How to Get Effective Parent Involvement in a Successful Basketball Program

A successful basketball program requires parental involvement…but what does parental involvement mean? In my experience, having a strong parental unit that aligns with the program philosophy is when I have had the most success. This is largely because players respond better to direction when their parents support the program. Achieving this unity can be difficult, however, since unlike parents, coaches are concerned with an entire team and not just one player. And, although the coaching profession offers few guarantees, most coaches can agree to at least two certainties: 1.) you will not win every game, and 2.) at some point you will be approached by a parent(s)/guardian(s)/handler/neighbor/concerned citizen and be asked some variation of the million dollar question, which in short translates to, “How much playing time will my child get?” Just so we are clear, this type of parental involvement is NOT conducive to a successful basketball program.

How many times does one have to say there is no “I” in “team” before parents understand that “my” is the possessive pronoun that centers around the “I”ndividual? They may have named their child “Trevor” at birth, but when parents approach Trevor’s coach to inquire about playing time, all the coach hears is “I”, “I”, “I.” In order to facilitate positive interaction and outreach it is essential for coaches to involve parents and the community in more team-centric philosophies that contribute to the overall success of the team without pitting individual players against each other. A prerequisite to being an effective coach is the ability to acknowledge the parent’s concerns while simultaneously keeping the conversation focused on basketball. Some tips to help with this include:

• Establish a parent/player contract upfront that clearly outlines your coaching philosophy and program requirements;
• Meet with parents before the season starts to review the contract and discuss any questions they have;
• Communicate to parents and coaches that playing time is something earned through hard work and ability, and is not given;
• Do not engage parents in discussions regarding the playing time of other players on the team that do not belong to them;
• Communicate any non-basketball related issues to parents that may keep their child on the bench, such as poor behavior, bad attitude, absenteeism, etc., so that they know beforehand and understand why their child might not be playing; and
• Anything that can impact playing time should also be explained in the parent/player contract, this way when any question arises, the coach can refer the parent back to the contract they signed in the beginning of the season

The key to forging a cohesive relationship between parents and coaches is communication. Coaches should inform the athlete and the parent about the demands associated with excelling from the onset, and be honest about a player’s ability. Parents have a vital role as personal chauffeurs, fan-club presidents, and financial sponsors for their children. We need them to thrive in these roles by showing-up, cheering, helping fundraise, and supporting their kids. We do not need them to be lobbyist campaigning for playing time; parental complaints will never earn playing time, and does nothing but put a schism between their child and his or her teammates who may work equally hard, or even harder.

In the end, it can be difficult to not succumb to the pressure you will receive from parents. The first step in managing it is being aware that you will inevitably be asked the million-dollar question. The next step is to communicate and use your anticipatory skills and address elephants in the room, even when those elephants are invisible.

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