Parent Handbook - MWR Fort Leonard Wood

Sports teams present to each adult connected with the program a unique opportunity to share
in the molding of America’s youth. As practiced, on and off the playing field, the game ideally
teaches the rewards of hard work, develops respect for discipline and provides an outlet for
simply “letting off steam.”
Self-discipline, properly taught on the playing field by a coach, can be a major factor in
turning a child’s life from mindless self-indulgence, to meaningful self-respect for the rights of
others and respect for the law.
Watching the older participants in the program discipline themselves teaches other youngsters
that it isn’t sissy to refrain from smoking, get good grades, eat a proper diet, practice good
sportsmanship, and keep themselves physically fit. All this takes place in the context of
youngsters playing a game that they know and love.
Sports also enable our youth to develop a sense of pride in the community and to acquire
useful skills. Moreover, he or she is participating in a wholesome and competitive activity.
Competent coaching, adequate equipment, and sufficient medical precautions combine to
establish a sound youth program.
WHERE DOES WINNING FIT IN?
In going about our jobs as volunteers in a sports program, we must pause for a moment to
reflect upon the long-term importance of our work. Victory recorded by a game score is a shortterm
accomplishment and soon forgotten. Lessons contributing to character development
learned on the playing field, can serve as valuable guidelines for living, in the home, in the
school, and in the community. These are the long-term values.
It is obvious that winning games is not our primary job, but the facts bear repeating every
season, for every sport, because we are all prone to forget the long-term objective by
concentrating too much on the short-term prospects of a good season on the scoreboard. We are
preparing young people for life. For this reason, the YSF does not promote giving individual
trophies such as “Most Valuable Player” or “Most Points Scored”. Each participant will receive
a pin, medallion, patch, or memento at the end of the event or season.
PARENT’S ROLE
The old saying “children should be seen and not heard” is given a new twist in YSF
programs-where the parents are seen and not heard-at least not too loudly and never on the
playing field. Parents are encouraged to attend all program activities at all times. Any negative
comments given to individuals, teams, or coaches are never appropriate. Therefore, spectators
displaying any inappropriate actions will be asked to leave the field or gymnasium for the
remainder of the game. The same behavior expected from the players is expected from the
spectators.
Parents are essential to the success of any youth program and they will be better supporters if
they understand what the coaches are trying to do. The coach has the responsibility of educating
the player in the skills of the sport, providing a safety environment, and building the self-image
of every player. Unless a parent is an approved volunteer of CYS they should remain in the
spectator’s position at both games and practices. The best way to ask questions of a coach is in
private, away from the players and after the game.
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