Press Release:
Moody Air Force Base Youth Programs in Georgia has been designated a Better Sports for Kids Quality Program Provider by the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS).
This honor, like the Good Housekeeping Seal given to household products that meet high standards, recognizes organizations that have met an equally high standard when it comes to administering youth sports programming.
“Earning this designation shows that our program ensures we are taking the necessary steps to offer a quality sports and fitness program,” said Del Philpot, youth sports director for Moody AFB Youth Programs. “It shows we are focusing on the safety and well-being of our young athletes by providing quality training volunteers, a safe environment, sports programming that encompasses fun, teamwork and skill development, getting program parents involved and hiring committed programming staff.”
Today’s youth sports climate overflows with programming, making it challenging for organizations to stand out among the crowd, and difficult for parents to gauge which ones can deliver high-quality experiences for young athletes. To help organizations and families, NAYS introduced the Better Sports for Kids Quality Program Provider designation. Any organization can apply to be evaluated for the designation, and no cost is involved.
“Parents typically have lots of questions and valid concerns when deciding where to enroll their child,” said John Engh, executive director of NAYS. “We have taken the guesswork out of this important time in a young person’s life. When parents see that a program has the Quality Program Provider designation they will know that we have already asked all the tough questions that they may not have even considered or perhaps were afraid of bringing up.”
Additionally, the designation enables organizations to showcase the quality of their programs and highlight the benefits of children being involved in their offerings.
“Being one of the first programs to be selected for this designation is a tremendous distinction,” Philpot said. “All the dedicated time and manpower we have invested to ensure our program meets or exceeds the needs of our patrons has paid off.”
To earn the Better Sports for Kids Quality Program Provider designation a youth sports program must fulfill all the components associated with these five key requirements:
- Written Policies and Procedures
- Volunteer Screening
- Coach Training
- Parent Education
- Accountability
Within each of these five areas are important details that can sabotage experiences and ruin young lives that organizations must prove they address in order to earn the designation, such as if written policies exist regarding playing time; if concussion awareness information is disseminated to coaches; if volunteers are subject to background checks and social security number verification; if the organization has a system for receiving and responding to complaints; if the organization solicits feedback to evaluate programs; and more.
“Organizations that earn this designation will stand out within their community for demonstrating that they have taken a proactive approach on some tough issues and are providing youth sports programs of the highest standard,” Engh said. “Parents have a lot of genuine concerns these days and when they see the Better Sports for Kids Quality Program Provider designation they can take comfort knowing their child is in the best place possible to learn and compete in sports.”
Anyone interested in having their organization evaluated for the Better Sports for Kids Quality Program Provider designation can visit nays.org/quality; emailnays@nays.org; or call (800) 729-2057.
