Communication Solutions for Non-Teacher Coaches

Communication in any form with a wide array of colleagues and constituents can be a challenge, and it is extremely important to the successful operation of your program. The difficulty increases exponentially when dealing with coaches on your staff who are not teachers and are not in the building. This means that you better find a way to make the process work, or there could be headaches or problems.

One of the initial steps to lay the groundwork and to get newly hired non-teacher coaches to understand the importance of communication and their responsibilities within the process could start with your first introductory meeting. In this session, provide coaches with their keys, a handbook, and a quick tutorial of what has to be completed to start their season. This is the perfect time to cover the aspect of communication, and what and how it needs to be done. The following are some items that should be covered, and your non-teacher coaches should be expected to:

• Check their email or text messages throughout the day. This is imperative and necessary to alert the coach with respect to any changes or developments that may have occurred such as a postponed game or a changed departure time. With a large staff, it would be impossible for an athletic administrator to personally call every coach, and this form of communication is essential.

• Stop by the athletic office prior to heading down to the locker room before practice sessions and games, or stepping onto the team bus to pick up any written messages or materials that may have arrived. In many schools, there will be a mailbox in the office for off-campus coaches.

• Understand that all messages – email, phone and text – must be answered within 24 hours upon receipt. This protocol may already exist in your district for teachers and administrators, and it should also exist for all coaches including those who are not teachers.

• Be courteous, positive and professional with all communication, and this would include conversations, phone calls and email messages. Coaches have to avoid using foul or inappropriate language because they not only represent their team and athletic program, but the school as well.

• Be aware of the purpose and value of the chain of command. If there is a concern or problem, student-athletes and parents are expected to first communicate with the coach. If there is no resolution or if an impasse exists, the next step would be for the individual to contact the athletic administrator, principal and superintendent in that order.

• Alert the athletic administrator of any incidents, developments or potential concerns emanating from practice sessions, during games or within a coach’s program. This needs to be done to prevent the athletic director from being blindsided. In turn, the athletic administrator will keep the principal and superintendent informed to insulate them as best as possible from being entangled in this web. Transparent and proactive communication is essential to limit problems.

After covering these initial procedures, they can be reinforced in your pre-season coaches meeting. In addition to these basic requirements, there are also a few other situations and mediums that need to be shared with and understood by all coaches including those who are not teachers. They should:

• Avoid sending email or text messages to individual athletes. A simple, straightforward message to the entire team may be utilized to inform the student-athletes of a change in the bus departure time, that a contest has been postponed, or other team-related notices. However, coaches have to understand and honor boundaries, and avoid inappropriate, or even the appearance of improper messaging.

• Also be careful with their use of social media. Their postings cannot be tasteless, harassing, illegal or include anything inappropriate. Again, coaches do represent the school and they have a responsibility to project a positive, professional image.

• Understand that their interaction with officials during a contest is also a form of communication. A coach’s behavior, as well as his or her words, can influence the student- athletes and the fans. While a coach can question an official’s call, it has to be done in a calm, respectful manner, and they have to serve as a positive role model for the team and spectators.

• Be made aware that communication is definitely part of the instructional process in practice sessions, and also when dealing with student-athletes during games. While there may be an occasional situation in which a coach raises his or her voice, yelling in an abusive, berating or harassing manner cannot be tolerated. Point out that the way that they interact with their student-athletes has to be respectful, helpful and professional. In addition, you might also want to review the concept of education-based athletics emphasizing the educational component.

• Think before answering a reporter’s question. It is vital to choose their words carefully without saying anything negative about their team, the opponent, and also not to blame a loss on the officials. Poorly stated comments and answers can lead to problems, and reflect poorly not only on the coach but the school as well. It is imperative that this possibility is avoided.

• Learn to listen, and this should apply to a coach’s conversation with yourself, student-athletes, parents and administrators. This skill is vital in order to honestly understand what the other individual said, and then to accurately respond. While most people consider talking and writing as the essential elements of communication, attentively listening is just as important or perhaps more so.

Once these protocols and expectations are presented and explained, continually monitor and be aware of the communication efforts by your coaches. Normally, if there is a problem you will hear about it from parents, teachers or administrators. You also don’t want to simply wait, therefore, for a misstep to occur. It would be wise to use periodic email reminders. If needed, you can also pull a coach aside for an individual mentoring session.

As with most aspects of athletic management, you should continually analyze if there is anything else that is necessary or that you could do better. This would also include covering the communication expectations with your coaches, and this is often magnified with non-teacher coaches. The effective operation of your athletic program is largely dependent upon effective communication.