New 10u/12u coach here. Coached a local team for summer and we are trying to get a team together for fall ball. I am not on Facebook and not willing to reactive my account, but I am wondering how most coaches communicate with parents. We used an app called team snap, that allows messaging, availability, directions ect and I sent out email to parents. I have told the parents that I need to know if anyone will miss a game because we dont have an overly large roster and Quite often I didn’t get it. After a rain out I sent an email out to see who could make a given reschedule date and out of 11 girls I got reponses from 3, 2 were my assistants kids. Sent out an email can you make it to a tournament on x date and time? 4 responses. Does anyone have any advice? Parent meeting at the beginning of the season is the only thing I could do different which we never did.
Communication with parents
- Thread starter John 800
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- Feb 14, 2019
- 145
- 43
GroupMe is a great team communication tool, as long as you don't let it be clogged up with idle chit chat (vital information tends to get lost when there's too much extraneous info/pics being posted). We always had the team mom's (and a few chatty dads) start their own GroupMe thread to avoid the clutter on the team thread...
Choose a messaging app - Team snap/whatsapp/groupme. Not email. Not text.
Pick one - tell everyone upfront that ALLteam comms will be through that app and that everyone is expected to use it and ALL involved parents (mum, dad, step-parents, guardians, grandma) are required to be using it. And then STICK to that commitment and ENFORCE it - don't try for multiple comms path.
If someone misses a message that is on them. If you don't get enough 'yes, Susie can play' then don't play and say that - "As we didn't get enough confirmations by the deadline, we won't be playing'
It doesn't really matter which one - just pick ONE.
Pick one - tell everyone upfront that ALLteam comms will be through that app and that everyone is expected to use it and ALL involved parents (mum, dad, step-parents, guardians, grandma) are required to be using it. And then STICK to that commitment and ENFORCE it - don't try for multiple comms path.
If someone misses a message that is on them. If you don't get enough 'yes, Susie can play' then don't play and say that - "As we didn't get enough confirmations by the deadline, we won't be playing'
It doesn't really matter which one - just pick ONE.
- Sep 7, 2020
- 178
- 28
One of our teams used the Heja app which I found fairly user friendly. I believe Team Manager/Game Changer allows for group communication as well. Heja is free
Added- apparently Heja now charges for a lot of the features that used to be free so I would forgo this one based on that.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
Added- apparently Heja now charges for a lot of the features that used to be free so I would forgo this one based on that.
Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
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- Feb 24, 2021
- 119
- 28
I just used group text with at least 1 parent from each as well as posting the schedule for games and practice on GC. I haven't had any issues thankfully as the parents in our area do a great job staying engaged!
We have used all of them at one time or another. Like WhatsApp and GroupMe. Not a fan of TeamSnap.
Suggestion: Set up 2 Group Chats with everyone on both. 1 is for coaches/team communication TO parents only. The other is for parents to communicate.
Once parents start talking when you only have 1, all of the team communications get lost in the 100's of parents comments about where to go after the game and happy birthday wishes ect. Team communication needs to be easy and available.
Suggestion: Set up 2 Group Chats with everyone on both. 1 is for coaches/team communication TO parents only. The other is for parents to communicate.
Once parents start talking when you only have 1, all of the team communications get lost in the 100's of parents comments about where to go after the game and happy birthday wishes ect. Team communication needs to be easy and available.
What's wrong w/ email? I don't have an opinion, just curious what's better about the other options.
email is really not viable when u r notifying about rainouts, rain delays, ie up to the minute information.
GC or Teamsnap have been effective for our teams.
big thing is they have to turn notifications ON for whatever app you are using.
DD's team has a GroupMe for the parents and coaches which works well. They also have a GroupMe for coaches and players. She also emailed schedules and tournament info via email. I think it's all about what expectations your coach/parents make at the start of the season.
For high school ball, the coach uses Remind (not sure if that is just a local thing but every class/club has one to give updates) - plus he emails as well - it's always nice to get the double communication. I think he also has another group with just him and the players. He gives a lot more information to the players as they are all high school age now.
I feel like with a young team, the parents are going to need a lot more hand holding because they may have never even looked at a bracket or understand how tournaments even work. I do know Game Changer has an RSVP feature. Back in rec we also used SportsEngine which has that as well. But def need a parents meeting to go over how things will be communicated.
For high school ball, the coach uses Remind (not sure if that is just a local thing but every class/club has one to give updates) - plus he emails as well - it's always nice to get the double communication. I think he also has another group with just him and the players. He gives a lot more information to the players as they are all high school age now.
I feel like with a young team, the parents are going to need a lot more hand holding because they may have never even looked at a bracket or understand how tournaments even work. I do know Game Changer has an RSVP feature. Back in rec we also used SportsEngine which has that as well. But def need a parents meeting to go over how things will be communicated.
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