Depending upon the age and level of the game that you are coaching, you may find yourself having to interact with parents of your players from time to time. While parents of players can be a great resource and benefit for a team, they can also present some difficult situations for coaches. We have all heard the horror stories of the aggressive or over competitive parent that takes things too fare, and it is important as a coach to make sure not to cross the line when you’re dealing with parents. Yes parents can be overbearing, or think that they know more than you do. It’s human nature to want to remind them that you’re the coach not them, however ,always remember that they’re coming from a place of caring and concern, and that they ultimately want to see the same things as you do. It is critical not to blame a player for the behavior of their parents. It also does no one any good to have a negative interaction with a parent, as it puts your players in a very awkward situation. At the end of the day what should be most important to both you and a players parent is that the player is having fun, and learning, growing, and developing both on and off of the field. Keeping this big picture in mind can help you as a coach when you are faced with a difficult parent.