Program Overview:
The Respect in Sport Parent Program is an online certification program designed to protect our youth as well as enhance ALLIANCE Hockey’s mandate of providing a safe and fun environment for all participants. It is Canada’s leading online bullying, abuse, harassment, and neglect prevention program for parents.
Respect in Sport Parent Program:
A program providing information on parents' natural influence over a child, the coach or leader’s role in an activity, the role parents play in their child's enjoyment of a sport or activity, and protecting your child when they are outside of your immediate control. The program also provides parents with tools to evaluate their own behavior by highlighting 5 key "behavioral traps" frequently exhibited by parents, particularly in competitive sports. It demonstrates negative behaviors and provides ideas of how a situation may be better handled, includes valuable information from subject matter experts delivered in a clear and concise fashion, and asks questions of parents based on scenarios presented.
Specific topics include:
• 5 common negative parent behaviors
• Child development/nutrition and hydration/rest/injuries
• Interacting with coaches, officials, and other parents
Preamble:
Since the introduction of the Respect in Sport Parent Program, ALLIANCE Hockey has considered expanding the reach and scope of the Respect initiatives in the ALLIANCE, not only from the perspective of education, but also awareness.
A recurring theme which has been communicated at almost every Council Meeting over the last few years has been the message of ‘Respect in Hockey’ and opportunities to enhance education and awareness of the message with all stakeholders, to improve the Minor Hockey experience.
Several branches across the country including the OMHA have made the Respect in Sport (RIS) Parent Program mandatory. Hockey Alberta became the first fully integrated Respect Branch requiring Team Officials, Parents and On-Ice Officials to complete Respect training and many others have since followed suit.
Data from participants regarding resistance/post certification responses has been positive.
"Many people went into the program with a negative attitude, and ultimately came out as advocates,"
"Almost everyone agrees that the culture needs to change, and they believe that Respect in Sport can help contribute to that change."
The Mandate:
The ALLIANCE Hockey Executive Committee submitted Notice of Motion 2014-13, which was reviewed and ratified on June 5, 2014, and subsequently presented then amended by the membership at the ALLIANCE Hockey AGM on June 7, 2014:
All ALLIANCE Hockey 2004 and younger birth year participants who participate in a League must have one parent/guardian complete the Hockey Canada Respect in Sport Parent Program prior to their child’s/children’s participation in ALLIANCE Hockey.
Full implementation by May 8th, 2015 will foster and develop a culture of mutual respect in ALLIANCE Hockey and serve as an effective risk management tool as well as contributing to the overall safety and enjoyment of the game by all participants.
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Parent Program
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1 hour course
$12.00 per family+GST
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$12 per family + GST (one parent/guardian certified per family and other parent, step parents, grandparents, kids, etc. can take the program for free by using the certified parent username and password).
Payment is made on-line with a credit card when registering for the Parent Program. (Pay Pal is utilized for this function but a Pay Pal account is not required and does not have to be created)
Rationale:
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With the ongoing parent problems that exist in minor hockey at all levels from house league through representative hockey, this program is necessary in helping to change the culture and conduct of minor hockey parents in our game. We need to make the game more enjoyable for the participants and maintain consistency with ALLIANCE Hockey’s philosophy of “It’s the Kids’ Game”.
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Reward for progressive organizational growth and improvement of the experience for our membership versus risk of very limited negative repercussions.
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Ability for timely information to be added annually including high priority topics including Concussion Awareness, Return to Play Guidelines, New Head Contact Rule, Long-Term Player Development (LTPD), etc.