It is our job as recreation professionals to provide enjoyable activities for our residents. We spend many hours planning activities for youth of our community, including athletics.

Often we hear of the following horror stories associated with youth sports:

• Children who don't get to play.
• Coaches re-living their glory day.
• Winning as the most important thing.
• Parents yelling at kids.
• Police called in to break up fights between rival parents.

As a youngster, my parents never put pressures on me. They attended every game and every practice, but not once did they criticize my performance or my teammates. Sure, there are still many parents out there like mine, but we are beginning to hear more and more of the other type.

What type of coaches and parents do you have? Read the following statements and see if they exist in your program.

Do My Coaches:

• Place the emotional and physical well-being of their players ahead of a personal desire to win?

• Remember to treat each player as an individual?

• Provide safe play situations for players?

• Review and practice necessary first-aid principles needed to treat injured players?

• Organize practices that are fun and challenging for all the players?

• Lead, by example, in demonstrating fair play and sportsmanship to all players?

• Know, coach and teach the rules?

• Use coaching techniques appropriate for each skill that they teach?

• Remember that they are a youth coach, and that the game is for the children and not adults?

We should agree that the above statements are desirable. Are they practical? Yes! They were taken from the National Youth Sport Coaches Association "Code of Ethics Pledge" that each coach is required to sign at the completion of their NYSCA training. Does it work? Yes, I have seen the difference the program makes in attitudes.

We invite you to join with the current 56 Illinois Chapters of NYSCA to "Make Youth Sports Fun For Kids". For more information contact Larry Piekarz, NYSCA State Coordinator, Park District of Forest Park, 7501 W. Harrison Street, Forest Park, IL 60130, 708/366-7500.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Larry Piekarz is the Superintendent of Recreation for the Park District of Forest Park and is the State Coordinator for the National Youth Sports Coaches Association.