John O'Sullivan (@coachjohnnyo) started the Changing the Game Project in 2012 after two decades as a soccer player and coach on the youth, high school, college and professional level. He is the author of the #1 bestselling books Changing the Game: The Parents Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing Athletes, and Giving Youth Sports Back to our Kids and Is it Wise to Specialize? John is also a regular contributor for SoccerWire.com, and his writing has been featured in many publications including The Huffington Post and Soccer America.

In this video, O'Sullivan talks about the important role that communication plays in building a proactive relationship between parents and coaches. Building trust with parents should always be a priority for a coach. This can be achieved by being open with parents, outlining rules and expectations before the season, and following through during the season. A parent should still be able to reach out to a coach and explain what happens if their child comes home upset, but coaches will find that being proactive in communication with parents leads to fewer problems overall.