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Parents & Fans
Thank you for trusting us to be a part of your child’s development. We take that responsibility seriously and do everything we can to continue earning your trust. We’ve created this section to provide you with general information about our programs and answer any questions you may have. We also have some helpful tips to make your Y sports experience the best that it can be.
FAQS
How can I volunteer to coach?
Our program is heavily dependent on help and support from volunteer coaches. All coaches are background checked and complete various other trainings prior to the season beginning. If you are interested in coaching, please visit the Coaches Corner and complete the registration portion. After you have completed that, please reach out to your local Sports Director to share your interest and they can provide more information.
How often is practice?
Teams, Kindergarten + will practice once per week for one hour. Practice days and times will be determined once registration has closed and teams are formed. During the registration process, you will have the option to select days that you are available to practice. We will do our best to meet all requests, but cannot guarantee that you will receive a specific practice day or time.
Can I stay and watch practice?
Parents are required to stay on the premises during practice. The ability to stay in the gym may vary by branch. Please check with your local YMCA to see the restrictions for your area.
What equipment will my child need?
Basketball – Tennis shoes Soccer – Cleats & shin guards are optional. Flag Football – Mouth guard. Cleats are optional. Baseball/Softball – Fielding glove. Helmet, batting gloves, bat are optional. For all sports, we recommend players wear comfortable clothing and bring a water bottle.
When & where are the games played?
Games will be played on Saturdays. Games will typically begin at 8am and will end by 6pm. Locations will include, South County YMCA and other area YMCAs. Game schedules will be posted one week prior to your first game. Teams in 3rd grade and up will have 5 weeks of games scheduled. The final two weeks of the season will conclude with an end of season tournament.
HELPFUL TIPS
Here are some helpful tips to ensure you have a great season!
- Save the Coaches contact information and give them yours.
- Sign up for Weather and Emergency Text Alerts – We want to get you the right information at the right time. This is a great resource to help in that communication.
- Make sure your athlete has the equipment they need.
- Be on time – We want to honor your time and effort by providing the best quality sports experience we can, we need your help though. By showing up on time, ready to play, for practices and games it makes a world of difference.
- Make it FUN!! At the Y we encourage fair play, positive competition and family involvement. Every child gets to play so make sure to cheer loud!! (For both teams!)
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU THINK YOUR CHILD HAS A CONCUSSION? Check out this Parent Guide from Heads Up Concussion.
Is your child asking to practice more at home? Check out our blog for resources for skills and drills they can do at home!
The Gateway Region YMCA strictly follows a zero tolerance policy regarding child abuse.
Thank you for trusting us to be a part of your child’s development. We take that responsibility seriously and do everything we can to continue earning your trust. We’ve created this section to provide you with general information about our Y employees, volunteer coaches, and refs. We also have some helpful tips to make your Y sport experience the best that it can be.
FAQs
How are the coaches picked?
GREAT QUESTION!! All of our coaches are volunteers. Some of them are Y staff, some are parents helping coach their kids, while others are folks from the community who share the same Y values. ALL of our coaches go through a background check as well as a drug test. Your child’s safety is our #1 priority.
How often is practice?
Typically our teams practice once a week. We know your life is busy so most of those practices will last around 1 hour. We want to honor your time so we provide resources to the coaches to help make your season the best it can be.
Can I stay and watch practice?
Absolutely! We encourage it! As a matter of fact our teams are always looking for Assistant Coaches if you’re interested in helping 🙂
What equipment will my child need?
At the beginning of each season you will receive information on what is “required equipment” as well as “recommended equipment”. If you have any questions make sure to ask your Coach.
Helpful Tips
Here are some helpful tips to ensure you have a great season!
- Save the Coaches contact information and give them yours.
- Sign up for Weather and Emergency Text Alerts – We want to get you the right information at the right time. This is a great resource to help in that communication.
- Make sure your athlete has the equipment they need.
- Be on time – We want to honor your time and effort by providing the best quality sports experience we can, we need your help though. By showing up on time, ready to play, for practices and games it makes a world of difference. Picking up your athlete on time is a huge help to our coaches too. We understand that can’t happen every time. When those situations occur the best thing to do is notify the Coach via phone call or text.
- Make it FUN!! At the Y we encourage fair play, positive competition and family involvement. Every child gets to play so make sure to cheer loud!! (For both teams!)