Communication Protocol

Communication is a pinnacle for a team to run smoothly. This applies to practice, games, or organizing an event. The coach and manager will be in communication often through email. Between them, they will ensure changes to games/practices/changes are conveyed as quickly as new information is confirmed. As events can change on short notice, parents are encouraged to check your email and Byga often, to ensure you are up to date with team arrangements/commitments.

Who talks and to Whom?
Parents talk to coach

Communication Route:

Wait 24 hours to reach out – cooling off period
Wait until AFTER practice, NEVER interrupt practice. Our coaches try to maximize their instruction time with players and often times, have another practice or commitment immediately following your player’s event.
Email, text or phone call (Coaches should communicate at the beginning of the season the best way to reach them.)
Face to face appointments if personal issues.
If your complaint/concern is legitimate, and not properly or fully addressed, initiate the escalation process, described later

Who talks and to Whom?
Players and parents talk to coach together.

Communication Route:

Wait 24 hours to reach out – cooling off period
Wait until AFTER practice, NEVER interrupt practice.
Email, text or phone call (using coaches preferred way of contact)
Face to face appointments if personal issues
Please encourage your child to show the self‐confidence to approach the coach, perhaps you may want to rehearse with your child the first few times. Young players are likely to be nervous, but should never feel afraid of speaking to their coach. The coach’s job is to help nurture their love of soccer and help develop their skills.
If your complaint/concern is legitimate, and not fully or properly addressed by the coach, initiate the escalation process.

Who talks and to Whom?
Player talks to the coach

In these age groups, the players will most likely want to be handling their own problems themselves. We encourage self-advocacy and want the players to take the initiative. That being said, we understand that parents may have problems/issues as well and those are appropriate to direct to the coach. If a player has an issue that is not resolved after following the outreach steps listed here, the parent can initiate the escalation process and address the matter from there. Parents should also follow the escalation process for any matters that they have been unable to get resolved directly as well.

Communication Time Frame/Expectations

Feedback and responsiveness to player and parent communications is part of setting a good example and contributes to the type of experience that players have. Thus, it is important that coaches, managers and Board Members respond to texts, emails or phone messages from players or parents within a reasonable time frame. That would normally be within 2-3 days of the player or parent outreach. The coach/manager/Board Member may not have every answer available to questions/issues raised, but will follow up with the player or parent to acknowledge the communications and will follow up in a timely manner with the answer if not immediately known. If the coach does not know how to answer the matter, he or she should reach out to the Board or Director of Coaching for additional advice or guidance.

Responsiveness to questions or concerns raised set an example and how MVLA San Jose officials (coach, team manager, Board Member) respond to communications demonstrates their respect and sensitivity to player or parent matters brought to their attention. Communications not addressed by the coach may be escalated by the parent (for himself/herself or player issues unresolved) using the club escalation process as described below.

Escalation Process

As a club, we are trying to create a climate fostering better communications. As noted, communication is a vital piece in helping ensure a better experience for our players, parents, coaches – our entire soccer community.

If an MVLA San Jose official (coach, team manager, Board Member) does not acknowledge a communication within 2-3 days, the parent/player should follow up to confirm that the communication was received. The recipient should respond that the message has been received and is being researched or reviewed further. The contacted MVLA San Jose official should set a timeframe for providing a full answer or lay out a plan for addressing the issue/concern raised within a reasonable time (up to a week). Multiple offenses of not addressing matters raised in a timely and professional manner may result in disciplinary action against the MVLA San Jose official who has not taken appropriate action to acknowledge and address communications.

If the issue has not been responded to and discussed with the parent or player making the inquiry within a week, the requestor should complete the club communication Escalation Form. This form will be filled out, indicating the day and manner in which the parent/player first reached out, the nature of issue and the date(s) on which the MVLA San Jose official should have responded. An issue may also be escalated if the issue raised has not been addressed fully to the requestor’s satisfaction. This would follow the same process.

Before submitting the escalation form, the submitter (parent or coach) should review this entire communication document, as well as the code of conduct in place for whatever his or her role is to ensure a full understanding of expectations of all parties involved.

The completed form will be submitted electronically and received by a committee consisting of several MVLA San Jose Operations Board members. All escalations submitted will be acknowledged and responded to in 3 or less business days.

Escalation Form