It's week one of the season and your inbox hits triple digits before first period ends. The same three questions again and again: Where do I buy tickets? What cleats does he need? Can I drive my daughter home from the away game?
None of these questions are hard. But you're spending hours answering things parents could have known on day one — if someone had told them. Every one of those emails is a preview of a message you'll get again in October, unless you fix the source. Putting together an information plan that gets the answers in front of parents early in the season is an easy fix that will save you time and energy throughout the rest of the season.
Nothing frustrates a parent faster than standing at the gate confused about how to pay.
Tell them, before the first home game:
Most "what do I need to buy" emails trace back to one missing document: a checklist.
Split it into two columns. School-provided (helmets, game jerseys) and parent-purchased (mouth guards, cleats, practice gear). Get specific with exactly what they need when it comes to colors and brands — "white socks only," "chest protector" — because vague gear lists generate more questions than they answer.
Set an order deadline for team shop gear and say: order by this date or it won't arrive before the first game. Add a one-line note on uniform care and what happens if gear isn't returned at the end of the season.
State the default policy for your program first: athletes ride the bus to and from away events. That's the rule until someone tells you otherwise. Then give the exception a real process. If a parent wants to drive their athlete home from an away game, is there a form to complete, and how far in advance does it need to be submitted. Vague policies create liability gaps.
Cover the small thing that generates a surprising number of emails: do athletes need money for food on the bus, or are meals covered?
Physicals and academic eligibility cause more day-one benchings than anything else, and almost all of them are preventable. Link the medical portal directly. Give the deadline in plain terms: no physical on file means no practice time. Follow it with a one-paragraph refresher on GPA and credit requirements if applicable, so nobody's surprised when the roster is finalized. Making sure parents are aware of the requirements allows them to ensure their athletes are fully cleared and ready to hit the field on day one.
The goal here isn't more channels. It's one clear answer to "where do I go for updates." Name the primary hub and stick to it. Say exactly where weather delays and rainout notices will be posted, and when. Set the 24-hour rule for playing-time conversations explicitly: wait a day after the game, go to the coach first, the AD second.
Give parents an answer for the question that isn't in their first email but shows up by week three: what do I do if I can't make it to an away game? Tell them up front that it's streaming on NFHS Network so they don't have to ask.
A great policy nobody opens does nothing. Three ways to fix that:
A few hours of prep before the season starts saves you hours of repeat emails once it's underway. The information doesn't get easier to find later — it gets harder, once parents have already learned to just email you instead.
What's your biggest early season headache — ticketing confusion, missing physicals, or the transportation form nobody fills out right? Talk to our team to see how PlayOn can help you streamline parent communications and start your season strong.