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Coaching youth sports is an exciting opportunity to interact with kids and have a positive influence on their lives. So many kids are more than excited to get out there and participate in their favorite sports. However, youth sports aren’t always as fun as they should be. With kids and parents mixing together there can be added stress and pressure to your job. That’s why you must make rules right off the bat to help your situation.
The first thing you can do is have a team meeting with the parents present. Most leagues will do this as a general rule, but it might be best to talk with the parents personally. At the meeting you need to set ground rules that are clear and very rigid. If you have a rule about kids showing up to practice and how it will affect their playing time then you need to make the parameters very clear and without exception. If you break a rule for one kid you will affect the whole team.
Next, make sure you have a rule in place so that every kid plays every game. Even if they are only playing for a few minutes a game, you have to be sensitive to your parents. They want their kids to play and they have paid good money for that. So, make sure they know that their kids will always play at least for a play or two.
Setting up the rules for parents early on is going to be a big key in how much stress you feel throughout the season. Don’t let something fun turn into a bad experience.
