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2020 Youth Football and Cheer
2020-03-06
2020 Youth Football and Cheer
As we prepare to enter into the 2020 Youth Football and Cheer season, it is important to convey to parents, participants and coaches and staff our expectations for the season. The information contained in this document was developed after careful consideration of the environment in which our program operates and the support that has been provided for our program activities to enable us to continue our services to the youth in our community. Because this is so, the directions provided herein are mandatory and non-negotiable. The guidance provided in this document should not be viewed as all inclusive. Additional guidance is available on the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network’s website at wilkamiteyouth.com.
At the beginning of the 2019 Youth Football and Cheer season, a substantial financial commitment was made to move us closer to our goal of providing affordable sports related activities to the youth in our community which resulted in a registration fee of $35.00. Near the end of the season, we were awarded a larger equipment grant from Riddell and Peyton Manning. Because of the Smarter Football Grant and other equipment purchased last year, the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network is one step closer to realizing its goal of providing an opportunity for every child in Wilkinson County, who desires, to participate in the game of American Football and; now we will re-direct our time and resources to ways of enhancing our program participants’ academic achievement and conduct.
In an attempt to motivate and encourage our youth towards academic excellence and satisfactory conduct, during the 2020 Youth Football and Cheer season all Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network program registration fees have been eliminated. However, a participant must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA, with no grade in any subject being an “F” and no disciplinary or conduct issues in school, on the bus, at home or in our community. Exceptions to this requirement may be made by the Commissioner only after considering the player’s and parent’s attitude toward improvement. The skill level of the participant shall not be considered. No participant is exempt from this requirement.
Our school district is struggling to enhance the academic performance of our youth. As an organization whose mission is to provide support to our community through youth-oriented programs that build character, self-esteem and self-confidence, and as an organization that serve youth that attend school in Wilkinson County, the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network is committed to doing all that we can to help our schools become successful. That is our NUMBER 1 PRIORITY.
Last year, the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network served as a community partner with the Wilkinson County School District to obtain grant funding for its 21st Century Community Learning Center program which is dedicated to enriching the educational, social and cultural opportunities of students and families in our community. The program provides tutoring and other services for youth at the William Winans Middle School.
Through our youth sports programs, the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network’s Parents, coaches and staff have been doing a good job monitoring, counseling and encouraging our participants towards improved academics, but that is not enough, WE NEED TO DO MORE and WE WILL DO MORE.
Our youth programs must provide more than “Something to Do” for our children. Understanding that the motivation levels of students are higher when youth are involved in sports activities, we can positively impact our participants’ in school and out of school performance.
Coaches are the “Core” of the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network Football & Cheerleader program. They represent the integrity of the program being conducted and must support program objectives and policies. Coaches must be aware of the positive and negative impacts they can have on our participants and others. Coaches must maintain an atmosphere which promotes and supports the philosophy of our programs. Coaches shall be responsible to our youth, parents, officials, and other coaches by being knowledgeable of the policies and procedures. Working with youth and coaching youth sports is no small task. This experience is unlike any other. It has been said the one coach will impact more young people in a year than most people do in a lifetime. Consequently, the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network will work to ensure that the participants in our program have a great experience and this commitment is manifest in our efforts to bring in the best coaches possible.
Coaching in the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network will require the commitment of a lot of time and energy and in most cases, it will be a very rewarding experience. Coaches have an opportunity to help mold the lives of the youth in our program. This responsibility and the privilege of helping to shape the future of Wilkinson County is very serious and the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network will hold our coaches accountable to maintain that standard.
The following information outlines the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network’s coach selection process. It will help potential coaches understand the organization’s expectations and plans for developing great youth coaches to assist the school district in its efforts to enhance academic achievement and conduct.
1. Head Coaches will be selected by the Football Commissioner in consultation with the General Manager for football operations.
2. In addition to completing all required training and obtain Heads Up Coach’s Certification, the head coach must understand and be supportive of the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network’s programs, enthusiastic, organized and dependable.
3. Head Coach candidates are required to develop and implement a plan to help our youth and district achieve academic success.
4. In coordination with the participant’s parent (s), Head Coaches will monitor each participant’s conduct regularly, the participant’s grades during each progress reporting period and during each 9-week reporting period. The participant’s status shall be reported to the General Manager for Football Operations
Note: we are aware that most of our coaching candidates will not be certified teachers. However, that should not prevent them from being able to make a positive impact on our participants’ academic performance and conduct. Some examples of making a positive impact might include, regular consultation with parents and teachers to identify emerging problems or concerns; school visits from coaches, assisting teachers in obtaining additional parental involvement in the education of our youth; adopting a classroom and making arrangements to provide needed instructional materials; helping to encourage parents or a designated parent representative to attend school “open house” and Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) meetings. These are just a few examples that have discussed. There are many more workable ideas make a positive impact on our participants’ academic performance and conduct that have not been considered or talked about. All potential Head Coaches in developing their plan to help improve academic achievement and conduct of our youth participants should remember that they are only limited by applicable laws, school district policies and Coach’s Imagination.
Through proper guidance and exemplary leadership, the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network will promote programs that emphasize physical and emotional development; build self-esteem, and cultivate a lifelong interest in sports, health and teamwork by advocating the virtues of character, integrity, and sportsmanship. The Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network is dedicated to the all-round development of our youth and will encourage them to not just better athletes, but to be better people and I look forward to working with ALL of you as we work together to improve our schools.
If there are questions, concerns, suggestions or other issues, please call me at (601) 810-9428 (Please leave a message if I am unable to answer the phone) or email wilkamiteyouth@gmail.com.
David Walker, President-Commissioner
Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network
Wilkinson County Wildcats Youth Football and Cheer
At the beginning of the 2019 Youth Football and Cheer season, a substantial financial commitment was made to move us closer to our goal of providing affordable sports related activities to the youth in our community which resulted in a registration fee of $35.00. Near the end of the season, we were awarded a larger equipment grant from Riddell and Peyton Manning. Because of the Smarter Football Grant and other equipment purchased last year, the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network is one step closer to realizing its goal of providing an opportunity for every child in Wilkinson County, who desires, to participate in the game of American Football and; now we will re-direct our time and resources to ways of enhancing our program participants’ academic achievement and conduct.
In an attempt to motivate and encourage our youth towards academic excellence and satisfactory conduct, during the 2020 Youth Football and Cheer season all Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network program registration fees have been eliminated. However, a participant must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA, with no grade in any subject being an “F” and no disciplinary or conduct issues in school, on the bus, at home or in our community. Exceptions to this requirement may be made by the Commissioner only after considering the player’s and parent’s attitude toward improvement. The skill level of the participant shall not be considered. No participant is exempt from this requirement.
Our school district is struggling to enhance the academic performance of our youth. As an organization whose mission is to provide support to our community through youth-oriented programs that build character, self-esteem and self-confidence, and as an organization that serve youth that attend school in Wilkinson County, the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network is committed to doing all that we can to help our schools become successful. That is our NUMBER 1 PRIORITY.
Last year, the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network served as a community partner with the Wilkinson County School District to obtain grant funding for its 21st Century Community Learning Center program which is dedicated to enriching the educational, social and cultural opportunities of students and families in our community. The program provides tutoring and other services for youth at the William Winans Middle School.
Through our youth sports programs, the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network’s Parents, coaches and staff have been doing a good job monitoring, counseling and encouraging our participants towards improved academics, but that is not enough, WE NEED TO DO MORE and WE WILL DO MORE.
Our youth programs must provide more than “Something to Do” for our children. Understanding that the motivation levels of students are higher when youth are involved in sports activities, we can positively impact our participants’ in school and out of school performance.
Coaches are the “Core” of the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network Football & Cheerleader program. They represent the integrity of the program being conducted and must support program objectives and policies. Coaches must be aware of the positive and negative impacts they can have on our participants and others. Coaches must maintain an atmosphere which promotes and supports the philosophy of our programs. Coaches shall be responsible to our youth, parents, officials, and other coaches by being knowledgeable of the policies and procedures. Working with youth and coaching youth sports is no small task. This experience is unlike any other. It has been said the one coach will impact more young people in a year than most people do in a lifetime. Consequently, the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network will work to ensure that the participants in our program have a great experience and this commitment is manifest in our efforts to bring in the best coaches possible.
Coaching in the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network will require the commitment of a lot of time and energy and in most cases, it will be a very rewarding experience. Coaches have an opportunity to help mold the lives of the youth in our program. This responsibility and the privilege of helping to shape the future of Wilkinson County is very serious and the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network will hold our coaches accountable to maintain that standard.
The following information outlines the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network’s coach selection process. It will help potential coaches understand the organization’s expectations and plans for developing great youth coaches to assist the school district in its efforts to enhance academic achievement and conduct.
1. Head Coaches will be selected by the Football Commissioner in consultation with the General Manager for football operations.
2. In addition to completing all required training and obtain Heads Up Coach’s Certification, the head coach must understand and be supportive of the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network’s programs, enthusiastic, organized and dependable.
3. Head Coach candidates are required to develop and implement a plan to help our youth and district achieve academic success.
4. In coordination with the participant’s parent (s), Head Coaches will monitor each participant’s conduct regularly, the participant’s grades during each progress reporting period and during each 9-week reporting period. The participant’s status shall be reported to the General Manager for Football Operations
Note: we are aware that most of our coaching candidates will not be certified teachers. However, that should not prevent them from being able to make a positive impact on our participants’ academic performance and conduct. Some examples of making a positive impact might include, regular consultation with parents and teachers to identify emerging problems or concerns; school visits from coaches, assisting teachers in obtaining additional parental involvement in the education of our youth; adopting a classroom and making arrangements to provide needed instructional materials; helping to encourage parents or a designated parent representative to attend school “open house” and Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) meetings. These are just a few examples that have discussed. There are many more workable ideas make a positive impact on our participants’ academic performance and conduct that have not been considered or talked about. All potential Head Coaches in developing their plan to help improve academic achievement and conduct of our youth participants should remember that they are only limited by applicable laws, school district policies and Coach’s Imagination.
Through proper guidance and exemplary leadership, the Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network will promote programs that emphasize physical and emotional development; build self-esteem, and cultivate a lifelong interest in sports, health and teamwork by advocating the virtues of character, integrity, and sportsmanship. The Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network is dedicated to the all-round development of our youth and will encourage them to not just better athletes, but to be better people and I look forward to working with ALL of you as we work together to improve our schools.
If there are questions, concerns, suggestions or other issues, please call me at (601) 810-9428 (Please leave a message if I am unable to answer the phone) or email wilkamiteyouth@gmail.com.
David Walker, President-Commissioner
Wilk-Amite Youth Action Network
Wilkinson County Wildcats Youth Football and Cheer