Being a team parent is a great way to get involved with your child’s team as well as meet new people. With this checklist of tips, you can stay one step ahead of the game, and you’ll help your team have a positive season.
1. Be clear about your team parent duties. When you accept the job of team parent, be sure you and the coach are on the same page when it comes to what he expects.
2. Develop and distribute a Team Roster with contact info to all parents and coaches on the team. If you have time, laminate 3x5 cards printed with the players' names and numbers on one side for parents to keep in their wallets and use at games. This encourages them to cheer using players’ names.
3. Outline a list of volunteer needs. You’ll need a snack schedule, a concession stand schedule, a schedule for someone to run the clock, and a schedule for carpools to away events.
4. Present those needs at the team parent meeting and rally for their support. If you can get others involved at that meeting, it will mean less phone calls later. SignUpGenius is a great tool to use for your volunteer schedule.
5. Prepare a team budget and figure the total cost divided by the number of players on the team. Often times, parents would much rather pay one fee that covers snacks, gifts, party, etc. than to pay a few times throughout the year.
6. Set up online sign ups where parents can go to purchase merchandise, sign up for concessions duty, schedule carpool shifts and more.
7. At the team parent meeting, distribute a roster and a game schedule. Make sure other team parents are clear about how you will be organizing online and that they know exactly where to go to sign up!
Use a Welcome Letter to introduce SignUpGenius to team parents!
Plan your team banquet with a sign up!
A team parent can contribute toward setting the tone for a good season. With good communication and organization, you can help make it a great experience for parents, coaches, and players alike. See more sports team organizing ideas HERE.
Janis Meredith writes Jbmthinks, a blog on sports parenting and youth sports. After being a coach's wife for 29 years and a sports parent for 21, she sees issues from both sides of the bench.