Resources for Parents & Caregivers
Caregivers are the Key!
Thank you for seeking out the best ways to support your athlete! I applaud you for taking an active role in their physical development, a high percentage of caregivers just turn their athlete's physical development over to the coaches, and unfortunately, not all coaches are adequately educated on development. That issue is on all of us, the world has changed rapidly and the youth of this world need responsible, educated leadership and guidance.
Let's start with the bad news and get it out of the way. This generation of youth are projected to live shorter lives than their parents. For the first time in the history of mankind, parents will have a longer life span than their children. That's grave news, awful news, as parents and caregivers, The Golf Coaches have decided to champion our efforts to educate you and take this issue on. This isn't a new issue, around 400 BC Plato said:
"Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it."
We have just gotten to that point in our society, thru technological advances, that children are slowing down, and that leads to a dim and unhealthy future.
That's a lot, I know. I was blown away too. Now on to the good news.
There are many organizations around the world that are championing efforts to support physical literacy, athletic development for life and coach education, so that this generation and future generations can live long healthy lives.
Global Initiatives
Aspen Institute : Project Play
The Aspen Institute is a non profit organization, a global think tank, that has decided to champion their efforts and take on this global issue. They have great content and resources throughout their website and formed the organization called Project Play. You can access that website here: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/sports-society
Here is a parent checklist that Project Play created to help parents and caregivers https://www.aspenprojectplay.org/parent-checklists
Every child has the right to play sports and, when in the care of adults, the human rights they are born with need to be respected. This simple idea informs the Children's Bill of Rights in Sports, a new resource designed to create a shared cultural understanding that all youth should have the opportunity to develop as people through sports.
When delivered well, sports participation is one of society's best tools for addressing a range of larger challenges – from obesity prevention to cancer risk reduction, gender equity to the social inclusion of people with disabilities, racial bias to the restoration of civic trust across communities.
Recognizing the human rights of children is key to closing gaps in the availability and quality of sport programs.
Developed by the Aspen Institute through its Project Play initiative, with a working group of human rights and sports policy experts, the Children's Bill of Rights in Sports identifies eight rights:
- To play sports - Organizations should make every effort to accommodate children’s interests to participate, and to help them play with peers from diverse backgrounds.
- To safe and healthy environments - Children have the right to play in settings free from all forms of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual), hazing, violence, and neglect.
- To qualified program leaders - Children have the right to play under the care of coaches and other adults who pass background checks and are trained in key competencies.
- To developmentally appropriate play - Children have a right to play at a level commensurate with their physical, mental and emotional maturity, and their emerging athletic ability. They should be treated as young people first, athletes second.
- To share in the planning and delivery of their activities - Children have the right to share their viewpoints with coaches and for their insights to be incorporated into activities.
- To an equal opportunity for personal growth - Programs should invest equally in all child athletes, free of discrimination based on any personal or family characteristic.
- To be treated with dignity - Children have the right to participate in environments that promote the values of sportsmanship, of respect for opponents, officials, and the game.
- To enjoy themselves - Children have the right to participate in activities they consider fun, and which foster the development of friendships and social bonds.
We encourage leaders – from program operators to policymakers – to treat these rights as guardrails in the design of all sport activities involving youth. Now is the time to establish such minimum conditions.
