Little Rock Juniors Volleyball Club
| USA Junior Olympic Volleyball - Delta Region |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
Parental Conduct / Grievance Procedure:
Knowing when and how to communicate with your athlete’s coach is a concern for almost every parent at some
time during the season. Most often the concern is how to inquire about issues surrounding playing time or position.
The Little Rock Juniors program encourages athletes to talk to the coach when she has a problem with her playing
time or position, or if she is unclear about what the coach expects from her in either practice or competition. The
appropriate attitude is for the athlete to ask the coach what she needs to do to get more opportunities to play in
matches. If the athlete is too emotional to discuss the problem in a respectable manner, the conversation should
be delayed until the athlete has calmed and the conversation can be civil. Parents can best help their athlete by
helping her set goals to achieve more opportunities.
When parents have a problem that is specific to their own athlete we also encourage them to first talk to the
coach. What the coach WILL NOT do is discuss “coaching decisions”. Coaching decisions include, but are not
limited to specific match decisions (who played when, who was subbed out and when, etc.). The amount of time
any given athlete is on the court is the result of a coach’s complex determination of the athlete’s ability, the athlete’
s potential, the athlete’s position, the emotional state of the athlete, the team’s needs at that moment, and the
team’s needs in the future. The coach WILL NOT be required to defend his/her thought process or conclusions in
these determinations, and it is improper for a parent to request it.
In addition, we instruct coaches not to discuss any athlete other than the parent’s own child, and to not discuss the
actions of any other Little Rock Juniors coach.
If you, as a parent, have legitimate concerns about a coach other than your athlete’s coach, or with an athlete
other than your own, you need to address the Club Director, Van Compton. Again, please note that “coaching
decisions” are not, in our opinion, legitimate concerns. Specifically, the following procedures should be adhered to
in this order if you have concerns about Little Rock Juniors policies or actions:
1. The ATHLETE should speak to or meet with the coach about the matter. If the matter remains unresolved,
or if the athlete has a concern that she feels speaking to the coach will not resolve the matter, THEN…
2. The PARENT should speak to or meet with the coach. Parents and/or athletes are expected to call the
coach on the phone to set a meeting. Meetings are to be at times and locations other than tournaments or
practice time. If during a tournament, a parent approaches a coach, we have instructed the coaches to refuse to
discuss a controversial matter and to walk away from the parent. The recommended time for a parent or athlete to
talk to a coach is in a previously arranged meeting time before or after a scheduled practice. We request parents
wait 48 hours after a grievance before requesting a meeting with the coach so that all parties can have a "cooling
off' period before meeting.
3. The PARENT may speak to the Club Director, Van Compton, to request a meeting with the coach and the
Director. In certain situations, we may ask the athlete to attend. Meetings will not engage in discussions about
coaching decisions.
It is inappropriate for an athlete or parent to approach other Little Rock Juniors members about a problem the
athlete or parent feels they are having with a coach about objections to coaching decisions, or about
disagreements with an administrative decision.
Asking uninvolved persons to take sides in an issue is unfair to the third party and to the Club. Competitive team
athletics, by its very nature creates situations where everyone may not be happy all the time. For the
psychological heath of the teams and the Club as a whole, grievances need to be handled between parties
involved and the decision-makers in the situation.
Any member who is approached and asked to listen to or express an opinion about matters between two other
parties in the Club are strongly encouraged to refer the complaining party to take the matter up with the coach in
question, and/or the Club Director following the above stated procedures. Repetitive complaining by the athlete(s)
or other uninvolved third parties, that interfere with the Club’s efforts to pursue it’s stated pledge and purpose,
may be cause for the Club to ask a member to resign.
Knowing when and how to communicate with your athlete’s coach is a concern for almost every parent at some
time during the season. Most often the concern is how to inquire about issues surrounding playing time or position.
The Little Rock Juniors program encourages athletes to talk to the coach when she has a problem with her playing
time or position, or if she is unclear about what the coach expects from her in either practice or competition. The
appropriate attitude is for the athlete to ask the coach what she needs to do to get more opportunities to play in
matches. If the athlete is too emotional to discuss the problem in a respectable manner, the conversation should
be delayed until the athlete has calmed and the conversation can be civil. Parents can best help their athlete by
helping her set goals to achieve more opportunities.
When parents have a problem that is specific to their own athlete we also encourage them to first talk to the
coach. What the coach WILL NOT do is discuss “coaching decisions”. Coaching decisions include, but are not
limited to specific match decisions (who played when, who was subbed out and when, etc.). The amount of time
any given athlete is on the court is the result of a coach’s complex determination of the athlete’s ability, the athlete’
s potential, the athlete’s position, the emotional state of the athlete, the team’s needs at that moment, and the
team’s needs in the future. The coach WILL NOT be required to defend his/her thought process or conclusions in
these determinations, and it is improper for a parent to request it.
In addition, we instruct coaches not to discuss any athlete other than the parent’s own child, and to not discuss the
actions of any other Little Rock Juniors coach.
If you, as a parent, have legitimate concerns about a coach other than your athlete’s coach, or with an athlete
other than your own, you need to address the Club Director, Van Compton. Again, please note that “coaching
decisions” are not, in our opinion, legitimate concerns. Specifically, the following procedures should be adhered to
in this order if you have concerns about Little Rock Juniors policies or actions:
1. The ATHLETE should speak to or meet with the coach about the matter. If the matter remains unresolved,
or if the athlete has a concern that she feels speaking to the coach will not resolve the matter, THEN…
2. The PARENT should speak to or meet with the coach. Parents and/or athletes are expected to call the
coach on the phone to set a meeting. Meetings are to be at times and locations other than tournaments or
practice time. If during a tournament, a parent approaches a coach, we have instructed the coaches to refuse to
discuss a controversial matter and to walk away from the parent. The recommended time for a parent or athlete to
talk to a coach is in a previously arranged meeting time before or after a scheduled practice. We request parents
wait 48 hours after a grievance before requesting a meeting with the coach so that all parties can have a "cooling
off' period before meeting.
3. The PARENT may speak to the Club Director, Van Compton, to request a meeting with the coach and the
Director. In certain situations, we may ask the athlete to attend. Meetings will not engage in discussions about
coaching decisions.
It is inappropriate for an athlete or parent to approach other Little Rock Juniors members about a problem the
athlete or parent feels they are having with a coach about objections to coaching decisions, or about
disagreements with an administrative decision.
Asking uninvolved persons to take sides in an issue is unfair to the third party and to the Club. Competitive team
athletics, by its very nature creates situations where everyone may not be happy all the time. For the
psychological heath of the teams and the Club as a whole, grievances need to be handled between parties
involved and the decision-makers in the situation.
Any member who is approached and asked to listen to or express an opinion about matters between two other
parties in the Club are strongly encouraged to refer the complaining party to take the matter up with the coach in
question, and/or the Club Director following the above stated procedures. Repetitive complaining by the athlete(s)
or other uninvolved third parties, that interfere with the Club’s efforts to pursue it’s stated pledge and purpose,
may be cause for the Club to ask a member to resign.