Parents

SD#73 - INFORMATION FOR PARENTS of Student Athletes

The information below is intended to highlight the importance of appropriate communication between coaches and parents in order to best support student-athletes.

Communication you should expect from the coach:

• The coach’s and program’s philosophy

• Individual and team expectations, including special equipment, conditioning, practices, etc.

• Location and times of practices and games

• Academic, behavioral and medical factors that may affect student-athlete participation

Communication coaches expect from parents:

• Express any concerns directly to the coach. Avoid approaching the coach with concerns immediately before, during or after a practice or game. Employ the “24 hour” rule prior to discussing concerns in order to allow initial emotions to subside.

• Notification of schedule conflicts and non-medical factors that will prevent your son/daughter from participating

• Specific concerns regarding a coach’s philosophy and/or expectations to discuss with coach directly

• Support the key attributes of sport participation: dedication, commitment, responsibility, respect for and an appreciation of the benefits of being a student-athlete

Concerns and issues that are appropriate/not appropriate to discuss with coaches:

• DO discuss ways to help your child improve and develop, concerns about your child’s behavior and concerns you may have regarding the treatment (mental, physical) of your child

• DO NOT discuss other student-athletes, coaching strategy and/or your child’s playing time

If you have a concern you wish to discuss with a coach:

• Contact the coach to arrange a meeting. At times, community coaches may be more difficult to reach on short notice, and you may wish to contact the Athletic Director to help in setting up a meeting.

• DO NOT attempt to confront a coach before, during or after a game/practice. Give time for emotions to subside and an opportunity for reflection prior to a meeting that will create a more positive climate for resolution.

What if my meeting with the coach does not provide a satisfactory resolution?

• Contact the Athletic Director who can discuss the concern with you, facilitate a meeting with the coach and parent and/or seek the involvement of the school principal to address the concern and facilitate a resolution

Parent/Spectator Code of Conduct

• The most important individual in extra-curricular sports competition is the student-athlete. Their primary motivation to participate should be a genuine love of the game and for the positive skills they will acquire (both life and sport-specific) through their participation. Research tells us that only .03% of high school athletes eventually play at the professional level. For student-athletes, their enjoyment of participation is greatly diminished when their parents become the focus of attention in negative ways.

• Model positive behavior through the encouragement and respect for all players, officials, spectators and parents.

• DO NOT coach from the sidelines, harass officials, make negative public comments about the coach, other student-athletes, other parents/spectators or opposing team players.

• DO NOT be tempted to analyze the game/practice with your son/daughter after it is over, especially in the context of offering advice/criticism about your child’s performance. If they express frustration about their own performance encourage them to talk to their coach.

• When in doubt about the appropriateness of a contemplated behavior or course of action, refer to Administrative Procedure 350 – Student Code of Conduct. The standards of conduct we expect from our students should be modelled by the adults that support them.

Player’s Role and Responsibilities

• Athletes are expected to abide by the behavioral expectations set out by the Student-Athlete Code of Conduct as well as all other associated Board policies and Administrative Procedures.

• Athletes are expected to report any behavior that contravenes the codes of conduct of this procedure, Board policy or Administrative Procedure, including incidents of initiation/hazing to the coach and/or Principal.

• Athletes are expected to report all injuries or suspected injuries to the coach.

• Athletes are expected to report any unsafe equipment/facilities to the coach.