Create this position in youth sports to help bolster programs
Most people can agree that today’s youth-sports landscape has changed significantly. Volunteers are burdened with many requirements that weren’t concerns 20 years ago. Regulations requiring knowledge of concussions, emergency management, heat illness, sudden cardiac arrest, and abuse prevention are only a few of the “new” issues.
But what is a coach’s responsibility if he or she suspects a child is being abused or bullied? What type of liability do coaches take on when deciding to continue practice as bad weather approaches? What should a coach do when an opposing coach or spectator is abusive toward an official?
How is a coach—who signed up to help youngsters develop skills, foster love for the sport, and hopefully win some games along the way—supposed to handle all that?
Behavior issues have not improved. One of youth-sports administrators’ biggest challenges is finding officials who are still willing to oversee games and take the abuse that so often is part of the deal. In one community, a league is testing body cameras for officials as a way to combat bad behavior from players, coaches, and spectators. Some leagues report that just the idea of behavior being recorded acts as a strong deterrent.
But I have a better idea. We don’t need to spend money to strap on body cameras. And we don’t need to overburden volunteer coaches with every responsibility that comes with overseeing children and helping to ensure a safe playing environment.
I have written about this before, but some things bear repeating. We need to expand the idea of what it means to be a team parent and start thinking of valuable volunteers as a precious resource that’s necessary for a successful program.
Redefining “Coach”
There must be a mandate that a team parent is focused on safety and behavior. When I coached, and still today, a team parent’s job was quite basic. It was mostly communicating with other parents about fundraising, team events, refreshments and snacks, and sometimes monitoring bench or sideline behavior. These are all duties that every coach appreciates outsourcing because that leaves more time for a coach and assistants to focus on skill development and gameplay. (And what coach doesn’t love the leftover sliced oranges, popsicles, cupcakes, and gummy bears?)
However, we need to rethink the idea of the additional “coach.”
In the past, I have called this person a safety coach, but that can fall under any name. If a head coach and assistants have signed up for specific duties, then add another position. For the sake of this article, let’s stick with safety coach. A safety coach should be trained on the required concussion protocol. He or she should be responsible for knowing the location of the AED or for calling 911 during an emergency. This official should also track dangerous weather and have the authority to postpone games and practices.
Since some of these tasks require a smartphone, it also makes sense for a safety coach to monitor behavior on the fields and courts. Camera phones are great devices for capturing evidence. If possible, incorporate their use into an official policy. When bad behavior starts, every official won’t need to press record. They can rest assured a designated individual is prepared to act.
This is an easy idea to get behind. Plus, the devices can be used to capture some of the great things that happen 95% of the time. In fact, the same team parent can also manage team morale, showcasing positive behavior and capturing wonderful displays of good sportsmanship!
Many parents of youth athletes would love to be more involved but often don’t know how to help. If league coaches offer this safety-coach opportunity, that will be a great first step toward bolstering programs.