Policy for Resolution of Player/Coach
& Parent/Coach Issues
To ensure that we provide an effective medium through which any issues can be resolved, the Stars program has established the following guidelines for handling conflicts between players/parents and coaches:
1) Beginning at the PeeWee age, players are encouraged to speak directly to the coach on matters regarding hockey (attendance, ice-time, development, etc.).
2) For younger players, it is understood that parents will speak on their children’s behalf.
3) Parents should recognize the importance of a direct coach-player relationship and understand that parent meetings are intended for big-picture issues and major concerns (this includes the player’s long-term development, performance and opportunity, but clearly excludes minor issues such as ice-time over a weekend, lineups, game strategy, etc.).
In the event that a parent has an issue that he/she would like to resolve with the coaching staff, he/she must adhere to the following procedure.
1) Allow 24 hours to pass between any event and a request for a meeting. Objective discussions require perspective, and this “24-hour rule” also allows cooler heads to prevail in many cases. This rule will be strictly enforced.
2) Approach the team manager and present your question or problem. The manager will communicate with the coach to provide a simple answer if possible.
3) If the issue cannot be resolved through correspondence, the parent should request a phone or personal conversation with the coach to discuss the issue objectively. Please note that meetings are meant to resolve major issues. Repeated requests for meetings would suggest abuse of the process or the presence of an “unresolved issue”.
4) In the case of an unresolved issue, the parent and/or manager should request a sit-down meeting with the coach and Stars Director to air concerns and suggest possible recourse.
It is our sincere hope that this process will provide a fair and efficient resolution of any issues that may arise. The best interest of the player is always the most important factor.
