Dad Coaches at Club and High School

[Guest]

Let’s celebrate these wonderful people!

[Guest]

Why am I celebrating?

[Guest]

Why am I celebrating?

Because they are wonderful! So fair and honest. They never play their own kid more than anyone else. There should be more dad coaches at every club and high school.

[Guest]

Because they are wonderful! So fair and honest. They never play their own kid more than anyone else. There should be more dad coaches at every club and high school.

Someone's kid isn't as good as they thought they were....

[Guest]

There are actually two types of dad coaches: the kind who play their own kid way too much and the kind who sit their own kid first.

[Guest]

There are actually two types of dad coaches: the kind who play their own kid way too much and the kind who sit their own kid first.

I was a dad coach, and it was a terrible experience. I mean, I felt like I was a good coach to introduce kids to the game and have decades of experience. Unfortunately, in an effort to keep crazy parents at bay I inadvertently treated my own kid worse.

[Guest]

One type is way more prevalent

[Guest]

One type is way more prevalent

No idea, but I will say it can be really tough on a parent trying to keep the peace, teach kids the game, and still be a parent to your own kid.

The easiest thing to do is sit on the sidelines and criticize others.

[Guest]

I think this may be a controversial opinion but people vastly exaggerate how bad some dad coaches are. While I've seen plenty of terrible dad coaches, I've seen other dad coaches who's kids are genuinely the best on the team, and as a result play more than other players. Just as some dad coaches overrate and overplay their children, plenty of other non-coaching parents think their children are better than they actually are, and will cry about dad coaches when their kid doesn't play that much.

[Guest]

There aren’t enough quality coaches around anymore and people in top positions who actually know the sport who are making the decisions to take on a dad coach in the first place.

[Guest]

There aren’t enough quality coaches around anymore and people in top positions who actually know the sport who are making the decisions to take on a dad coach in the first place.

This is especially true at the lower levels. Parent coaches are necessary not just to teach but also to help keep costs lower. Are they all good? No. But most want to do well and put the effort into it.

At higher levels there are parents out there who know the game well, played at high levels and also want to help. As long as they are as qualified to coach as any club employee it shouldn't be an issue - in theory. Needless to say something parents assume a parent coach is favoring their kid. For all the times that happens there are many more that treat everyone fairly.

[Guest]

You can be a dad coach if you want. The pay is really competitive too.

[Guest]

There aren’t enough quality coaches around anymore and people in top positions who actually know the sport who are making the decisions to take on a dad coach in the first place.

This may be true, but it is correlated with the growth of the game. We saw the same thing happen in lacrosse during its boom, which is still growing. Towns and clubs are willing to expand teams first and then consider the staffing needs second. As a dad who coaches at the club and HS level, it is a difficult dance. I've spoken with my son often about the likelihood of him coming off the bench or being rotated off the field first if he is starting. Some lost minutes on the field is something we have agreed upon especially when the alternative is the perception of favoritism.

[Guest]

This may be true, but it is correlated with the growth of the game. We saw the same thing happen in lacrosse during its boom, which is still growing. Towns and clubs are willing to expand teams first and then consider the staffing needs second. As a dad who coaches at the club and HS level, it is a difficult dance. I've spoken with my son often about the likelihood of him coming off the bench or being rotated off the field first if he is starting. Some lost minutes on the field is something we have agreed upon especially when the alternative is the perception of favoritism.

Sadly, your kid is suffering because you coach him. I don't mean that to be a slam on you, I admire your effort. I just couldn't do it to her any longer so I had to step back.

The crazies won.

[Guest]

My daughter is her final year of club soccer. Since she was 9 till now she had 5 coaches. The best of those 5 was a dad coach, and it's not even close how far better that coach was compared to the rest. He had played the game, is a great teacher of the game and just as important he inspired every single player to exceed their own expectations. Did he favor his kid, sometimes it seemed like he did, but that was a very small price to pay for what he provided to every single one of his players.