Junior Wolves Football Parent Expectations

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Parent Expectations

Parents, your involvement in this program is necessary for us to continue to improve and grow. We have a great group of parents returning from last year that were really integral parts of our programʼs successes. That being said, we need more parent involvement. Studies show that the more involved a parent is in an extracurricular activity, the more involved and serious their child becomes. Whether it is in the concession stands, helping with the chains, helping out with equipment, setting up a carpool to get kids to practice, or setting up a phone tree to alert families when practice is canceled; we need more parent involvement.  
 
If you are interested in becoming a parent volunteer, all we are asking is for 2-3 hours on Sundays when we have home games. Your help allows us to raise money that all goes directly back to the program, keeps our registration fee among the lowest in the area, and sends a message to our players and community that our families are committed to our program, and to giving our players the support they need to flourish. If you cannot volunteer, we ask that you join the booster club and help fill up our stands on game day to cheer on your sons and their team.  
 
If you ever have a question or concern about your sonʼs football experience, our coaches and I are more than happy to talk with you privately before or after practice. I ask that no parent approach a coach on game day or during practice because emotions are usually running high and people are more likely to say things or act in a way they wouldn’t normally act if they had some time to cool down and collect themselves. No one is perfect and I am not going to pretend that we will be. All I am asking is that if you have a question or concern for one of our coaches, you bring it up privately at an appropriate time so that we can avoid any unnecessary distractions and ensure a safe and comfortable environment for our players and coaches. I welcome and appreciate any kind of feedback, positive or not so positive, because I am dedicated to doing whatever it takes to improve our program and make sure our players are getting the experience they deserve.

Sportsmanship Checklist for Players

 1. I abide by the rules of the game. Part of good sportsmanship is knowing the rules of the game and playing by them. If a player decides to play a given sport, it is the responsibility of that player to learn not only how to play but how to play according to the rules which have been established and standardized to allow competitive games to be played in an orderly fashion. The more a player knows the rules the more that player can enjoy the sport.

 2. I always play fair. Honesty and integrity should be an integral part of sports. A player with good sportsmanship does not want a hollow victory, which comes as a result of cheating ("dirty" fouls, ineligible players, performance enhancing drugs, etc.)

 3. I follow the directions of the coach. A player with good sportsmanship listens to and follows the directions of the coach, realizing that each player's decisions affect the rest of the team. If a player has disagreements with the coach, the player discusses the disagreements privately in a civil manner, away from the public eye.

 4. I respect the other team's effort. Whether the other team plays better or whether they play worse, the player with good sportsmanship does not use the occasion to put the other team down. In the field of competition respect for opponents is central to good sportsmanship. If an opponent out-performs a player, that player accepts it, learns from it, offers no excuses and moves on. If a player out-performs an opponent, that player enjoys the victory, but does not gloat, does not belittle, and does not minimize the opponent's effort.

  5. I offer encouragement to teammates. A sign of good sportsmanship is a player who praises teammates when they do well and who comforts and encourages them when they make mistakes. Criticizing teammates in the heat of battle simply distracts from the focus of working together and gives the advantage to the opponent who develops a sense of confidence when seeing signs of weakness or a lack of unity in the midst of the competition. Further, good sportsmanship implies that the player on a team is a team player and that his or her behavior reflects on the team in general. A team player does not condone unsportsmanlike conduct from teammates, but instead promotes good sportsmanship among teammates.

 6. I accept the judgment calls of the game officials. Part of the human condition is making mistakes. Arguing with an official over a judgment call simply wastes energy. The player with good sportsmanship knows that errors may be made, but the player also knows that a game is made up of all the plays and calls from the beginning to the end of the game, not just the call in dispute. The player with good sportsmanship may be upset, but that player also has learned to focus his/her energies back on the game and on doing the best he/she can do for the rest of the game.

 7. I end the game smoothly. When the game is over, pouting, threatening, cajoling have no place in the life of the players with good sportsmanship, who emphasize the joy of participating, regardless of outcome. They're not devoid of emotions but they know that their efforts to end the competition smoothly, without antagonistic emotional display, will help ensure that the games will continue in the future.

"Sports do not build character. They reveal it." - Heywood Hale Broun