This resource stems from a question submitted to the Ask PCA blog. Responses come from our experts including PCA Trainers, who lead live group workshops for coaches, parents, administrators and student-athletes.

"If you were to list the top 5-8 things that a coach might list as philosophy points of a program when speaking to parents during an opening season parent meeting, what might you say?"

PCA Response by Mike Farley, PCA Trainer-Milwaukee
The key is to recognize why you are holding a parent meeting: as a critical tool to impart understanding of the "culture you keep" in your program.

That entails sharing your rules or regulations (tryout policy, key factors to success, defining "success", expectations for how parents interact with coaches, etc.) with players' parents. Some programs are super strict and others are looser; neither is necessarily superior. The key is that you are consistent and that the expectations of your program match up with those of the parents. This first meeting sets that tone... and in turn, your team culture.

The meeting can help nip potential problems in the bud. You want to establish a framework for dealing with issues when the unexpected occurs (and it always does). Be clear. Be decisive. And ask yourself, ""What do I want my legacy to be?""

Click the link below to see this PCA experts outline of the central items in the philosophy of a Double-Goal Coach®

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