Your Sports Facilities. Their Programs. Your Responsibility. - Maryland 2016

Your Sports Facilities. Their Programs. Your Responsibility.

Kate NematollahiDirector of Marketing and OutreachNational Alliance for Youth Sports

Today’s Session• Introduction• Your Responsibility?• Planning for Success• Compliance and

Oversight• Ongoing Support and

Education• Examples• Wrap-up Sign Giveaway

• A non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1981.• Mission: To provide educational programs and

resources to improve youth sports programs worldwide.

• Programs and services for all involved in youth sports– Professional administrators– Volunteer administrators– Coaches– Officials– Parents– Young athletes

However…

YSOs or You?88% of public entities have volunteer youth sports organizations (YSOs) utilizing public facilities.

Control?57% of respondents believe their recreation department has adequate oversight of YSOs.Some say:“We don’t have any say so over the youth sports, a private group is responsible.” “Oh we just give them the facility permit and they do whatever they want.”

Public perception?

Small Group Discussion

1. Percentage of youth sports programs run by outside youth sports organizations?

2. Number of YSOs you oversee?3. Top struggles related to YSOs?

Struggles related to YSO’s• “Taking care of the facilities to our standard”• “Communication issues”• “Disregard for the facility permitting process”• “No control over them!”• “Too much focus on winning”• “Having enough staff to monitor fields”• “Frequent turnover in league administration”• “Organizations feel entitled to facility use”• “Confusion with public as to whether the

program is run by an independent organization or by us”

• “Not enough fields to meet peak demand”• “Too many practices and games”

70% of recreation professionals agree public entities are

responsible for the actions of YSO’s using their facilities.

And let’s not ever forget who youth sports programs are for…

Your Responsibility?

Your Responsibility?

• FUN!!!• self-confidence• self-esteem• skill building• social skills• sportsmanship• fitness• respect• discipline• role model

• follow through• responsibility• play by the rules• communication• teamwork• winning/losing• motivation• commitment• leadership• positive outlook

Not just a game! What do children learn through sports?

Planning for Success

Remember the GOLDEN rule:

“whomever has the gold makes the

rules!”

Planning for Success• Goal: Establish positive partnerships

with youth sports organizations with clear expectations and strong communication.

Planning for Success• Gwinnett County (Ga.) Athletic

Association Manual

These are a compilation of input from youth sports and recreation professionals throughout the country.

Planning for Success - Resources

• Part 1 – Adopt a community philosophy that makes youth sports safe and positive for children.

• Part 2 – Appoint a professional youth sports administrator to ensure adherence to the philosophy.

• Part 3 – Hold everyone associated with community youth sports accountable for their behavior.


• Nine standards provide national policy guidance

• Offers specific policies and procedures

• Assists decision making process


• Academy for Youth Sports Administrators• Certified Youth Sports Administrator

credential


Self Assessment #1-3

Compliance and Oversight

Facility usage requirementsIn order to gain use of public

facilities, municipalities often enforce certain requirements of independent

youth sports organizations.

Recognized Community Sports Organization Checklist

In order to be recognized by the department and to be eligible to participate in the field allocation process, organizations

must meet certain criteria


• Verification of Henderson Residency• Provide a Statement of Need • Mission Statement• Registration must be open to the public • The organization must be a non-profit in

good standing– Board of Directors– Operate under a set of bylaws – Demonstrate that it is financially solvent

• Coaches to complete an approved criminal background check

• All coaches must attend a training and certification clinic• A designated representative of the organization must

attend field allocation meetings


• League insurance• Residency• Usage Fee• Submit By-Laws• Proof of Non-profit

Status• Financial

Statements – certified review• List of Board of

Directors

• Participant Rosters• Facility Maintenance• Minutes from Board

Meeting• Signed

Parents/Coaches Codes of Ethics• Approved Training

Programs• Approved Screening

procedures


Other possible requirements?

Self Assessment #4

How are requirements verified?• Annual meetings with each organization• Formal review of documentation• Park board approval all facility usage

requests• Facility visits


• Establish document/record keeping system– Microsoft Office

• Checklist for each team that list the required item in one column and the status in the second

– Share files in a shared Drive – internal or cloud-based like Drop Box, or Google Drive

• Gather all documentation– Certificates of completion– Background check results– Acknowledgement signatures


Compliance and OversightGwinnett County (Ga.)

• Annual Meetings• Athletic

Association Calendar – tell the associations when they are expected to submit specific requirements

Prioritization • 79% implement a prioritization policy for

organizations request facility use• Various factors are considered when

prioritizing organizations:• Municipal programs• School programs• High residency organizations• Organizations in good standing status • In-season programs before out of season• Timeliness of facility use request• Recreational nature of program• Non-profit status


1. Describe steps for checking requirements, processing facility permit applications and distributing permits?

Self Assessment #5-6

NAYS Chapter Management• Track each organization’s coach

requirements• Coach Training• Concussion• Background checks• Coach evaluation scores• Accountability procedures


Ongoing Support and Education

• Position your department as a partner

• Provide support to youth sports organizations through supportive meetings, trainings, open communication and more


• NAYS offers support for league administrators, coaches, parents and officials

• Some programs are absolutely free!

Ongoing Support and Education• Gwinnett County (Ga.) Youth Sports

Expo– Provided Trainings – Child Protection,

Social Media, Coach special needs children, etc.

– Sports vendors• Gwinnett County (Ga.) Scholarship

Program


• Recognize and reward

Free League Administrator Training

• Coach Management• Participants/Kids• Officials• Dealing with Parents • Volunteer Boards• League Finance• Youth Sports & the Law• Marketing

National Youth Sports Administrators Association

• $1,000,000 Excess General Liability Insurance

• $2,000,000 Directors & Officers Liability insurance

• High quality membership card• Monthly E-Newsletter• Online NYSAA Member Area

– Revisit Online Clinic content– Background screening guidelines– Health and injury awareness resources– Additional youth sports administration tools


1. Discuss one thing you can do to improve your department’s relationships with YSOs this season.

Write it on the back of your assessment.

Thank you for all you do for the children in your community!

Kate [email protected]

1-800-688-5437www.nays.org

www.nays.org/presentations/maryland-2016

http://www.nays.org/

http://www.nays.org/presentations/maryland-2016

Your Sports Facilities. Their Programs. Your Responsibility. - Maryland 2016

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