**If you are interested in being a team parent for the 2024 season, please contact your child's manager/coach.**

Hello Team Parents,

My name is Taryn and I will be your Head Team Parent for our 2024 Season.

I have created this page to help guide you through what being a team parent does and also what you will be required to do. 

First thing, if you have not joined my Team Parent GroupMe, please do so now. To join, simply CLICK HERE on either your cell or computer.  Also, if you haven't registered with us, please fill out our Team Parent Registration Form.  

Being a head team parent comes with many responsibilities but it is a vital role in order to allow our coaches & managers to coach & manage the team. The last thing they want to do is take orders for hoodies or create snack schedules. Our job as Head Team Parent is basically the liaison between the managers, the board and our parents. Our job is to answer parent questions, help guide them, give them important dates & information, promote fundraising to them etc. 

As the season progresses, I will upload calendars, snack bar schedules, and other deadlines to our GroupMe.  I hope the information provided will help your team have a successful season.  Of course, if you have any questions, you can message me on GroupMe and I will respond by the end of day, if not sooner.

Sincerely, 

Taryn Tyrell
Head Team Parent

2024 Vacaville Pony Baseball Team Spirit Wear

TEAM PARENT REQUIREMENTS

• Live Scan Fingerprinting
  The first requirement for coaching in Vacaville Pony is a Live Scan fingerprint / background check.  If you have been live scanned through Vacaville Pony in the past, you do not need to do so again.  To get live scanned take the form (link below) to a live scan facility (link to locations below). 
  Auspicious Live Scan and Notary
  Vacaville Pony Live Scan Form
  
  
• Required Training
  Player safety is a top priority in PONY.  All Vacaville Pony EVERY volunteer must complete online concussion training and cardiac arrest training, and present their certificates of completion prior to opening day.  This certifications must be renewed every year.
  Click here for Sudden Cardiac Arrest Training
  Click here for concussion certification
  Click here for Protecting Students from Abuse
  

What does a Team Parent do?

Having a Team Parent doing all the behind-the-scenes work allows the managers and coaches to focus on coaching.  A Team Parent can be invaluable for any team.  

Here are some of the major responsibilities of a team parent.  

Money Manager - Financial responsibilities for our teams aren't too much, typically including collecting some money towards the purchase of a team banner or pennants (unless someone makes one), a team gift basket for our raffle (unless donated items are used), apparel order, team party, and maybe one or two other small odds and ends.  

"Answer Person" -  The "go-to" person on all questions regarding team activities, fundraising, etc.  Should know the schedule and where to find the field locations, directions, etc. via the Internet.

"Keeper of the List" - A team contact list is an important tool to aid in communication and getting to know team and family members.

The contact list should include: (Sample Roster Template Here) 

• player names and jersey numbers
• parents' or guardians names
• parents' best contact phone numbers and email addresses. 

Keep in mind that, if a player has more than one set of involved parents information for both parents needs to be listed.

Since text messaging and email is the easiest and preferred method of communication these days, the Team Parent should create a group text/email listing of all team members and use it regularly in communicating with all team members and their parents.

Another option is GroupMe. Its an app that all parents can download for FREE and it's a place where the Team Parent can communicate to all easily & more efficiently than a text or email. 

Apparel Hoodie Order - You are responsible for taking orders for Hoodies, T-shirts, Baseball Hats and Tank Tops from your players' parents. Please make sure that you make sure each parent has the opportunity to place an order. 

Team Banner/Pennant Coordinator - Most teams have a team banner or pennants for their team listing the players (and coaches & the team parent if creating a traditional banner).  This banner can be of the home-made variety, or it can be purchased from a company that makes custom banners.  There are several small local businesses who make great banners for our teams every year.   Sometimes a Team Parent might assign this task to another willing parent volunteer from the team.  

You can decide what company to use for your banner, however, many use Fast Team Banners or TeamBanners4U. 

Picture Day - Picture Day is usually sometime in April.  Energy Imaging will send emails to each player, but the Team Parent should remind the team of their date/time and give them the available make-up days.

Post-Game Snack Coordinator - Every kid loves his/hers post-game snack so it's important that the game schedule gets coordinated with the snack schedule.  It's also a great idea to send out a reminder a couple days ahead to the parent with snack duty.   Sometimes a Team Parent might assign this task to another willing parent volunteer from the team.  

Team Party - At the end of each season you will want to schedule a team party where everyone can relax and have fun.  These team parties are often at a house (pool party!) or a pizza place, and scheduled within approximately two weeks of the seasons final event (Tournament of Champions in the Spring).  

If you have any questions regarding this position, you can email Taryn Tyrell.  She is our HEAD TEAM PARENT.  She will assist in anyway she can. 

Email: [email protected]