Communicating with Families

When my older son started tackle football, the communication we received from this organization and his coach was primarily paper-based and word of mouth. His team assignment and information regarding the start of practice arrived in the mail. In-season updates were small strips of paper handed to players after practice. We have come a long way since then! Here are four tools for communicating with a large group.


Email: Pros - Established communication medium. Good for longer message containing lots of information. Best for sharing attachments. Cons - Every season there will be at least a handful of parents who do not have an email address, and a few more who have email but do not regularly check it.


Facebook: Pros - Most people have Facebook accounts (may be a con?!). Group messaging or private group are accessible by phone, tablet or computer. Group communication can be complemented by a public-facing Facebook page featuring photos, video, events, and other announcements. Cons - Many people consider Facebook a necessary evil and prefer to spend as little time there as possible.

Text: Pros - Everyone has mobile phones. Everyone has their phone on them at all times. Everyone texts. Cons - Some people may not be able to properly take part in group texts because of their carriers’ settings. Difficult to send attachments.


TeamSnap: Pros - Designed specifically for teams to communicate. Wide range of sports-specific features. Accessible from phone, tablet or computer. Cons - Multiple communication options within app can be difficult to keep straight. Free option has limited functionality, additional features come at a cost.

These are certainly not the only means of communication that exist, and with time you will learn what communication methods work best for your team. You will likely find that 90 percent of your families are fine using your preferred method, but a handful will communicate with you in another way. This can be frustrating, but acknowledging families’ communication preferences or capabilities can go a long way toward ensuring a healthy dialogue.


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