PRACTICES VS STAFF MEETINGS

Are you talking about the occasional regular school staff meetings or something different?  How often are they held?  Are all of your coaches teachers?  What time and how long? 

Holy laundry list batman...

Once a week, after school for at least an hour

Coaches are teachers...hence the issue

When in season, coaches do not have to attend staff meetings after school.  However, due to this issue, we now have staff meetings before and after school a large percentage of the time.  So, if one is offered before school, coaches have to be there.  As an FYI, because our school is undergoing some hectic times, our Principal did a Flipped Staff Meeting this morning.  The staff gave rave reviews.  We did have to fill out a "survey" to demonstrate that we paid attention to the presentation.  I teach HS History and coach a couple of sports.  At one time, I coached three sports per year but I'm not as young as I once was.  LOL

Edited to add:

Right now, schools are making drastic changes.  They are trying to incorporate common core.  Your administration probably has to change their evaluation tool to the Danielson Model.  You might be going through some other changes including switching to Google Classrooms.  I've taught for 29 years.  I can not tell you the culture shock I'm going through.  I get evaluated soon on the Danielson Model.  I am in extreme panic.  Even my old lesson plans which have been outstanding in the past will have to change to these new criteria.  This has been such a shock, I put in for retirement by giving my 4 year notice of intent to retire.  In doing so, and I teach in the State of Illinois, I hope I can't be fired if I don't get all of these changes right. 

My guess it actually has less to do with your coaches and more about the teacher whining that you are not there, due to the fact that it is a union issue.  Anyway in our district we have to attend meetings once a week.  However, there are makeup meetings the following morning that anyone must attend if they were not at the afternoon meeting. 

Something we do that if you bring it up may have everyone hate you at first but after they do a couple will end up loving you.  Planning period meetings - if you have first period planning then you go wherever the person holding the meeting and have the meeting.  Then second period, third period and fourth period and however many periods there are.  At first people will grumble about not having a planning period but when they realize they don't have to stay for an hour after school they like it.  Admin may not like it because it does tie them up all day but do they want a happy campus or be seen as what easier for them.

Work out a compromise.  One coach stays for the meeting and the rest go run practice.  The coach who stayed fills in the ones who weren't there with what went on.  It will probably done by email which is what 90% of teacher meetings could be if they would just do it.

If you want ammo to create change then go from a supervision stand point.  While everyone is in that meeting there will be kids all over campus with nobody looking after them.  Those who can't drive (typically frosh and sophs) have no where else to go and they are usually the most immature.  Does the principal want kids supervised so don't get hurt / trouble or everyone sitting in a meeting while chaos is erupting?