Hi. So glad you found us.
You're the coach whether you asked for the job or not.
Every kid in every activity has a parent driving them home. That's the real game. Camps to find, gear that lasts, and what to say in the car.
Written by the Parent Coach Desk.
This Season
What's changing right now.
26 sports and activities
Find your sport.
Pick yours and the whole site filters to what's relevant.
Baseball
→ Guide
Soccer
→ Guide
Basketball
→ Guide
Football — Tackle
→ Guide
Softball
→ Guide
Volleyball
→ Guide
Swimming
→ Guide
Lacrosse — Girls
→ Guide
Don't see yours? All sports including dance, theater, band, gymnastics, and more →
What makes this site different
Every game is three drives.
The car ride there. The game itself. The car ride home. Most of the work happens before the game starts or after the final whistle.
Before the game
The conversation on the way to practice. The night before tryouts. What gets done before anyone steps on the field.
→ Read the before the game pieces
In the game
Coaching execution, in-the-moment decisions, and the strange job of coaching your own kid in front of the team.
→ Read the in the game pieces
After the game
The post-game conversation, the car ride, the dinner table. The relationship aftermath.
→ Read the after the game pieces
If you're also on the bench
Coaching your kid's team is its own job.
Most clinics don't cover the part where it's also your kid. The lineup at midnight. The walk to the dugout. The drive home, knowing they're not getting the truth from anyone else either. This is where those pieces live.
- Essay
Coaching your own kid in front of the team
I made the lineup at midnight. Five seasons later, I think I have it figured out. Sort of.
- Framework
Three drives. One relationship.
Why what happens in the car matters more than what happens on the field.
- Decision
The "you should be assistant coaching" pressure
Coach asked. Two parents asked. You're considering it. Read this first.
Browse by section
Find the guide for this week.
The drive there
- The November mock meet is a dress rehearsal, not a score that counts
- Spring 7v7 rosters get picked in December. Decide before the tryout flyer shows up.
- Wrestling season opens: the certification calendar before the first dual
- December is choir's playoff month. Map it before Thanksgiving.
- Your first all-star competition weekend: the schedule nobody sends early
- How Much Does AAU Basketball Cost?
During the game
- How to Tape a Hockey Stick: Blade, Knob and Grip Step by Step
- Little League vs. Babe Ruth: What Parents Need to Know
- KT Tape vs Athletic Tape: What Volleyball Parents Should Know
- Soccer Ball Sizes for Youth Players: A Parent's Guide by Age
- Mineral vs. Chemical Sunscreen for Young Athletes
- Rotating Positions in Youth Sports: A Parent's Guide
The drive home
- Positive Reinforcement in Youth Volleyball: What to Say
- The kid who quit the team gracefully
- The 8-10 Ages: When a Parent Emails About Playing Time
- When your kid isn't going to play in college (and that's fine)
- When your kid says they're not as good as their teammate
- Confidence After a Bad Game: Parent Scripts for the First 72 Hours
Team parents
- MLK weekend hockey tournament? The hotel decision happens in November.
- The end-of-season parent thank-you note to the coach
- Volunteer Parent Roles on a Youth Volleyball Team
- How to Handle an Overbearing Sports Parent Without Starting a War
- What the team email leaves off the tournament packing list
- The text to the new coach for next season