As a coach, I just dont have the time or interest in doing any of the below duties and if I did, it would probably affect my coaching. Things a good team mom should be doing:

Prints out all communication pieces,
Hands out all communication pieces to parents and players,
Manages and records results of our academic accountability program,
Hands out weekly awards,
Makes all phone calls when practice or game times change,
Coordinates after game pop,
Coordinates Chain Gang Crew and game field set-up for the week,
and Plans and executes the end of season banquet

These are all things a good team mom can accomplish, but having the wrong team mom can be a real problem too and creates more work than you save yourself. I found there were a number of attributes that my best team moms have:

Self Starter,
Independent,
Intelligent,
Can Follow Instructions,
Does not get flustered easily,
Consistent and dependable,
Cares about all the kids, not just her son,
Not a gossip,
Not a worry wart,
Must have a computer, printer and e-mail,
Must have cell phone and
NEEDS MINIMAL DIRECTION FROM ME

Choose your team mom very carefully, firing one midseason is just out of the question and living through an entire season with a bad one is NOT a pleasant experience. At our parent meeting at the very first practice, I spell out to the parents that we have to have a team mom, because if we dont I just dont have the time to manage all those other activities and we just wont have things like academic awards, pop after games, etc. I then tell them the attributes we are looking for with a heavy concentration on the Needs minimal direction from me attribute. Like anything else in coaching, it is all about setting expectations.

I have been blessed with an incredible team mom the last 2 years and she has taken on a big chunk of the duties many coaches are required to do themselves. In the end you have another stakeholder in your organization and someone that is invested and committed to making it work. It is amazing what a little ownership can do to the attitude and work ethic of some people.

Dont try to do everything when coaching youth football, it will burn you out and rob your family of more time than it should. Hire a great team mom, let her know how you want her to work with you, the parents and players and let her run with it.

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