When was the program established?
March 2001
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How did the program get its start?
The program came about in response to a request from the Atlantic Youth Hockey
league to address the rising incidence of parental misconduct at their children’s
hockey games. Professionals from the Saint Barnabas Health Care System Sports
Medicine Institute and Behavioral Health Network worked with the Atlantic Youth
Hockey League to design the program.
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Program Description
Rediscovering Youth Sportsmanship is focused on eliminating the growing problem
of adult misconduct and poor sportsmanship at youth sporting events. This comprehensive
educational program was designed to educate parents and coaches on the issue
of acceptable sportsmanship, while also providing penalties for those who act
out in front of children.
This year, the program has expanded to include a new offering, Parenting an
Athlete, a program that gives parents the tools they need to enhance their
child’s development in a variety of sports and help the child build a
solid foundation of life skills. Our goal for this program is to provide more
in-depth information to teach parents about their child’s developmental
needs so that they can support the values of cooperation, communication, tolerance,
resiliency, positive emotional expression and conflict resolution.
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How is the program delivered to youth sports
organizations?
The design of the program is such that members of any youth sports organization:
- Can be trained by us to deliver the program to parents/coaches/officials
- Can contract with us to train the parents/coaches/officials directly
- Can attend a general presentation at a central location (open to other
teams)
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Is the program customizable for different
sports and age groups?
Yes. Although we have developed a standard set of materials, each time we
present to an organization, we customize the program to suit their specific
needs.
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What are the components of the general program?
1. We start with a tone-setting, Motivational Video that uses emotional music,
thought provoking sports quotes and scenes of children playing sports and enjoying
themselves
2. We also set the stage by reminding parents and coaches of the disturbing
statistics in youth sports
3. After the audience understands the problems faced by young athletes, we
present key information about the social, emotional and physical stages of
young people, age 6-18
4. Once parents have an understanding of what their children are reasonably
capable of, we turn our attention to Boundaries. Our program helps those involved
in youth sports understand that the role of the referee is to judge the game,
the role of the coach is to direct and encourage and the role of the parent/spectator
to is sit back and enjoy the game
5. We then review conflict resolution and anger management skills
6. Our presentation concludes with the introduction of sanctions (where necessary)
and the reading and signing of the Parental Pledge and Code of Ethics
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Apparently many parents have trouble just sitting
back and enjoying the game. How does your program help them learn to do that?
Our Behavioral Health staff developed a Conflict Resolution section of the
program that reviews the ways in which you can control your own anger as well
as de-escalate anger in others.
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How is this program different than others like
it?
With the help of the professionals from our Sports Medicine Institute, we have
developed a section of the program that teaches parents and coaches about the
social, emotional and physical stages of young people.
We believe that the more parents and coaches know about what they can expect
from a youth at a certain age and what that young person can reasonably accomplish,
the less frustrated they will be and the less likely they are to act out.
Parents and coaches alike need to understand the importance in preparing the
young athlete for continued skill development and sustained enjoyment of the
sport.
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Does your program include enforceable sanctions
for misconduct?
Our program strongly recommends sanctions or consequences for poor parental
behavior and we work closely with each team to develop sanctions that fit within
their specific rules and guidelines.
The sanctions that we have worked with teams to develop range from immediate
ejection and probation for the remainder of the season for the first infraction
involving verbal abuse to suspension for the season of the offending adult
for the remainder of the season.
We also recommend that prior to reinstatement the following year the parent
attend some form of anger management course.
In some severe cases, we suggest suspension of the parent’s child for
a brief period--noting that parents are apt to think twice before they continue
in behavior that may effect their child’s opportunity to play.
Unfortunately human nature being what it is people pay more attention to rules
that carry a penalty, especially in the beginning of changing a cultural norm.
The Seat Belt Lesson is a good example of creating a cultural change in safety
awareness.
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What do you do if a team does not want to adopt
enforceable sanctions?
For those teams that have not adopted sanctions (as well as those that have),
we have developed a Parental Pledge & Code of Ethics that each parent must
sign before their child can play.
Although this document is a pledge, not a legally binding document, we believe
that this promise of sorts is an important step in keeping the game fun, and
removes the distraction and interference of adult misconduct, thus encouraging
positive player development. It reminds parents of what they should and should
not do as a spectator and supporter of their young athlete.
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Does the program receive any state funding?
Yes. The program has received a grant from the NJ Dept of Health and Human
Services – Prevention Unit, through which we intend to focus on the further
development of our educational and training program, which includes the concepts
of sportsmanship, anger management, de-escalating anger in others and understanding
of the physical, emotional and social developmental stages of young athletes.
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What other programs exist to address this issue?
- Positive Coaching
Alliance, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
- National Alliance for Youth
Sports (NAYS), West Palm Beach, FL
- The Joseph Matteucci
Foundation, Castro Valley, CA
- Athletes for a Better World,
Offices in Seattle and Atlanta
- The Mendelson Center
for Sport, University of Notre Dame
- Character
Counts/Pursuing Victory with Honor, Los Angeles, CA
For more information call (877) 84-YOUTH or
email: info@sbhcs.com today!
No portion of this program may be reproduced
or reused without the expressed written permission of the
Saint Barnabas Health Care System
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