Talk to any tennis coach these days and they will quickly tell you that the biggest challenge in coaching is dealing with and communicating with tennis parents.
My number one tip for coaches is this.
Master your communication skills as fast as you can.
The best tennis coaches are really great at communicating with their players and their parents.
OK.
Here are 3 tips that can help make your job easier and less stressful.
1). Listen with real intent to understand them.
Let me explain what happened to me.
Japanese parents are very protective as they breastfeed their children for life.
So, I always had to have these long meetings with them on a weekly basis and wouldn’t really listen to them during a meeting!
I started to set them!
That was bad, but the problem is that I wasn’t aware of it.
Now looking at it, I realize that they felt it too.
But here is the funny part.
When I finally stopped resisting the meeting, the meeting began to listen with a genuine intent to understand their concerns.
Our relationship improved and we became good friends.
You need to make your parents feel like they are the most important person in the world when you listen to them and communicate with them.
Next thing.
2). I got along with them.
This is a great analogy for this advice.
Imagine if your parents tennis as a speeding train coming to you.
this means.
If you stand right in front of him, he’ll run over you, right?
exactly.
That’s the main point there.
Coaches should never do that.
Instead, find harmony with them and get into their way of thinking and their world.
3). Redirect them.
After you coordinate with them.
Try to redirect them to your point.
They will often follow your lead as well.
understand this.
Most parents and people are looking for leadership.
There are many weak energies out there, and the one with the strongest strength will always need to lead the others in the group.
You must do this indirectly.
It has to be normal or they will pick up on what you do and resent you.
But do not worry.
With daily practice, you will master this method of communication.
Let’s review the steps for dealing with tennis parents.
“Listen with the intent to understand them, then align with them and their feelings and finally, redirect them to see it your way or whatever way is best for the team.”
you know something?
After dealing with Tennis Parents for over 25 years, this 3-step process has helped me enjoy working with Tennis Parents and will do the same for you.
But, a warning.
This is not easy, you must be aware and you must also let go of your coaching ego or it will not happen.