- 10 Keys to Being a Good Communicator
- Communicating with Parents
- Communicating with League Administrators
- Communicating with Opponents and Referees
Communicating with League Administrators
Part of a league administrator’s role is to set up and administer leagues. Administrators schedule games, set up league policies and rules, oversee the maintenance of the fields, dispense the necessary equipment, arrange for refereeing, and take care of many other responsibilities, all with the goal of providing a top-quality experience for the players.
A coach’s interaction with league administrators generally falls into three categories:
League information
Coaches’ meetings and clinics
Questions and concerns
Let’s look at each of these in the following sections.
League Information
The league should provide information on game schedules, practice field usage, equipment distribution, league policies and rules, and any upcoming coaches’ meetings or clinics. Read the information you receive; make copies of the game schedules for parents; and talk with your administrator if you have any questions about the schedule, the policies, or any other information dispensed by the league.
Coaches’ Meetings and Clinics
Most leagues hold a preseason coaches’ meeting at which the administrator distributes the necessary information and updates coaches on new policies, modified rules, and other important matters.
Some leagues also conduct coaches’ training. If your league offers such training, take advantage of it.
The point here is to consider ways to help you better prepare for your season. Coaching clinics and courses are one good way to do so.
Questions and Concerns
Take any overarching questions or concerns—about league policies or rules, practice field availability, scheduling, and so on—to your league administrator. In addition, if you have an ongoing problem with a parent and are unable to resolve it with that parent, consider talking with your league administrator. By all means, do so if the problem affects the enjoyment of the game for other fans, the parent poses some sort of physical threat to anyone, or the parent is verbally abusive at games and refuses to stop or leave when she becomes abusive.