Team Manager = Captain of Helicopter Mom Fleet

[Unregistered]

very simple solution. NO team managers. Have the "professional" coach handle all of that. There are many clubs that do this. Its the Coache's job to schedule the games and email parents with any information needed. Honestly, its not that difficult. If its an ECNL team, I mean Christ they do the schedule for you, you simply need to get a field and time. Again, not that difficult. The less the parents are involved the better.

100% agree

[Unregistered]

100% agree

agree, i'm sure a group text can coordinate the pizza too.

[Unregistered]

If a club has team "moms" or "managers" its not a good sign. To me its just laziness on the coaches part. I agree with the post "the less the parents are involved, the better" Parents are the #1 reason why players/teams/coaches/clubs get ruined. Nothing good comes from parent involvement. Just sit back and enjoy. Or at least try to enjoy

[Unregistered]

If a club has team "moms" or "managers" its not a good sign. To me its just laziness on the coaches part. I agree with the post "the less the parents are involved, the better" Parents are the #1 reason why players/teams/coaches/clubs get ruined. Nothing good comes from parent involvement. Just sit back and enjoy. Or at least try to enjoy

Most clubs/teams do still have team managers. I can understand why they need them as well. As long as the coach doesn’t feel pressure because of that parent relationship and has no problem cutting the player if not performing all is well. The problem becomes as OP so passionately described is when a coach realizes the player is underperforming but feels they can’t let the player go because of the relationship the manager/family has built with the club. Very tough position to be in.

[Unregistered]

Agree with sports Apps there really is no need for a team manager. Set up all the games and practices on sports app and require parents to RSVP. If they don’t RSVP then their kid can’t practice or play in that game. It’s that simple and removes all the drama/politics/BS with having a team manager. It probably will save the clubs some money as well as they wouldn’t have to offer discounts if there are no team managers.

My son has played on a club without a team manager and it is a much better experience. When are the other clubs going to wake up and eliminate those team managers positions which cause more harm than good.

[Unregistered]

"Most clubs/teams do still have team managers. I can understand why they need them as well. As long as the coach doesn’t feel pressure because of that parent relationship and has no problem cutting the player if not performing all is well. The problem becomes as OP so passionately described is when a coach realizes the player is underperforming but feels they can’t let the player go because of the relationship the manager/family has built with the club. Very tough position to be in."

Managers are completely unnecessary and not needed. In the end it can only cause problems or put the coach in a bad spot.

Please tell me one thing that a manager does that a coach/club could not?

[Unregistered]

"Most clubs/teams do still have team managers. I can understand why they need them as well. As long as the coach doesn’t feel pressure because of that parent relationship and has no problem cutting the player if not performing all is well. The problem becomes as OP so passionately described is when a coach realizes the player is underperforming but feels they can’t let the player go because of the relationship the manager/family has built with the club. Very tough position to be in."

Managers are completely unnecessary and not needed. In the end it can only cause problems or put the coach in a bad spot.

Please tell me one thing that a manager does that a coach/club could not?

I couldn’t tell you because I’m not a coach. Maybe they want/need them as a filter? Most clubs and teams DO still have them. Obviously, I’ve (and maybe you) have never been a team manager. As previous poster said it is a tireless and thankless job. Easy for us to assume they aren’t needed. Just acknowledging the points being discussed but also not denying politics that come into play.

[Unregistered]

If I have an issue with the club the last person that I going to reach out to is a team manager. I go to the coach, director of coaching and/or club management.

[Unregistered]

If I have an issue with the club the last person that I going to reach out to is a team manager. I go to the coach, director of coaching and/or club management.

I NEVER got involved with any issues, even financial. Anyone who questioned a fee I directed them to the club. Nobody ever came to me with team-related issues, nor should they.

[Unregistered]

I have a real issue with the team manager philosophy at the club level.

I wonder how often a kid is moved along to a higher level (like ECNL) because their mom is a team manager? For a mom in a situation like this who may only have one child, a manager mom may be continuing the party for their player when the party is obviously over. You're starving your kid holding on to false hopes, you're putting the coach into a position to make bad choices. Do they protect the teams best interests or do they protect their own? Do they cut the cancerous daughter of the team manager, or do they keep the manager that will clean the coaches taint after team dinner?

The answer is simple. Term Limits.

We need to free the coaches of the long term burdon of these out talented players. The political agenda begins at the team manager and ends with them. At the end of each season willing managers should be pooled and chosen at random to team different than their own. Then you're still volunteering your time to the club, but the best interests of the team remain with the team, and not the coach or their daughter who was really good once but is only on the team because her mom cleans up the coaches hotel room after she's finished outlining her daughters agenda for each game.

Sexist much? some team managers are Dads. They usually have an agenda also. Pig

[Unregistered]

Sexist much? some team managers are Dads. They usually have an agenda also. Pig

[Raises hand on the first point]

[Drops hand for the second]

[Unregistered]

If I have an issue with the club the last person that I going to reach out to is a team manager. I go to the coach, director of coaching and/or club management.

Of course. Filter as in team communications like game times, locations, changes . You really think a coach wants all the parents constantly contacting them about minor issues? I’d assume if you had a major issue you’d definitely take it up with DOC or owner.

Why make the manager privy to any conversations of that level? Fodder for gossip. Duh.

[Unregistered]

Part of being a coach, is being a problem solver. So yes, I would expect the coach to have to deal with the every day little things. That's part of the job. Annoying yes, but if a coach deals with the small things, they have a chance to nip in the bud before it becomes a cancer and destroys. SO again, yes I expect the coach to deal with any and all issues pertaining to his/her team

[Unregistered]

Part of being a coach, is being a problem solver. So yes, I would expect the coach to have to deal with the every day little things. That's part of the job. Annoying yes, but if a coach deals with the small things, they have a chance to nip in the bud before it becomes a cancer and destroys. SO again, yes I expect the coach to deal with any and all issues pertaining to his/her team

Ok. Point taken. Guess a petition should get started.

[Unregistered]

If you're paying anything more than a few hundred dollars you should be getting "professional" management as part of your fee. It can be a club staff member who does the scheduling or the coach, whatever. I did it many years ago and there weren't nearly as many easy to use tools out there as there are now. that coach was technology illiterate but even he could manage what there is now

That said, most parent managers do just want to help without any bad intentions or trickery. It's a thankless job and some of the other parents treat them like crap - yet won't volunteer themselves. If a team has to have a parent manager the coach and/or club needs to keep an eye on the situation.