News from the GA Athletic Directors Assoc.

(Kevin Horrigan, CAA, Athletic Director, Greenfield Central High School, Greenfield, Indiana)

We started using student-athletes at Greenfield Central High School to help in the delivery of important information at our fall, winter and spring parent meetings.
We selected student-athletes who had the respect of not only their peers, but also of the adult community. I met with the student-athletes and told them of our idea. They were excited that they had been chosen and that we had the confidence in them to do the task. I explained to them that I felt if parents heard from students, it would be more meaningful than if administration voiced the same issues. My goal was to try and make an impact on parent behavior.
We quickly decided on two topics of importance: 1) parents not providing alcohol or drugs to student-athletes and not providing a place where such activities could take place, and 2) parents exhibiting good sportsmanship at athletic events, just as we ask our students to do the same.
Although I gave them some suggestions and ideas, such as a tag-team approach to speaking, I trusted them and just turned them loose with the topics. We met one more time before the parent meeting night to see how they were doing. I was very impressed with what they shared with me.
When the big night came, they were nervous, but spoke from the heart and did an absolutely wonderful job. Among other things, they talked about being embarrassed at athletic contests by the adults who acted inappropriately. They talked about what it was like in the locker room after a game if it were your parent who had been thrown out of an athletic contest. They talked about cheering positively and not negatively. They talked about being parents and not necessarily their friends. They talked about knowing students who had lost their lives after drinking at a party in which parents either provided alcohol or knew it was present. It was so quiet in the auditorium you could have heard a pin drop. When they were finished speaking, they received a standing ovation. And even though I was prepared to cover anything they might forget, other than thanking them, I could not have said anything better.
In the time since, I have had numerous parents thank me for having the students speak to them. I have also had several students volunteer to speak in the future. Although you will never reach everyone, I believe these young people and their messages came through loud and clear.