The 2016 PFFL Spring Season was another great one for both the adult league and youth league.  In the youth league, players built on their knowledge of the game, improved their skills, and learned sportsmanship.  Overall, this has been one of the most successful seasons yet for the PFFL.

As a wrap-up for the youth division, league administrators sent out a survey asking parents several questions on their experiences and feelings about the league in general and the 2016 spring season.  Questions varied amongst topics such as coaches’ abilities, team preparation, and future expectations.  

One question, in particular, the league was interested in the results of was question number 8 of the survey.  The question read: “As a parent, what did you value the most about our youth league?  Please rank the answers below on a scale of 1 to 7 with number 1 having the highest value.  The results showed most parents in the youth league felt coaching was the most valuable aspect of the PFFL.  

Here is the full graph of the results:

In our findings, 51% of parents ranked coaching as their most valued component of the league.  Coaching is a huge part of any sport – a coach is who a player learns from and looks to for guidance.  Coming in second was practice and game schedule, with 20% of parents choosing it as their number one and 24% ranking it as their number two.  I am constantly hearing from parents how much they enjoy the convenience of having their child’s practice and game right after each other in the same day, which is why I think it was ranked so high.  Team comradery came in a close third with 18% valuing it as their number one and 26% valuing it as their number two.  Sportsmanship is a vital aspect of any sport.  This is not just learning to be a team player on your own team but having respect for the other team as well, which is an important thing for kids to learn at a young age.

Coming in the last two spots was our free weekly photos and articles.  The articles and photos serve as an added “bonus” to the PFFL, something that sets us apart from other leagues, so I can understand why parents don’t see that as most important to their child’s learning.  However, they are there for players to read and get to excited about – seeing their name on the screen, commending their team’s great game or their personal hard work.

With that being said, overall, I agree with the parents that coaching is a very valuable part of the league.  We make sure coaches are both knowledgeable of flag football and hold commendable coaching skills.  Whether your son or daughter participates to stay active, have fun with friends, or prepare for contact, a coach’s job is to teach them.  Like this season, past seasons, and future seasons of the PFFL, our goals will always be the same for youth players: to learn the game of flag football, to develop great sportsmanship, and, most importantly, to have a good time.