Seeking positive advise to deal with coaches

[ref47]

coach, you are having a detrimental effect on your players. they are not concentrating on playing because they are listening to you complain about every call. either you stop or you will need to visit the parking lot.

next comment - off to the lot.

[wardtc]

I have found that coach's that constantly lip off, do so because we let them.

My approach is to offer a friendly hand at the beginning of the check in. I tell them my name, ask how their season is going, then let them know that I'll be checking in their side. In essence I'm extending a common courtesy of respect.

If during the game they get excited, I wait till the ball is dead, tell the team to "Hold the Ball". I then jog over to the coach, explain why I made a call they way I did, then I tell them calmly that they cannot continue to question my calls. I don't give them the opportunity to ask any follow up, just get back to the game. If they continue to challange me, depending on how they act, I may tell them (only once) firmly "That's enough" or I give them a card.

The important thing to remember is that you do not have to take their attempts at intimidation. The other thing to remember is that at the younger ages U9-U12, the coaches may not have learned yet. No excuse, but they are simply ignorant.