Balancing Act: How To Manage Youth Sports Teams

Managers are the unsung heroes of youth sports. They handle administrative tasks, communicate with parents, and create schedules. If you’re interested in fulfilling this role, learn how to manage youth sports teams with this quick guide.

Become an Excellent Communicator

Managers are the liaisons between coaches and parents. Being an excellent communicator is key to keeping everyone in the loop! Duties like creating weekly schedules, updating parents on their child’s performance, and setting up meetings are all necessary.

Developing a team contact list helps coaches and parents maintain communication. Phone calls, texts, and emails make sure everyone is up to date on everything.

Delegate Responsibilities

Good managers don’t handle responsibilities alone. Instead, they delegate tasks to save time and frustration. Manage your youth sports team by assigning duties. Gather a reliable group of volunteers and discuss various roles. For example, assign a volunteer as a field and equipment manager; they’ll ensure functioning equipment at practices and games.

Appoint a team treasurer to take care of financial obligations. Additionally, assign a first-aid volunteer who stocks the first-aid kit and has access to emergency contact information. You’ll oversee volunteers to ensure they keep up with their responsibilities.

Keep Track of Health Documents

Health forms are one of the most important documents in youth sports. They let coaches know about a child’s health and note pre-existing conditions. If a crisis happens, forms consent to emergency medical care. Though no one hopes for the worst, medical forms help teams navigate issues in the event of emergencies. That said, keep track of all necessary documents.

Secure Helpful Resources

Parents and athletic departments handle the majority of financial duties. However, teams benefit from extra resources and donations. Consider partnering with different organizations to secure resources.

For example, a company can donate drawstring bags to the sports team, and a swimming team can use drawstring bags to store fresh clothes and towels. This way, kids can change clothes after meets.

Find sponsors to help your team purchase equipment, attend tournaments, and upgrade uniforms. It’s all about networking with the right people.

Ask for Parent Feedback

Parents pay for team memberships, take kids to practice, and make sure their athletes have everything they need. Given their responsibilities, parent satisfaction is a big priority. At the end of the season, ask parents to fill out an evaluation sheet. Then, share results with coaches and think about ways to improve the team.