YFMP PHASE I SEPTEMBER 2009 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Soccer programming opportunities Coordinate an annual standardized training for coaches city -wide. Implementation: The PRCSA can require training for Santa Ana coaches from all athletic leagues operating in the city. One basic coach training can be offered seasonally by a community college or by one of the larger Cal -South leagues, with other trainings particular to only soccer coaches held bi- annually. This would help facilitate a standardization in soccer league practices and expectations. Rationale: Given the data from the league surveys, as well as parent responses from the surveys, it is clear that there is no consistent training and /or role identification for coaches working in the various soccer leagues serving Santa Ana youth. Furthermore, with 80% of the families reporting that they are paying additional costs each game, there is a lack of financial uniformity as well. This lack of oversight and consistency does not support positive youth services. Standardizing some components of basic coach training (such as the need for background checks, first -aid, basic skills, ethics, sexual harassment, roles and responsibilities, and others) could increase player and community safety. Increase business partnerships. Implementation: Consider increasing public - private partnerships to sponsor soccer leagues, thus allowing more families to take advantage of scholarship and financial aid opportunities. Rationale: Forty -two percent of families surveyed report that cost is a barrier for families to participate. Although 19 of 21 leagues reported offering financial aid, only 15% of families reported having knowledge of this. Furthermore, only 9 of 21 leagues are actively receiving funds from corporations whereas 19 of 21 are charging registration fees and 17 of 21 have fundraisers. Corporate partnerships, when engaged in for the long term, can provide a sustainable source of revenue to the leagues, as well as advertising and positive public relations for the corporate sponsor. These partnerships can provide a win -win situation for both parties involved. This would help to support the leagues so that they do not have to tie player registration fees so closely to the field use fees (as is currently the case). This would keep the cost from being directly transferred to the families. This is particularly timely as the city no longer has the resources to partner with teams who would like decreased (or free) field use. Coordinate all field reservations within the City of Santa Ana through a single entity. Implementation: This system would require that a single agency control field distribution; this would streamline the annual soccer league field -use reservation process by having both city and school fields coordinated and maintained together. Incentivize those organizations that are increasing recreational play and could allocate based on different factors. This increased coordination would allow leagues to work with the city and school districts to make use of their GIS mapping capabilities to ensure that youth can play soccer in their own community, thus enhancing access. Consider providing PRCSA with the resources needed to program all city and school fields in Central Santa Ana as a targeted pilot program component of TCE initiative. In return, PRCSA can create clearer guidelines for leagues wishing to use fields. Rationale: There is a need to create a balance in Santa Ana soccer between leagues that are more focused on competitive level play as opposed to those that place a higher value in providing recreational soccer opportunities to all participants- regardless of skill level. There must be an effective increase in recreational leagues, supporting teams that are youth development organizations, not simply those based on athletic performance. Leagues report that youth placement on teams is based primarily on skill level