How to complain about travel coach without getting our kids in trouble?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you hold a 9 year old ‘accountable’ for not showing up, op? This is a parent/coach issue.

If you have that much experience on teams you should be very well equipped to talk to them about where you have concerns. The coach won’t bench a 9 year old and if they do, talk to the director. Still no change, leave.

Part of being on a travel team for any sport is the commitment to the team. This means showing up to practices and games. I know many coaches in the travel sports world and attendance is mandatory. If the kids are not showing up it's on the coach to speak with the parents because it's not fair to the kids and parents who do show up. When it comes to soccer it's not fun playing without subs or only 1-2. That is 100% a coaching issue.

For U10, 1-2 subs is perfect. Lots of play time. The games are short, the fields are small, and they don't get tired.

[Anonymous]

There is no way to do it.

Sign up for a different team with a different coach next year.

[Anonymous]

Sorry but U10 shoujd be relaxed as far far as attending practice and games. I think
You should tell the Coach if you can’t make it not just no show, but seriously, family stuff happens too, and other priorities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry but U10 shoujd be relaxed as far far as attending practice and games. I think
You should tell the Coach if you can’t make it not just no show, but seriously, family stuff happens too, and other priorities.

The relaxed approach is fine for rec league but in travel the expectation is to be there.

If several families share the same concerns can you raise them with the team manager? Then they can speak to the coach without disclosing which parents expressed concerns.

[Anonymous]

Relaxed approach to practices and games should be left to rec players. You sign up for travel to be serious about playing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Relaxed approach to practices and games should be left to rec players. You sign up for travel to be serious about playing.

f off. many of our kids play travel in multiple sports. the idea that we can't miss a game or practice is insane.

[Anonymous]

No. You are U10. It’s not fair other kids don’t show up. Complaining about it to the coach is not correct. Parents who pay that much money for travel and don’t show up are questionable in their decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On our kid's travel team many of the parents are not happy with the coach. He is new to coaching travel (started last fall) and is not experienced with coaching young kids (U10). He often gets frustrated and doesn't train them in drills, technique, etc. Something that should be a focus at this age. He also is very relaxed on kids attending practice or games, thus making it harder on the kids who actually attend regularly. There's other issues.

About 5-6 of us parents have talked about these issues, but we're not sure how to address it without our kids getting in trouble with their coach. Do we speak directly to the club or the age director? Any feedback is appreciated. This is our second year in travel.

How does your coaching experience, knowledge and licenses compare to his?

I may not have property soccer coaching experience, but I played sports through college and almost made the Olympic team in the late 90s. I've also coaches several sport's at the high school level. In terms of soccer I coached three years of rec (which I hated), but every parent loved it because I trained their kids very well. We moved our son into travel when he was getting too good for rec. However, it's not just us parents concerned over the coaching. Other coaches we know are aware of the lack of proper coaching for this age. You don't have 5-6 parents raising issues if there isn't one. Last thing we need is more things to deal with. We're not looking to have the coach removed. We're looking for some way to address the issues. One major issues is not holding certain kids accountable. Example: One kid will constantly yell and scream at other kids who aren't as good. This has become a major issues with team camaraderie, etc. As a prior athlete and coach this is where the coach should step in and teach property sportsmanship and being a good teammate.

Chris?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no way to do it.

Sign up for a different team with a different coach next year.

This is the correct answer.

The club already has your money. If your coach or club was able to get you on the hook they’ll likely be able to get others to do the same.

Chalk it up to experience and start trying out with other clubs now.

Don’t try to group up as parents and force your coach or club to do what you want. It won’t work in the long run and you will get labeled as problem parents. Coaches could boot you from the team or bench your kid in retaliation. I promise you that once a group of parents sees a coach retaliate the group will fall apart.

Also don’t recruit players to go to other clubs with you. If your coach or club finds out that this is happening they’ll be forced to boot the ringleader from their club. I’ve seen this happen before and the kid is always the one left crying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Relaxed approach to practices and games should be left to rec players. You sign up for travel to be serious about playing.

f off. many of our kids play travel in multiple sports. the idea that we can't miss a game or practice is insane.

Then you are the problem. Don't sign up for a committed team sport if you can't get your kid to commit. Also, that a very poor way to show responsibility to your children. Don't play two travel sports if the time commitment isn't there. If you don't have time then play rec which is normally one practice a week and a game on weekends. Otherwise, don't punish the kids and parents on the team due to your lack of commitment.

You're raising your kids to believe it's okay to not be responsible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. You are U10. It’s not fair other kids don’t show up. Complaining about it to the coach is not correct. Parents who pay that much money for travel and don’t show up are questionable in their decisions.

This is Northern Virginia. $2000 for a nine month sport season is nothing.

[Anonymous]

We could be at the same club.

One new coach in our program is a nice enough guy but honestly, just doesn’t like U9/U10 kids and it shows.

The fact of the matter is, there isn’t a whole lot you can do. Club leadership isn’t stupid, they see this coach is not doing the best job but they don’t have a lot of other coaches that are qualified waiting in the wings. So it’s really “is this coach worse than your son not playing travel.”

Our club is fortunate to have multiple coaches that are truly great for uLittles, but it’s such a hard age to have someone truly inspire and tolerate kids that age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On our kid's travel team many of the parents are not happy with the coach. He is new to coaching travel (started last fall) and is not experienced with coaching young kids (U10). He often gets frustrated and doesn't train them in drills, technique, etc. Something that should be a focus at this age. He also is very relaxed on kids attending practice or games, thus making it harder on the kids who actually attend regularly. There's other issues.

About 5-6 of us parents have talked about these issues, but we're not sure how to address it without our kids getting in trouble with their coach. Do we speak directly to the club or the age director? Any feedback is appreciated. This is our second year in travel.

How does your coaching experience, knowledge and licenses compare to his?

Not OP, but do the licensing courses cover basic “start by having kids show up?”

Just wondering.

Thank you. It's not rocket science to realize there is an issue when kids just don't show up for practice or games in a travel team and it's "okay".

It's actually more than OK for 9 year olds to learn that soccer isn't everything and that they can balance it with other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you hold a 9 year old ‘accountable’ for not showing up, op? This is a parent/coach issue.

If you have that much experience on teams you should be very well equipped to talk to them about where you have concerns. The coach won’t bench a 9 year old and if they do, talk to the director. Still no change, leave.

Part of being on a travel team for any sport is the commitment to the team. This means showing up to practices and games. I know many coaches in the travel sports world and attendance is mandatory. If the kids are not showing up it's on the coach to speak with the parents because it's not fair to the kids and parents who do show up. When it comes to soccer it's not fun playing without subs or only 1-2. That is 100% a coaching issue.

If soccer is only fun for your kid when they don't have to play a lot, I have to wonder why they are on a travel team.

My kid doesn't have that problem, so I can't relate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On our kid's travel team many of the parents are not happy with the coach. He is new to coaching travel (started last fall) and is not experienced with coaching young kids (U10). He often gets frustrated and doesn't train them in drills, technique, etc. Something that should be a focus at this age. He also is very relaxed on kids attending practice or games, thus making it harder on the kids who actually attend regularly. There's other issues.

About 5-6 of us parents have talked about these issues, but we're not sure how to address it without our kids getting in trouble with their coach. Do we speak directly to the club or the age director? Any feedback is appreciated. This is our second year in travel.

How does your coaching experience, knowledge and licenses compare to his?

Not OP, but do the licensing courses cover basic “start by having kids show up?”

Just wondering.

Thank you. It's not rocket science to realize there is an issue when kids just don't show up for practice or games in a travel team and it's "okay".

It's actually more than OK for 9 year olds to learn that soccer isn't everything and that they can balance it with other things.

Agreed. But please recognize that when multiple families take this attitude, it can have an impact on the kids who do show up. Good coaches plan practice based on the number of players they expect. And for games, have to spend time rounding up guest players when enough of their own won't be there.