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General Questions
regarding parental support:
Q) How
much time is involved in football and cheer?
A) It is a BIG time
commitment on the part of both players and parents. From the first day of
pre-conditioning up until the first game in September, there will be
practice up to 5 times per week for 2 hours each
practice. For cheer it is generally a little less per week during this
period. After the first
game there will be up to 3 practices during the week and a game every
Saturday.
Q) How
can I help my child handle that heat?
A) First off, consulting
your family doctor is the best place to get advice.
A great thing you can do for
you child during the early season is to ensure they drink LOTS of water. We
mean LOTS, and not just during practice. A well hydrated child will perform
at a higher level with greater endurance and do it safer than a child who
waits to be thirsty to drink. Lots of water all day is a huge plus.
Additionally, be careful to not feed them a heavy dinner just before coming
to practice. We take required water breaks during practice to
ensure hydration is occurring, but again, don’t rely on that alone.
Q) Is
Pop Warner too rough for my child?
A) Only you and your child
can answer this one. Hacienda La Puente Football takes great strides to
ensure that coaches are knowledgeable, well trained individuals with the
abilities to teach proper technique and skills and that all equipment is
inspected and in condition to provide proper safety for all players. We
emphasize fun and teaching, but there is no way to play this game without
some bumps occasionally. Please discuss this with your child and any of
our Board members prior to registering if you have specific concerns.
REGISTRATION FEES ARE NOT REFUNDABLE FOR ANY REASON AFTER YOU REGISTER.
Q)
What can I have my child doing prior to the season to help them get ready?
A) Get them off the
couch! Playstation never made someone a better player. Kids who are active
during the summer tend to handle the early season better and this leads to
greater chance of success early. Pretty much any activity is good – the
more physical the better. In addition, the football camps in the weeks
prior to the start of the season are excellent primers for the kids.
Q)
How can I help my child have a great experience?
A) This is a terrific
question. As parents, you have as much influence over the success of your
child’s season as anyone. Our association is run by people just like you –
we all want our kids to experience the challenge and growth opportunity of
football in a positive environment. Your ACTIVE participation can
significantly help. We are always looking for folks that want to contribute
to the children we serve. Volunteer to help your team in any way, get
involved with the board of directors, attend all the games you can, and if
at all possible, come to practice and watch your child regularly. You will
see a lot of development as the season progresses and that is a huge reward
for both parent and child.
Q) I
want to volunteer to help my child’s team. What may I be asked to do?
A) If you are interested in
assisting with the staff of a team, please let your Head Coach know at your
first opportunity that you are available to help. We have an awesome group
of head coaches this year who have all been through an extensive selection
and training process. These coaches have a ton or responsibilities that
need to be met, and cannot do it alone. In addition to assistant coaches,
teams generally look for an equipment manager (handles broken /
missing pieces during practice and games so the coach can concentrate on the
field), a statistician (keeps track of plays, who is playing etc to
ensure all kids get a chance to fully participate), a trainer
(focuses on warm ups, stretching and bumps and bruises), a quality
control coach (manages stragglers, bathroom runs, and miscellaneous
tasks), a chain &field setup crew (for home games). Additionally, a
cheer coach is responsible for the teams cheer squad – this is an
important role that we need mom’s (or big sisters) to help us out in.
Probably more important than these positions is the crucial role of
business manager. This person is the right hand of the head coach who
manages the paperwork necessary to comply with conference and national
rules, handles fundraising requirements, certification, team communications,
and generally coordinates the administrative tasks for the team. A team
mom is responsible for snack schedules and assisting the business
manager in spillover situations. Many coaches even delegate parents to help
with tasks like water – what you will likely find is that if you ask, you
will be given a role to play.
Q)
What if I don’t get to do what I want this year?
A). Please keep in mind
that we are all here to help the kids have a great experience. We are all
doing our best to see this happens, and naturally there may be times when
the coach may not need help in an area you wish to provide. The coaches may
have their coaching staff’s put together already, but if you are willing to
help in some capacity they will be very appreciative. Please remember that
the head coach is the CEO of the team – he is responsible for every child,
parent and volunteer on the team. This means that he has the ultimate
authority when it comes to how the staff is comprised. Each coach has his
own style and while HLPPW will make suggestions, they overall satisfaction you
have with the team is his responsibility alone. Volunteer to help and try
not to have too many expectations about what that will mean and everyone
(including your child) will have a great experience.
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