My assistant is vocally disagreeing at practice!

Question
Hi Tom,
I currently coach club 13s at a competitive level. My new assistant's daughter was put on my team, despite her skill level being significantly lower than the other players. I run a 6-2 offense with a 3 man serve receive, my players all jump float serve, and though it is their first year learning all of this, my teams in the past have all done very well, including this team with the exception of this one player. My assistant disagrees with my system, and is very vocal about it in practice. She feels that playing time for this age group should be 100% even, and we should not force them into positions like libero or middle hitter, and all the players should play all the way around the court in every position. I have been very clear from day one about my system and philosophy-to all of the parents. How do you feel about parents coaching their children in competitive sports? And what are your thoughts about 13s running a 6-2 and 3 man serve receive?
Thanks

Answer
Good afternoon and welcome to www.allexperts.com!

I have some very strong feelings about what you described.

a) I coached my stepd for 4 years, and I think I was all about "team".  Her first year she was 12 playing on a 14's team.  She wasn't one of the best 6, but she wasn't a scrub; thus, she didn't play all that much.  My wife wasn't happy with me.  haha  Sorry.  I'm team first, individuals second.  But after that year, she played a lot and was named MVP of her next 2 teams.  

b) Your assistant is just that:  AN ASSISTANT.  If she doesn't like what you're doing, she's free to not come back again.  I'm serious.  You're the head coach, and you need to have complete power over what assistants do and what they say.  If an assistant is disrupting your team, she's fired.  She CANNOT be vocal about it at practice, just like a teacher cannot disagree with a principal during a faculty meeting. Ahhhh, that teacher will be scrubbing toilets the next day.  You have the power.  You have an immense amount of power.  Use it to squash this disrupter.  I've only had 1 assistant coach who disrupted........and he ONLY did it our final tournament of the year. I was FURIOUS!!  And, yes, his daughter was on the team.   

b.5) Maybe your assistant has been assigned to you and you don't have the power to fire her.  Then you can tell her, "You will not show any kind of disagreement with me at practice.  Ever.  If you do, I will subtract both practice time and playing time from your daughter.  You're free to take your child and go.  But as long as I'm the head coach, it'll be done my way.  NO ONE has the power to disrupt this team.  Not you. Not me. No one."  

c) Your philosophy is yours and the ONLY worry you should have is whether it is at odds with your club's philosophy.  If you told the parents and players this at tryouts, then you have all bases covered.  

d) 6-2, 3-man serve receive and jump serving:  If they're mentally and physically mature enough to do it, then they do it.  However, if your team is losing to similarly mature team b/c you're expecting them to do skills that they're not old enough to execute correctly, then you're making a mistake!  I don't sacrifice success at tournaments for experimentation.  (My philosophy! haha) Even at 15's, if my players aren't mature/athletic enough to jump serve 85% in the court and 50% to target, they stand.  

BEFORE you do anything........clear it with the club director.  You don't want your actions to be over-ridden.  

I hope this helped some!  Let me know if you need anything else......like a site camp for your school team.  We have 8 summer site camps scheduled for 2010 and we have room for more.  Name the days and I'll see what I can do.  You can get all the info at www.coachhouser.com

Coach Houser