VAA Basketball Team Parent Responsibility

Please take your time to review the responsibilities and duties of a Team Parent.

TEAM MOM COORDINATOR: Tiffany Liggons-Padmore (tiffany_padmore@yahoo.com)

We would like to thank you in advance for taking time out of your busy schedule to fill this position.

GYM COVERAGE

Team Parents are asked to stand at the entry door during the game prior to your scheduled game time. Team Parents are to make sure no food or drinks are in the gym and no children are unaccompanied in the hallways. Please also remember to sign in and introduce yourself to the Board Member on duty at the score table so they are aware you are present.

COMMUNICATION

Get every parents contact information including name, phone numbers and email address. Email and texting saves you from calling each parent one by one. You'll need to know which parents accept text messages and which numbers to send text messages to.

Parents need to be informed, but they don't need to know every minute detail. Communicate with your head coach frequently and only give parents what they absolutely need to know. Otherwise, you may desensitize them to your messages.

Besides the head coach, you are a source of information and organization for the team. You need to be able to attend most (if not all) of the games.

MONEY

Look at the information below to help determine what you may need parents to pay for during the season. Let them know UP FRONT how much it will cost.

Keep a list of who has paid you and make sure you have an accurate spelling of the player's name and/or number.

MAKE YOUR PARENTS PAY UP FRONT! DO NOT let them tell you they will pay you later unless you are willing to pay for it yourself! Set a date and stick to that date.

UNIFORMS

You are responsible for distributing the uniforms. Don't distribute uniforms until all elements are available, ready and an adult from each family can "sign off" on having received the uniform.

KEEPING SCORE

** Ask for volunteers to help you. Each parent should volunteer a game to keep score **

SCHEDULES

Prepare an overall schedule for parents. The schedule should be in an easy to read. The schedule should include:

• Games that are scheduled by the league.
• Practices that are scheduled by your team and their coaches.
• Tournaments and playoffs.
• Picture Day, Opening Day, Fundraiser Events.
• Parents that will be responsible for bringing the snacks to the game and/or practice.
• Parents that will help with the score keeping (if necessary). It is often simplest to have the same parent bring the snacks and help with score keeping. It's less confusing and easier for parents to keep up with. Also, remember it is better to assign dates to parents rather than ask for volunteers. You can always shuffle people around.

Email the schedule to the parents and ask parents if modifications need to be made.

TEAM ROSTER

Create a team roster with player’s names, parent’s names, home and cell numbers, and emails. Email this to all the parents so they can contact each other if they need to switch out volunteer responsibilities at the last minute.

LEAVE NO TRACE

Encourage the team to be responsible for the gyms. Ask all players to “team clean-up” the trash they've left BEFORE you hand out snacks. This encourages the children to respect the area & prevents more work for you and the coaches. ONLY hand out snacks in the hallway. NO FOOD is allowed in the gym.

BE PREPARED

Keep an emergency snack kit in your car in case the parent forgets to bring the snack on their week.

WHAT IS NOT A TEAM MOM/DAD RESPONSIBILITY?

• To be a go-between for parent comments or concerns regarding the team, club and/or coaches.
• To be a babysitter or taxi service

END OF SEASON PARTY

OPTIONAL!! It doesn't have to be at your home. (Phew!) Look into local pizza places or even the park where you play. Figure out how much it will cost. Be sure to include money for a coach's gift and trophies/medals to commemorate the season for the players. Gifts for coaches may be a gift certificate to a local restaurant, a team plaque or other personalized gift.

This information can also be found and printed under Forms/Handouts.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Chris Johnson (804) 467-6667.