what we value will impact your student athlete in the long run 2) Experience - what is the experience that your student will get and how will that be special 3) Whole Student - football is a vehicle for something bigger, what is that something, how is it defined and how is that represented in the program, how will they see it in their kid Winning - I don't think this matters worth a damn, there are kids who are playing on winning teams who are having a $hit experience. They stay because they want to be associated with winning and would be chastised by their peers if they left. Participation: is important and I see that as part of the experience it is what is your kid getting by being here Safety: I've spoken to parents every year for over a decade we have done 3 separate research studies on concussions, we've been part of the recent NFL funded study. We have had some of the most high tech gadgets inside our helmets, space age mouthguards, wireless, ipad bluetooth monitoring systems etc. Maybe, just maybe I've put 2 parents at ease with our discussions. We want to change the safety culture in football? The NFL needs to eject every player for hitting another player in the head with their head regardless of intent or circumstance. We can all we want but Mom and Dad see HS football for a sliver of time, they are instead bombarded with pro football coverage. Change from the PR standpoint starts at the top. This. Perfect! |
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Post by carookie on Feb 27, 2020 11:14:47 GMT -6
Maybe its different where I am at, but if you aint bringing up how you are helping get their kid to college then you are missing out on a lot of parents.
I know, I know; we don't make college level football players (we are just lucky enough to coach them). But the parents still believe that their kid getting to the next level is predicated primarily on who their HS coach is. So if you aint talking about those things then you are missing a sizable chunk of families.
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Post by coachd5085 on Feb 27, 2020 11:24:41 GMT -6
Maybe its different where I am at, but if you aint bringing up how you are helping get their kid to college then you are missing out on a lot of parents. I know, I know; we don't make college level football players (we are just lucky enough to coach them). But the parents still believe that their kid getting to the next level is predicated primarily on who their HS coach is. So if you aint talking about those things then you are missing a sizable chunk of families. But what happens when they don't get recruited? |
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Post by silkyice on Feb 27, 2020 11:37:41 GMT -6
Maybe its different where I am at, but if you aint bringing up how you are helping get their kid to college then you are missing out on a lot of parents. I know, I know; we don't make college level football players (we are just lucky enough to coach them). But the parents still believe that their kid getting to the next level is predicated primarily on who their HS coach is. So if you aint talking about those things then you are missing a sizable chunk of families. But what happens when they don't get recruited? I don't think that is the point. I do agree with carookie here. Bring it up. Tell them what you will do to help. For instance, I send out hudl highlights to over 300 college coaches' emails. I will let them know about camps and junior days. I will talk and call up colleges for them. When coaches come by, they will get to visit them. I will try and make them as strong as possible. That being said, I will also say that college coaches do not care about stats. They do not care about all-state or records. Your film will not lie. I will do my part, but I can't get anyone a scholarship. That comes from hard work, genes, grades, and performance. The kid has to be willing to put in extra time from workouts, nutrition, practice, and going to camps. The point here is that the parents need to know (or feel) that you will do your best for their kids to get a scholarship, but that ultimately it is on the kid. It also needs to be said that while you will do all that you can for each individual, you were hired as the coach of the team, and that the team and program come first. |
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Post by carookie on Feb 27, 2020 13:40:01 GMT -6
Maybe its different where I am at, but if you aint bringing up how you are helping get their kid to college then you are missing out on a lot of parents. I know, I know; we don't make college level football players (we are just lucky enough to coach them). But the parents still believe that their kid getting to the next level is predicated primarily on who their HS coach is. So if you aint talking about those things then you are missing a sizable chunk of families. But what happens when they don't get recruited? I could ask the same thing about those who wrote "winning" when they dont win. Its about what you are doing to help get these kids recruited. I know there are a lot of coaches out there selling that 'they will get your kid to college', when the truth is the kid is gonna go with them or someone else. Part of it is you have to compete with them and do the same thing. That being written, there are a number of programs out there that don't really do anything to showcase their players. I've had kids (who weren't on my team) come up to me, or other coaches I've worked with, the last semester of their senior year asking for help to get to college. Because their coach is nowhere around. There are coaches out there that don't really care about this aspect of it, which is sad because its basically about effort. Moreover, parents care about this; and if you are selling your program to a room full of parents, as the OP stated, I can't imagine not addressing this specific aspect. |
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lmorris
Sophomore Member
Posts: 195
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Post by lmorris on Feb 27, 2020 13:47:54 GMT -6
First thing I do at beginning of the year parent meeting. I pull my cell phone out and hold it in the air and ask them to do the same.
I give them my phone number and tell them....."if you have any questions, comments, or concerns...PLEASE CALL ME"
If they have an issue with anything I want them to talk to me first. If their kid comes home and tells them something concerning call me first. If another parent tells you something, call me first. If you need to know where the field is we are playing, what time we are playing, wondering if you kid was at practice, what your kid needs to improve on, if he is having issues with a teacher, if he has issues with a coach, if he has issues with me......call me first. I have an open door policy with all parents and athletes. I may not be able to answer the phone right then.....but I will get back to you asap.
I talk about safety and the safety classes all of my coaches have taken. Give examples of kids who had injuries, and ask them to come talk to us before going to a doctor. Ive seen rolled ankles sit for 4-6 weeks and kids with headaches get diagnosed with a concussion. (can't blame the doctor for covering his own butt)
I try to avoid the word win or winning, rather I talk about success and being successful. If we are all successful, then the scoreboard will take care of itself.
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