All relationships have a power dynamic.

Generally, those with less power in the relationship do not feel as comfortable speaking out. This is especially true if what they want to say might be seen as criticism by the party with more power.

As a coach, you have certain power over your players. Namely, the power over who plays and who doesn’t.

Because players want to play, this can make them hesitant to speak out. They don’t want to offend you. It could affect their standing on the team.

Hopefully, that wouldn’t be the case. You’d be able to take their feedback without letting it affect your judgment of the player.

You might even have an open door policy. That’s great . . . if players take advantage. I’ve found that even when the door is open, players don’t always walk through.

Many players still won’t speak up. It’s hard for teenagers to share critical feedback with adults (unless it’s their parents!).

As a coach, you should want to know what’s on your players’ minds.

First, it’s important to have the pulse of your team. If there are issues or conflicts within your team, you want to be aware. Ignorance is not bliss!

Second, players often can provide a valuable perspective. They might see things differently than you do.

If they aren’t comfortable sharing their thoughts, you’ll miss out on these insights. So, given that most players won’t directly come out and say what’s on their mind, how can you uncover this information?

Try the suggestion box.

How This Old Shoe Box Can Improve Your Team Dynamics

The suggestion box is exactly what it sounds like. All you need to do is put a box (I use an old shoe box) in your locker room. Put some pieces of paper and a pen next to it.

When players have a concern, they can write it on the piece of paper and drop it in the box. This is all done anonymously.

When players use the suggestion box, I ask them to put a star on the whiteboard in the locker room. This is a signal to our staff that there’s something in the box. That prevents us from forgetting to check.

Some of you might not like the anonymous nature of the suggestion box. In a perfect world, you wouldn’t have to do this anonymously. Players would put their names on their concerns.

But that’s not always realistic. Many players want to share something without worrying about it coming back to them.

While that could be a reflection of how they feel about you as a coach, it’s not necessarily so. Even if you have great relationships with your players, they will sometimes be reluctant to share issues with you.

Anonymity protects that. Does this make it possible that people will write inaccurate or inappropriate things? Possibly. However, I can say that I’ve never had that happen.

What it has done is bring to my attention problems I was unaware of. My players don’t use it a lot. But when they do, I have found it really valuable.

I’ve been alerted to interpersonal conflicts. I’ve been alerted to frustrations around playing time. I’ve been alerted to players doubting tactics.

Those are all things you should want to know. How you choose to respond is up to you. But having the information is important.

Reward Transparency: Why You Should Celebrate Feedback

If you want your players to use the suggestion box, you need to recognize its use.

If a player puts something in there, mention it in a team meeting. You might or might not reveal the content of the message (depending on what it is), but you can thank the person who submitted the issue. You can also share that you are reflecting on how best to address the issue.

This acknowledges the courage it took for them to use it. It shows that you are taking their concerns seriously. It also serves as a reminder for other players.

From Anonymity to Trust: The Long-Term Benefits of the Suggestion Box

When players see that you are honoring and respecting their feedback, they will trust you more.

Over time, this means they may come to you instead of using the suggestion box. That’s great! If they feel comfortable coming directly to you with their concerns, that’s a big step.

The suggestion box can help bridge that gap.

Conclusion: Building a Transparent Team Culture Starts with Listening

Good coaches want a culture of transparency and trust. It takes intentional effort to build that.

Players want to know that their thoughts and concerns are validated and valued.

The suggestion box is a simple way to do that. Try it out and see the culture of trust within your team grow!

Comments Most Likes First   Oldest First   Newest First Dan Smith says: 6/3/2025 at 7:33:41 PM Great idea for sure, it's probably worth it for every coach to give this a try. I like the gesture of thanking the person with the suggestion, gives the impression that all feedback is really values and can help build the team culture and trust. Like     login   register

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