Supervision

Always be supervising! Proper supervision of your league participants is of the utmost importance to ensure the safety of your participants and should be taken very seriously. It only takes a few seconds of complacency for an incident or accident to occur. Here are several guidelines to provide the best supervision possible for your participants.

• Monitor the safety of the players before, during and after all games.
  
  
• Check all equipment being used and on the players before every game.
  
  
• Ensure that your rules, policies, and procedures are being followed so the participants are safe while playing their games.
  
  
• Monitor the health and well-being of the players. Look out for signs of injury or illness. Provide plenty of water breaks as needed.
  
  
• Monitor the conduct of your coaches, parents, and referees. Watch the adults’ actions on and around the field constantly to prevent any incidents from occurring, especially if things get heated during a game.
  
  
• Monitor spectator areas to ensure there are no hazards and no one is impeding on or near the play area. Have protocols in place where spectators can and cannot be. It is recommended to not allow spectators near the scorer’s table or behind scoring areas such as goals or hoops. If a play area is fenced, keep spectators on the other side of the fence.
  
  
• Have a field monitor on each field and a site supervisor on site at all times. This ensures game play rules are being followed along with your code of conduct to greatly limit the possibility an incident will occur. Coaches and Parents should know who is in charge and who they need to go to on each field.
  
  
• Monitor any staff or volunteers that are scoring the games. Staff and volunteers scoring the game should be in charge of that field, along with the official. They need to make sure rules of the game are being followed as well as ensuring expectations are being met on and around the field or court.

• Keep an eye on the playing conditions as the day goes. If your outside look for heavy turf wear, potholes, rocks, irrigation heads etc. that could form throughout the day and pose the safety hazard. If indoors, make sure the court is being swept and there is no debris or wet spots anywhere on the play area.
  
  
• For outdoor events, monitor the weather constantly to ensure safe playing conditions.
  
  
• Make rounds throughout the day to check high traffic areas in your facility such as your spectator areas, around concessions, and park entrances.
  
  
• Be prepared for emergencies with first aid kids and ice available at each field or court. Be ready to respond quickly and calmly if needed.

Ensuring safety and supervision at a youth sports game requires proactive planning, vigilance during the event, and preparedness for emergencies. Do everything you can to make sure there are eyes on every aspect of your game days on and around the playing area. The more supervision you provide, the better your game days will go, and the lesser chance an incident will occur. Take supervision seriously and you will have a safe and incident free season.