Team Parents
In an effort to support our players and coaches, each Cleveland Basketball team is required to have a Team Parent or set of Team Parents in place before the first official game of each season. Team Parents are typically parents/guardians or family members of a player on each team who help coordinating things for the coach and other families. Please let your coach know at the start of season if you’d like to help AND see below for other little things that you can help with during a season!
What Does The Role of Team Parent Look Like?
Communication is the primary role of the Team Parent(s). Each Team Parent should be in regular contact with their player’s coach, and also be able to learn how to locate and review game schedules sent out by league/tournament directors. From time to time, the Team Parent will also receive general updates from the Cleveland Basketball organization as well. Team Parents are responsible for helping to relay the game info to the other parents. They also should relay any updates from the coach as well.
How Often Should Communication Happen?
The goal for Team Parents would be to touch base with your coach AT LEAST ONCE weekly, followed by an email to families ONCE weekly. The email can include confirmation of the coming week’s practice time, and also the game schedule if play has started.
Some leagues have game schedules laid out for a few weeks in a row, whereas others do week-to-week announcements towards the end of the week. For teams in the latter, TWICE weekly communications are more realistic and acceptable by Team Parents. Communications to families can look something like this:
1st email of the week- confirm upcoming practice time with the entire group
2nd email of the week- confirm upcoming game times/locations, as well as links/apps if available
You can include any other important info as well.
Email vs Text
Emails are most common forms of communication, however, Team Parents can also start group chats in text message form if easier. Before including a coach’s phone number in a group chat with families, PLEASE CHECK WITH THEM FIRST. Not all coaches are comfortable with their cell numbers being shared with parents, so please keep this in mind.
Why are Team Parents Important?
Given that all coaches have jobs (sometimes more than 1), and also families of their own, (both which come with their own hectic schedules), parents helping to support the little things on a team make a huge difference in a coach’s experience with our organization and also their experience with this community. It also makes a huge difference in the experience for other families to build supportive bonds throughout the years of playing this sport we all love. Young athletes also can learn a lot from watching their families work together as a team as well. This type of teamwork and support from the parents is an essential component for us to be able to retain a core coaching staff group, and also is noticed and greatly appreciated by the high school staff at CHS.
The coaches at Cleveland High are working hard to build the basketball community and hope to see these types of little things instilled in youth families long before their children get to CHS. Parent help, support, and camaraderie can truly be impactful on the athletes, as well as on the longevity and strength of their own program. The saying “it takes a village” is very true, even at the high school level.
For parents who offer to take on communication and/or other small things, you are allowing the coach to have more time to focus on coaching. Communicators- you are someone they can quickly text with updates which goes a long way. Things that coaches may find themselves in need of help with can include: running late, needing someone to open the gym, needing supervision while absent, etc. And when accessing group email threads isn’t always possible (lack of wifi) or on the move in a vehicle, texting a Team Parent is easy and less stressful to get to. Our coaches feel really supported when parents step up to just take on a task or two during the season.
What Else Can ANY & ALL Parents Help With?
Team Fundraising Coordinator: collecting Free-Throw-A-Thon “FTAT” donations, or donations from other fundraisers in one place before submitting to Cleveland Basketball
Team Snack Connoisseurs: bringing or organizing snacks every once in a while for players to enjoy after games
Score Keepers: running the clock/scorebook when needed- some youth leagues/tournaments require teams to have a parent from each team sit at the table to do the score at games
End of Year Pizza Party Planner: scheduling the pizza party for the team at the end of Winter seasons
providing receipt to CB for reimbursement UP TO $100
Assistant Coaching/Gym Supervision: running drills, practice, or supervising shoot-around in the event of a coach’s absence
Only for grades K-5
Filming: film games on iPad to upload to Cleveland Basketball’s HUDL film account for player review
Only for 8th grade Warrior Prep
Travel Coordinators: looking for hotel, flight deals, or even group rates for your team when they are preparing to head out of town
Only for Warrior Prep teams