Pro-tips for Soccer "managers"?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any tips for first time "managers" who aren't sure what they signed up for?

[Anonymous]

TeamSnap

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TeamSnap

You beat me to it! Love TeamSnap.

[Anonymous]

Take team picture as early as you can
Put parents across the field from players
Snack schedule if applicable
Collect gift money a month out

[Anonymous]

Never, ever engage in team gossip. You will have access to info about rosters, starters, tryouts sooner than anyone else. Keep confidential info confidential and release dates/rosters etc. to all families at the same time. When parents come to you to complain about playing time, coaching, roster size, etc., immediately direct them to the coaching staff. Engage other parents to help when you can - field set up, team photos, field marshal duty at tournaments, travel and tournaments, social/tailgate coordination (for between games at tournaments), etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never, ever engage in team gossip. You will have access to info about rosters, starters, tryouts sooner than anyone else. Keep confidential info confidential and release dates/rosters etc. to all families at the same time. When parents come to you to complain about playing time, coaching, roster size, etc., immediately direct them to the coaching staff. Engage other parents to help when you can - field set up, team photos, field marshal duty at tournaments, travel and tournaments, social/tailgate coordination (for between games at tournaments), etc.

+1. I have been a team manager for almost 10 years. Do not gossip with other parents and if people have complaints, they need to discuss with the coach. Do not act as a go between. I also do not gossip to coaches about parents complaining.

Only once have I let the coach know about parent gossip-- rumor was spreading amongst kids that coach was leaving (spread by coach's child . I knew this wasn't true, but let the coach know he needed to address the rumors.

[Anonymous]

Also pro tip, use the search feature.

I believe there was a similar thread on this topic created last year.

It might be worth the search to see some other info posted there.

[Anonymous]

You have become the keeper of all team information. Parents will ask you about everything even if they can or should find it elsewhere. Put out as much information as you can as early as you can and that will make people much more agreeable.

[Anonymous]

Give a duplicate copy of player cards, rosters, etc to the coach. You never know what can happen!

[Anonymous]

Delegate! I was manager in one club and did everything- collect money for season and tournaments, make sure every kid was carded, sign up for season and tournament, uniform orders, coaches gift, etc. now we are at a new club and there is a parent volunteer for each of these! You don’t have to do everything.

[Anonymous]

Send out a message on team snap to let parents know about the tournaments well in advance, even if you don't have exact game times scheduled yet. I was the manager last year, and it is amazing how many parents don't read the introductory packet explaining that there will be tournaments on certain holiday weekends and that players are expected to attend.

[Anonymous]

Never, ever engage in team gossip. You will have access to info about rosters, starters, tryouts sooner than anyone else. Keep confidential info confidential and release dates/rosters etc. to all families at the same time. When parents come to you to complain about playing time, coaching, roster size, etc., immediately direct them to the coaching staff. Engage other parents to help when you can - field set up, team photos, field marshal duty at tournaments, travel and tournaments, social/tailgate coordination (for between games at tournaments), etc.


+1. I have been a team manager for almost 10 years. Do not gossip with other parents and if people have complaints, they need to discuss with the coach. Do not act as a go between. I also do not gossip to coaches about parents complaining.

Only once have I let the coach know about parent gossip-- rumor was spreading amongst kids that coach was leaving (spread by coach's child . I knew this wasn't true, but let the coach know he needed to address the rumors.

Wow, sounds awful. I was the manager for my son's team for two years. No one ever complained to me about a thing except the way the league scheduled certain games, which I hated as well but had no control over. No one ever gossiped about much either - a bit about one player who was always at least 20 minutes late to games and how that was annoying if we needed subs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never, ever engage in team gossip. You will have access to info about rosters, starters, tryouts sooner than anyone else. Keep confidential info confidential and release dates/rosters etc. to all families at the same time. When parents come to you to complain about playing time, coaching, roster size, etc., immediately direct them to the coaching staff. Engage other parents to help when you can - field set up, team photos, field marshal duty at tournaments, travel and tournaments, social/tailgate coordination (for between games at tournaments), etc.

+1. I have been a team manager for almost 10 years. Do not gossip with other parents and if people have complaints, they need to discuss with the coach. Do not act as a go between. I also do not gossip to coaches about parents complaining.

Only once have I let the coach know about parent gossip-- rumor was spreading amongst kids that coach was leaving (spread by coach's child . I knew this wasn't true, but let the coach know he needed to address the rumors.

+1 I have only been a manager for a couple of years, but we have a couple of "those" parents who complain all the time and try to get other parents riled up about things. She even tried to get me to consider finding another coach because she does not like the current coaching style. Like, just leave if you don't like it. She is a real winner. A year ago there was a kid trying out and she learned about it and complained that if coach let's kid on team, she would leave because she doesn't get along with that kid's parents. We should have gotten rid of her back then when we had the chance. But who knew she would get exponentially worse.

[Anonymous]

Explain to parents this is travel soccer and there is no longer the need to pass out snacks after each game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never, ever engage in team gossip. You will have access to info about rosters, starters, tryouts sooner than anyone else. Keep confidential info confidential and release dates/rosters etc. to all families at the same time. When parents come to you to complain about playing time, coaching, roster size, etc., immediately direct them to the coaching staff. Engage other parents to help when you can - field set up, team photos, field marshal duty at tournaments, travel and tournaments, social/tailgate coordination (for between games at tournaments), etc.

+1. I have been a team manager for almost 10 years. Do not gossip with other parents and if people have complaints, they need to discuss with the coach. Do not act as a go between. I also do not gossip to coaches about parents complaining.

Only once have I let the coach know about parent gossip-- rumor was spreading amongst kids that coach was leaving (spread by coach's child . I knew this wasn't true, but let the coach know he needed to address the rumors.

+1 I have only been a manager for a couple of years, but we have a couple of "those" parents who complain all the time and try to get other parents riled up about things. She even tried to get me to consider finding another coach because she does not like the current coaching style. Like, just leave if you don't like it. She is a real winner. A year ago there was a kid trying out and she learned about it and complained that if coach let's kid on team, she would leave because she doesn't get along with that kid's parents. We should have gotten rid of her back then when we had the chance. But who knew she would get exponentially worse.

Send that parent a tryout invitation for another club. One that has the most drama-filled parents. LOL