Parents on the Field

Volunteering Your Time in Team Sports

By Sharon Waldrop

Does your child get a "kick" out of soccer? Is he fired up about football? Would she rather run the bases than sit in the bleachers?

If your child is a sports enthusiast, you may find yourself scheduling your own agenda around team pictures, fund raisers, Saturday afternoon games and season-end parties. You will be slicing oranges for half-time snacks, cheering from the sidelines and -- despite a hectic carpool schedule for practice sessions -- be proud of yourself that nobody's ever been misplaced.

Just when you think you are in the swing of things, you may find yourself at the receiving end of the question: "Next season, will you be the team parent of my team?" The term "team parent" is a non-threatening synonym of "team manager," also known as a management position without the luxury of a paycheck, 401K and weekends off.

Crystal Cook of Knoxville, Tenn. recalls hearing the sighs of relief from fellow parents this past fall when she volunteered to be the team parent of her son's American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) soccer team.

"When the coach asked for a parent to volunteer for the team parent position, everyone was afraid to move," says Cook. "It reminded me of being at an auction where someone accidentally bids on an item."

The duties of the team parent include ordering trophies, making arrangements for team photos, scheduling drinks and snacks for the games, delivering messages about postponed or canceled games or practices and organizing the end-of-season party.

Want to see more?

• American Youth Soccer Organization
• Extracurricular Activities: Get Your Child Involved
• Karate Kids: Kids and Martial Arts
• Making Fitness a Family Issue
• Talk With Other Parents