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Dealing With Upset Parents As An Athletic Director

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Jeaney Garcia (@PCA_Hawaii), former Athletic Director for Punahou School in Honolulu, was a coach, teacher, official and administrator for 25 years. She now holds the position of Executive Director for PCA's chapter in Hawaii.

In this video, Garcia explains that coaches and Athletic Directors always have to deal with upset parents. Handling these upset parents, though, can be the key to a successful season. If a coach needs help with a parent, often regarding playing time, it is an Athletic Director’s job to step in and help their coach.

As an Athletic Director, you should participate in a meeting with both the coach and the parent and help remind parents that each player has a role no matter how much playing time they receive. You can remind the parent that their child still has value to the team even in a lesser role. While this explanation may not satisfy every parent, the attempt to understand the parent and communicate with them may go a long way.