Re: Advice for a rookie coach please

My suggestions, any one or any combination below:

Ask why he's not coaching.

Recruit him to take stats and other bench chores for you.

Have a system or a set of guidelines on how you decide who to play and who gets
subbed out.  Write it down if it will help you organize your thoughts.  Convey
this to your players and parents.  This should be the head coach's job.  Ask
your head coach or athletic director for their input.  If they tell do things
that you don't feel is right.  Maybe this team is not for you.