Presented at the Maryland Recreation and Parks Association conference in April 2016 by Kate Nematollahi, National Alliance for Youth Sports.

1. Your Sports Facilities.
Their Programs. Your
Responsibility.
Kate Nematollahi
Director of Marketing and Outreach
National Alliance for Youth Sports

2. Today’s Session
• Introduction
• Your Responsibility?
• Planning for Success
• Compliance and Oversight
• Ongoing Support and
Education
• Examples
• Wrap-up Sign Giveaway

3. • A non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1981.
• Mission:To provide educational programs and resources to
improve youth sports programs worldwide.
• Programs and services for all involved in youth sports
– Professional administrators
– Volunteer administrators
– Coaches
– Officials
– Parents
– Young athletes

4. However…

5. YSOs or You?
88% of public entities have volunteer youth sports organizations
(YSOs) utilizing public facilities.
Control?
57% of respondents believe their recreation department has
adequate oversight of YSOs.
Some say:
“We don’t have any say so over the youth sports, a private
group is responsible.”
“Oh we just give them the facility permit and they do whatever
whatever they want.”
Public perception?

6. Small Group Discussion
1. Percentage of youth sports programs
run by outside youth sports
organizations?
2. Number ofYSOs you oversee?
3. Top struggles related toYSOs?

7. Struggles related to YSO’s
• “Taking care of the facilities to our standard”
• “Communication issues”
• “Disregard for the facility permitting process”
• “No control over them!”
• “Too much focus on winning”
• “Having enough staff to monitor fields”
• “Frequent turnover in league administration”
• “Organizations feel entitled to facility use”
• “Confusion with public as to whether the program is
run by an independent organization or by us”
• “Not enough fields to meet peak demand”
• “Too many practices and games”

8. 70% of recreation professionals agree
public entities are responsible for the
actions of YSO’s using their facilities.
And let’s not ever forget who youth sports
programs are for…
Your Responsibility?

9. Your Responsibility?

10. • FUN!!!
• self-confidence
• self-esteem
• skill building
• social skills
• sportsmanship
• fitness
• respect
• discipline
• role model
• follow through
• responsibility
• play by the rules
• communication
• teamwork
• winning/losing
• motivation
• commitment
• leadership
• positive outlook
Not just a game! What do children
learn through sports?

11. Planning for Success
Remember the GOLDEN rule:
“whomever has the gold
makes the rules!”

13. Planning for Success
• Goal: Establish positive partnerships with
youth sports organizations with clear
expectations and strong communication.

14. Planning for Success
• Gwinnett County (Ga.) Athletic Association
Manual

15. These are a
compilation of
input from youth
sports and
recreation
professionals
throughout the
country.
Planning for Success -
Resources

16. • Part 1 – Adopt a community
philosophy that makes youth
sports safe and positive for
children.
• Part 2 – Appoint a
professional youth sports
administrator to ensure
adherence to the philosophy.
• Part 3 – Hold everyone
associated with community
youth sports accountable for
their behavior.
Planning for Success -
Resources

17. • Nine standards
provide national
policy guidance
• Offers specific
policies and
procedures
• Assists decision
making process
Planning for Success -
Resources

18. • Academy for Youth Sports Administrators
• Certified Youth Sports Administrator credential
Planning for Success -
Resources

19. Self Assessment #1-3

20. Compliance and Oversight
Facility usage requirements
In order to gain use of public facilities,
municipalities often enforce certain
requirements of independent youth sports
organizations.

21. Recognized Community Sports Organization Checklist
In order to be recognized by the department and to be eligible to
in the field allocation process, organizations must meet certain criteria
Compliance and Oversight

22. • Verification of Henderson Residency
• Provide a Statement of Need
• Mission Statement
• Registration must be open to the public
• The organization must be a non-profit in
good standing
– Board of Directors
– Operate under a set of bylaws
– Demonstrate that it is financially solvent
• Coaches to complete an approved criminal background check
• All coaches must attend a training and certification clinic
• A designated representative of the organization must attend field
allocation meetings
Compliance and Oversight

23. • League insurance
• Residency
• Usage Fee
• Submit By-Laws
• Proof of Non-profit
Status
• Financial Statements –
certified review
• List of Board of
Directors
• Participant Rosters
• Facility Maintenance
• Minutes from Board
Meeting
• Signed
Parents/Coaches
Codes of Ethics
• ApprovedTraining
Programs
• Approved Screening
procedures
Compliance and Oversight
Other possible requirements?

24. Self Assessment #4

25. How are requirements verified?
• Annual meetings with each organization
• Formal review of documentation
• Park board approval all facility usage requests
• Facility visits
Compliance and Oversight

26. • Establish document/record keeping system
– Microsoft Office
• Checklist for each team that list the required item in one
and the status in the second
– Share files in a shared Drive – internal or cloud-based like Drop
Google Drive
• Gather all documentation
– Certificates of completion
– Background check results
– Acknowledgement signatures
Compliance and Oversight

27. Compliance and Oversight
Gwinnett County (Ga.)
• Annual Meetings
• Athletic Association
Calendar – tell the
associations when
they are expected to
submit specific
requirements

28. Prioritization
• 79% implement a prioritization policy for
organizations request facility use
• Various factors are considered when
prioritizing organizations:
• Municipal programs
• School programs
• High residency organizations
• Organizations in good standing status
• In-season programs before out of season
• Timeliness of facility use request
• Recreational nature of program
• Non-profit status

29. Small Group Discussion
1. Describe steps for checking
requirements, processing facility
permit applications and distributing
permits?

30. Self Assessment #5-6

31. NAYS Chapter Management
• Track each organization’s coach requirements
• Coach Training
• Concussion
• Background checks
• Coach evaluation scores
• Accountability procedures
Compliance and Oversight

34. Ongoing Support and Education
• Position your department as a partner
• Provide support to youth sports
organizations through supportive
meetings, trainings, open communication
and more

35. Ongoing Support and Education
• NAYS offers support for
league administrators,
coaches, parents and
officials
• Some programs are
absolutely free!

36. Ongoing Support and Education
• Gwinnett County (Ga.) Youth Sports Expo
– Provided Trainings – Child Protection, Social
Media, Coach special needs children, etc.
– Sports vendors
• Gwinnett County (Ga.) Scholarship
Program

37. Ongoing Support and
Education
• Recognize and reward

38. Free League Administrator
Training
• Coach Management
• Participants/Kids
• Officials
• Dealing with Parents
• Volunteer Boards
• League Finance
• Youth Sports & the Law
• Marketing

40. National Youth Sports
Administrators Association
• $1,000,000 Excess General Liability Insurance
• $2,000,000 Directors & Officers Liability
insurance
• High quality membership card
• Monthly E-Newsletter
• Online NYSAA Member Area
– Revisit Online Clinic content
– Background screening guidelines
– Health and injury awareness resources
– Additional youth sports administration tools

41. Small Group Discussion
1. Discuss one thing you can do to
improve your department’s
relationships withYSOs this season.
Write it on the back of your assessment.

43. Thank you for all you do for the children in your
community!
Kate Nematollahi
kate@nays.org
1-800-688-5437
www.nays.org
www.nays.org/presentations/maryland-2016