Informed parents know what their role is and understand that they have a responsibility not only to their child, but to the coach and the program as well. Program goals and objectives vary, and certainly each parent's experience in and with sport is different. But your efforts to lay out a plan for parent involvement will help you run a program in which parents are allies with your staff in providing the best possible recreational sport opportunities. The American Sport Education Program has developed educational materials that help sport directors convey their program goals and objectives to parents in a structured and nonthreatening format. The course is designed to help educate parents about their child's participation in sports, and provides information on why kids play sports, how they can benefit from participation, and ways to help kids develop a healthy sport perspective.
Effective programming depends on active parent involvement.
By meeting with parents and utilizing the SportParent Course, you take the opportunity to welcome parents into your program and give them guidelines for involvement. The SportParent Course lays the groundwork for a season with positive and committed adult leadership. Building parent partnerships is an essential component of healthy youth sport programming. If you can facilitate communication with parents in a nonthreatening, positive preseason format, you will have taken a huge step toward gaining the support and respect of those parents. Kelly K. Hill is the youth sport specialist for the American Sport Education Program.