Parent responsibilities
Helping parents to be aware of their roles and responsibilities offers ways they can make the youth sports experience more enjoyable and positive is a goal of the JAA.
Responsibilities and Expectations
For a program to be truly successful, it takes the cooperation of everyone involved: players, coaches, officials, staff, spectators and especially parents. Parents have the following responsibilities and expectations when participating in any JAA sponsored athletic program:
To make sure that your child gets the most out of his or her playing experience, parents should show their unwavering support, including positive reinforcement of your child’s performance and effort. This is essential, especially at an early age, to ensure their healthy development. Parents should also be positive role models, including, but not limited to, always showing proper sportsmanship, and refraining from negativity of any kind.
Coaches volunteer their personal time to spend it with your child. They need you to be supportive of their decisions and not undermine their efforts. If you don’t agree with a coach, you are expected to tell that coach, but make certain it is done at the right time and place, in a non-argumentative manner and not in front of the children. Parents are also expected to drop off and pick up their children on time for games and practice, and it is highly encouraged for parents to stay and participate to maintain control of the group and to assist the coach as needed.
Staff cannot be at games and practices of all teams. Therefore, to maintain the positive nature of these programs, it is essential for parents/spectators to report any abusive behavior or any other situation that needs to be addressed to staff. This is the only way that these programs can achieve their intended goals.
Personal gain and satisfaction should not be derived from a child’s performance. Competition and taunting between parents are never acceptable, and no parent/spectator should ever feel embarrassed or disappointed by their team or child’s performance. Good plays should always be cheered, and disappointments should always be consoled, no matter whose team it affects.