Parent Information
Parent Information and Responsibility for Holy Family Athletics
Holy Family is very blessed with great parents and volunteers!
We thank you in advance for your continued support.
Parents are asked to perform many roles here at Holy Family and that is the same for Athletics. Each parent is asked to help with games by working as game supervisor, score keeper, concessions admission as this has kept our Athletic Fee to a minimum. However, your main role as a parent is to be supportive in cheering for your child and his/her teammates during games and to not be critical.
The gym scheduler will be assigning you to a job at each home game. If you cannot work when you are assigned, it is UP TO YOU to find a replacement. You can always trade with another parent on your team. It is up to everyone to help clean up! The jobs schedule will come home with your child after we have the final schedules from the deanery.
If you are working the 1st game in concessions or door please arrive 30- 45 minutes before game time! Teams and spectators begin to arrive at that time. There will be someone from the Athletic Board at every game, so if there is a question or a problem, please contact that person.
The uniforms are expensive when we have to replace them, so we ask you to please take care of them. Please wash them with like colors on delicate and hang dry. The dryer is horrible on the lettering and the elastic in the waistband. Also we ask that your child wear them only to games, so if you are going out after the games please bring a change of clothing. They are not allowed to wear volleyball and basketball uniforms to school on spirit and non-uniform days.
The coaches are unpaid volunteers; some do not even have a child playing. The coaches are required to have a background check, attend coaches’ orientations, sign coaches code and have Virtus Training etc. Some are just starting to coach, others have been doing it for over 25 years. Please support them and insist that your children respect them. The board strongly recommends that you do not stay for practices because parents tend to be a distraction for the child who needs to be listening to the coach. If you do stay we ask that you please do not “coach” your child from the sideline. Also, we ask that you keep siblings off the courts when practices are going on, and there is to be no climbing on the stage or bleachers when they are retracted. These rules are for their protection. You may not leave siblings at practice, coaches are not babysitters.
In the 5th through 8th grades there is a division of “A” and “B” teams and this is always a sensitive issue for kids and parents. Please know that the coaches have worked really hard at assessing and placing your child on the team that best suits his/her skill level and facilitates their growth in this sport. Please be supportive and encouraging.
The Pre-Kindergarten through 4th grade leagues are NON COMPETITIVE LEAGUES! We conduct skills assessments, to best separate the teams on the basis of skill. The goal is to make the teams equal, so when they play each other it is a close game by skill and score. We do allow siblings and cousins to be on the same team so that grandparents will have fewer trips to different gyms to watch their grandchildren play. The Holy Family Athletic Board strongly discourages the coaches to divide the teams based on kids being friends or car pooling ease. Too many times in the past, trying to make these nice considerations has backfired into others accusing the coaches and or the Board of stacking a team. We just want the kids to play ball, make new friends and have fun.
There are no “A” or “B” teams in 3rd/4th grade volleyball or basketball. Sometimes a team does seem to end up with more skilled/experienced players than another team. Some kids have a bad day during the assessment or some develop faster than others and as the season progresses and a team stands out as a very good team – it happens. If your child comes home upset because someone tells him/her that they are on the “B” team, we ask that you explain that there are no “A” or “B” teams at this age group. This is an instructional league, there are no league champions and every kid is a winner for participating. We believe this, so please support it.
Please teach and encourage your child to show good sportsmanship and respect for officials, opponents and fans at all times. Let the adults lead through personal examples, even when the officials are obviously wrong. If there is ever an issue with an official, fan or another player, please privately discuss your concerns with a board member. Please see Student/Parent-Guarding Agreement, for more details of everyones expectations. Holy Family Athletics has a long and proud history of producing very competitive athletes with great fans. Please continue to support this tradition even if you encounter other fans that struggle to support their team/parish with good sportsmanship.
We pray that Saint Sebastian, the Patron Saint of all Athletes, watches over and protects all participants during this year and your child’s athletic career.
