Parent Expectations Program

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Positive Coaching Alliance/Little League Leadership Pages:
Parent Expectations Program

While much of the Little League Double-Goal Coach Program focuses on coaches, parents also contribute mightily to your organizational culture.

Therefore it is critical to get coaches and parents onto the same page in terms of the behaviors expected of them that will create a positive, character-building environment for players.

Key steps are:
1. Appoint a league board member to manage your Parent Expectations Program (PEP) and ask several parents who are not on the board to communicate your PEP to the larger group of parents.

2. Clearly set expectations for parental behavior at games and practices. Tempting as it may be assume that adults know how to behave, the truth is that some people must be told what is expected of them.

3. Provide parents with examples of the desired behavior. Don’t just ask parents to refrain from bad behavior; exhibit and promote the positive behavior that you want displayed throughout your league.

4. Distribute PCA tools, such as the PCA Parent Pledge (http://www.positivecoach.org/pdffiles/parent_pledge.pdf) and hold an “Honoring the Game” Day (http://www.positivecoach.org/subcontent.aspx?SecID=240), using stickers, buttons, cards, banners and other messaging to remind all participants of the desired organizational culture.

5. Establish a procedure for intervening with parents who step over the line. Recruit board members to be "Culture-Keepers" who talk with unruly parents about the kind of behavior that is expected.

This information is brought to you by Positive Coaching Alliance. To learn more, please visit www.positivecoach.org.