A great Team Parent can be an amazing resource for coaches, players and families on a team. This officially unofficial position is somewhere between an administrative assistant and an assistant coach, and largely involves taking responsibility for the “little things” the coach can’t personally oversee. A Team Parent is also going to be one of the main points of contact between the coach and other parents.
It’s a position that can be a lot of fun and can be extremely rewarding…if done properly. On the other hand, a bad Team Parent can easily become a drag on the players or even a source of needless drama.
Thinking of volunteering? We’ve got some tips on doing the Team Parent gig right!
Do
1 – Learn the basics of the game.
We’ve probably all seen that parent who’s got all the enthusiasm of a professional cheerleader but absolutely no idea for what they should be cheering. Even if you’re not a sports fan, learn enough about the game so that you can communicate with the players and coaches.
2 – Attend all necessary meetings.
Perhaps it goes without saying, but if Coach says there’s a meeting you need to attend, make all effort to be there—there’s a good chance that you’ll be given vital information to relay to the other parents. It also helps to establish that you’re a reliable and trustworthy asset for the team.
3 – Get a basic database software tool and learn to use it.
At the very least, a Team Parent will be responsible for keeping an up-to-date list of players’ and their parents’ names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and other contact details. Many Team Moms or Dads are also the designated bookkeepers for their team. There are plenty of easy-to-use database programs out there which can simplify this role, and many–such as Google Sheets–are also free!
4 – Send out reminder emails to the other parents.
People will be relying on you to coordinate various activities and meetings. One of the single most helpful things you can do is simply sending out emails or Facebook messages to the other parents and players to ensure they’re always present for practice, games and other team events.
5 – Immediately inform the coach or another parent if you ever can’t perform your duties.
Life happens. An unexpected accident, illness or other unforeseen event can come up that may prevent you from fulfilling your duties at an event. If so, inform someone ASAP so that a replacement can be found. If possible, recruit the replacement yourself from among the other team parents.
Don't
1 – Commit to volunteering if you aren’t certain you can do it reliably.
Team Moms or Dads are relied upon by the coach, assistant coaches, players and parents. The duties delegated to a Team Parent are expected to be fulfilled and could even cause significant problems if they aren’t performed. Don’t volunteer for the role unless you’re reasonably confident you can handle it (barring totally unpredictable accidents, anyway).
2 – Think your position buys your child favors
One of the most painful things for a coach is when a Team Parent thinks that their volunteer work means that their child should automatically receive favorable roles on the team. Team Parent is not a quid-pro-quo position – let your child earn their success. It’s much better for them to work for their own accomplishments and far less stressful for the coach.
3 – Be a bad sport.
No one likes that parent who acts like it’s a personal affront to their family history if their child’s team loses a game. Be a good sport with the other parents and teams. You’ll also be a role model who shows your child and the other players how to have a good time without getting angry over losses.
4 – Overreact to injuries.
Your every maternal instinct is going to tell you to rush hysterically onto the field whenever your child gets injured. However, the vast majority of child sports injuries are relatively minor, and probably at the very worst, a broken bone. Let the coaches and other organizers handle getting them off the field. Just be there on the sidelines waiting to help.
5 – Eat all the brownies you baked.
Yes, they smell delicious. But they’re for the team, not you! ;-)
SquadLocker can be an amazing resource for Team Moms or Dads, as well. You can easily create an all-in-one shop full of high-quality branded gear, ensuring your entire team looks amazing whenever they hit the field. It’s also a great way to raise some extra money and help to keep the team fully funded.
Building your store is fast, easy and free. Try it today!
Share this Story
