January 12, 2026 • Athletic Administration

13 tips to refine communication skills with the community

Leading an athletic program is an enormous undertaking with numerous tasks and responsibilities. It involves ensuring compliance with state and federal legislation, such as Title IX, working to safeguard the health and welfare of student-athletes, and meeting the expectations of one’s principal or superintendent, and those of the community.

The athletic program is often referred to as the front porch of the school or district because the contests of your various teams are highly visible, attended by community members, and covered by the local media. This is in contrast to the academic areas that the public does not normally get a first-hand look at, other than the one or two days during National Education Week.

As a result, an athletic program generally generates a great deal of interest and support, but it also often results in opinions about the outcomes and direction of the program.

There is an accompanying truism with many athletic programs that, regardless of the amount of time, thought, and effort that you put into solving a problem or creating a plan, someone will disagree. Other than in statistical concepts, 100 percent agreement may not exist. It would be wise to understand the phenomenon and that community scrutiny may exist, and you may want to develop an approach to deal with them. The following tips may help.

Use every opportunity to explain the purpose, value, and tenets of education-based athletics, which is hopefully the foundation of your program. It is entirely possible that many in the community, and this would include parents, have no background or experience with this philosophical approach. A better community-wide understanding and appreciation of this concept may lessen some of the critical scrutiny.
Reach out and get on the meeting agenda for community organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, the Elks Club, Lions Club, and similar groups. With a well-prepared and brief presentation, explain the purpose and value of education-based athletics, and provide updates involving your program. If the attendees at these sessions share your message with family, friends, and neighbors, you can develop a more positive and supportive climate.
Employ as many mediums and platforms in your educational, marketing, and communication efforts. By doing this, you have a better chance of reaching a wider cross-section of your community.
Be as proactive as possible to head off potential problems or to prepare your constituents for new developments or changes. Don’t wait until they actually emerge, because if you do hesitate, discontent or disagreement may already have taken root.
Help your coaches by providing possible answers and approaches they might use to face and deal with common questions or concerns that parents may have. These issues may include how the team is selected, how the starters are determined, how players can get more playing time, and anything similar in your particular setting.
Actively and attentively listen to a parent or community member when they ask a question, raise a concern, or express an opinion on the future. To truly understand a person’s point of view, this part of the communication process is essential. And if you aren’t totally clear, ask the person to provide more detail or expand upon their thoughts.
Try — whenever possible — to put yourself in the place of an individual or group who disagrees or is concerned about a decision or course of action. In addition to listening with the objective of understanding, also consider how you would react to a situation or development. This is particularly important when dealing with parents who obviously love and want the best for their child.
Always be polite and professional with your interactions with parents and community members, regardless of how they may initially come across. Actually, you don’t have a choice. This should be an established expectation since you are an employee of an educational institution, and you represent the school district.
Always try to be fair and consistent with any decisions concerning problems or situations. While some concerns or incidents may involve different, distinct particulars or extenuating circumstances, treating everyone with the same standards should enable you to gain the trust and respect of your parents and community members. With this approach, you may be able to defuse or prevent some contentious situations.
Ask a third party to join you for any conversation, meeting, or interaction that has the potential to become contentious. Anyone who might have a history of problems or complaints, or if it is a recurring incident, might provide a good basis for adding another perspective to help with this person. Often, the mere presence of a third party creates a calmer, less intense, and productive session.
Conclude any interaction with a community member who has a complaint or different point of view with, “Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and I will take them under advisement.” This doesn’t state that you agree or will make any suggested change. It only means that you listened, and that you will consider their position — even if it is only for two minutes. This conclusion will usually result in a somewhat positive and civil manner.
Stay true to your values in the face of criticism, and this would include the purpose and tenets of education-based athletics. While you should attentively and politely listen, always continue to do what is right and best for your student-athletes and coaches.
Constantly work on gathering and developing new approaches to communicate, educate, and engage with your parents and community members. This can be done through networking with colleagues, attending professional conferences, reading, and taking courses. There is no one definitive way of dealing with an issue, concern, or development involved with an athletic program. It has to be an ongoing effort.

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With continual thought, proactive efforts, active listening, and engagement, you can minimize possible negative community scrutiny and create a more positive and supportive environment.