COMMUNICATION – TEAM SNAP
Team Snap is #1 in Club and Team Management in the sports world! We provide this platform for parents, players and coaches and staff to facilitate communication on all levels. Communication is key to being on top of practice times, tournaments, court assignments, interfacing with the team, last minute changes etc. It also helps the administration send out information quickly to the entire team or even the entire club. It’s an efficient and proven way to stay on top of the season!
We also encourage communicating through email, text and phone between families.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
PLAYING TIME
Club Tonka requires all players to make a significant commitment to their teammates and coaches. In return, Club Tonka coaches and staff work hard to insure that all players are given the opportunity to improve in all phases of the game. Training is only effective when players faithfully attend regular practices, Advanced Positional Training (APT), strength training sessions, and when players work personally on skills outside of club. Players improve the most by attending practices.
It is also important to note that playing time will not be equal among all athletes on a team. Playing time depends on the following considerations: player position on the court, ability to execute skills, attitude, effort, attendance, punctuality, and ability to receive coaching.
National, and some Regional+ Travel Teams are unique in that they commit to competing at the highest levels. Although effort will be made to offer playing time to all players on these teams, there are circumstances when playing time considerations will be secondary to achieving team goals. Playing time for these teams is not guaranteed. Each player should be striving for position and playing time during practices, as it will be earned week to week. For most Regional Teams, Club Plus, and Club Teams the coaches will make every effort to provide playing time for all players.
If a player has an issue with playing time or if she is unclear about what the coach expects from her, either in practice or in competition, the order of protocol at Club Tonka is for the athlete to first talk to the coach directly. The best question to ask is, “What do I need to do in order to get more time on the court?” The appropriate attitude is to seek out the coach to find out what is needed to get more opportunities to play in matches. Parents can best support their athlete by helping to set some goals to achieve more opportunities. Secondly, if needed, parents may seek communication with the coach, but it is a strict Club Tonka policy that such communication will never occur during a tournament or playdate. Thirdly, as a last resort, the director of Club Tonka may be contacted.
If the parent decides they need to communicate with the coach directly, after following the above protocol, it needs to be understood that coaches will not discuss/defend “coaching decisions.” “Coaching decisions” include, among other things, 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 complex determination, in that coach’s opinion, of the athlete’s ability, the athlete’s potential, the team’s need at the 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. Coaches will not discuss decisions made about other players with parents.
If a parent has a significant concern about a coach’s behavior, or if their child is threatened the parent should contact Ted Fleener, Club Director, immediately.
In addition, we instruct coaches not to discuss any athlete other than the parent’s own, or the actions of any other Club Tonka 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, please contact Ted Fleener, Club Director.
In summary, the procedures to follow if you as a parent, or your daughter is a member of a Club Tonka team, have concerns about Club Tonka policies or actions are:
- The athlete should speak to or meet with the coach about the concern, to gain clarification, resolve and next steps.
- If the matter remains unresolved….
- Parents and/or athletes are expected to email or call the coach to set a meeting.
- Meetings are to be at times and locations other than during tournaments. If a parent approaches a coach during a tournament or play date, the coach has been instructed to inform the parent that they will not discuss the matter at that time. The coach has the right to walk away from the parent.
- The recommended time for a parent and/or athlete to talk to a coach about a problem is a previously arranged meeting time either before or immediately after a scheduled practice.
- If the matter still remains unresolved, or if the parent has reasonable concern that speaking to the coach will not resolve the matter, the parent may contact Club Director, Ted Fleener, and request a meeting with the coach and the Director.
- In some situations, Club Tonka will ask the athlete to attend the meeting.
- Meetings should be previously arranged. Meetings will not be scheduled during or at a tournament or play date site.
- The Director will not engage with parents in discussions about coaching decisions.
Other general policies regarding grievances with Club Tonka
- Club Tonka will not tolerate hostile, aggressive confrontations between a parent and any official, a parent and any coach or Club Tonka Staff, a parent and any athlete, or a parent and any other parent, whether the coach, athlete, staff member or other parent is a member of Club Tonka or not. Violation of this policy may result in dismissal from Club Tonka.
- It is inappropriate for an athlete or a parent to approach other Club Tonka members about a problem the athlete or parent is having with a Club Tonka coach, about objections to coaching decisions, or about disagreement 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 health of the teams and the Club as a whole, grievances need to be handled between the 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 is strongly encouraged to refer the complaining party to take the matter up with either the coach in question or the Director.
- Any member who, as a third party, hears remarks or stories about Club Tonka, its staff or coaches or its policies, which cause the member to be concerned, is encouraged to contact the Director immediately to determine the facts.
- It is detrimental to all persons involved to repeat complaints you hear or overhear to other uninvolved parties. By the time a story gets to the third or fourth party, it frequently bears little resemblance to the facts of the situation.
- It is also detrimental to the athlete and, disruptive to her team, to complain to the athlete about the coach, the coach’s style or Club Tonka.
- Ted Fleener, Club Tonka Director, makes all final decisions regarding any issue within Club.
Repetitive complaining to an athlete, or other third parties, that interferes with the Club’s efforts to pursue its stated mission and purpose, may be cause, at the sole determination of the Club Director, to sanction the member from playdates and tournaments.
REPORTING COMPLAINTS
If you see behavior by a Club Tonka staff person you believe appears to be inappropriate, or if you experience behavior from a coach or administrator that you believe to be inappropriate, report it immediately to the Ted Fleener, Club Director. See contact information below. All complaints will be investigated. Any staff or coach found to be in violation would be subject to discipline that may include dismissal. There will be no retaliation against any complaints and/or witnesses who participate in an investigation of any charge.
If you have questions about Club Tonka’s policies or procedures, please do not hesitate to contact Ted Fleener, Club Tonka Director, at 952-484-5406 or email tedf16@comcast.net. All decisions regarding Club Tonka policies are subject to the Club Tonka Director and are final.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Club Tonka Volleyball program, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will make every effort to answer your questions and resolve any issues.
Ted Fleener, Club Director
Club Tonka reserves the right to amend policies and procedures at any time. The online version is the most current.
