How to Update Your Student Athlete's Physical: A Step-by-Step Guide
As a parent of a student athlete, keeping up with physicals and other important forms can feel like a lot to manage. At FinalForms, we’ve made the process simpler, so you can focus on what matters most—your student’s health, wellness, and performance. If you’re wondering how to update your athlete’s physical through our platform, Coach Clay (CEO and Co-founder of FinalForms) has a quick and easy guide to walk you through the process.
The Vital Role of Emergency Action Plans in High School Sports
When it comes to high school sports, the well-being of student-athletes is paramount. Coaches, athletic trainers, and school administrators bear a great responsibility to ensure the safety and preparedness of everyone involved. One of the most essential tools for achieving this is an Emergency Action Plan (EAP). In this post, we’ll dive into what EAPs are, why they’re crucial, and how they impact high school athletics.
See How Lee’s Summit R-7 School District Transformed Their Athletic Registration Process.
Athletic programs are at the heart of school spirit and student engagement, but managing athletic registration can often feel like an uphill battle. The Lee’s Summit R-7 School District in Missouri faced the challenges of outdated, inefficient athletic registration, which made the process difficult for both coaches and administrators. Coaches spent excessive time chasing down forms and health records, while parents struggled with paperwork, deadlines, and incomplete information.
Enter FinalForms: a focused athletic registration solution that transformed Lee’s Summit R-7’s athletic registration from a fragmented system into a streamlined, user-friendly experience for students, parents, and coaches alike. Here’s how FinalForms helped Lee’s Summit R-7 achieve a seamless transition and more effective athletic registration process.
As the countdown to the NFHSNIAAANational Athletic Director Conference begins, excitement is building across the country. In just 30 days, Athletic Directors from all corners will come together to share ideas, connect with peers, and learn from experts in the field. Whether you’re a seasoned AD or just starting out, this year’s conference promises valuable takeaways. Here are five reasons you should consider attending:
As an Athletic Director, you’re overwhelmed with all kinds of information. You have to keep up with everything from codes of conduct to parent communication to state tournament entry processes. The good news is that there are resources, mentors, and associations that can fasttrack your knowledge base.
First things first, your most important resources to learning, growing, and serving your athletic department are your state Athletic Association and your state Athletic Directors Association.
In the world of high school athletics, core values are the guiding principles that shape a team's culture, behavior, and overall reputation. Just as student-athletes rely on consistent coaching and training to improve their performance, coaches need clear values to direct their decisions, foster unity, and build a sense of purpose. So, does every coach need core values? The answer lies in how these principles impact both individuals and teams.
In the fast-paced world of education, back-to-school registration is a crucial yet often stressful process for administrators, parents, and students alike. The efficiency of this process sets the tone for the school year and can have a lasting impact on the overall parent experience. So, what can we learn from back-to-school registration, and how can schools improve their processes? By examining common pain points and exploring solutions, we can streamline registration and set the stage for a successful school year.
John Madden, the late Hall of Fame NFL coach and iconic broadcaster was not only one of the most influential coaches in NFL history, he was one of the best at connecting and communicating with his players. “Communication between a coach and his players was being able to say good things, bad things, and average things. Conversely, it’s being able to listen to good, bad, and average things … I tried to talk to each player. Sometimes it was merely a quick “How ya’ doin’?” Sometimes it was a conversation. But by talking to them every day, they didn’t feel like something was up when I would stop to talk to them” (Madden).
Like Madden’s experience throughout his time coaching, navigating the complexities of coach-to-athlete communication requires more than just conveying information—it involves fostering trust, empathy, and constructive feedback. Sports psychologists unanimously agree that the coach–athlete relationship is a crucial predictor of successful coaching. As a coach, your role is pivotal in shaping this environment by prioritizing these elements. Here’s how you can effectively integrate these principles into your coaching:
In our world of education, effective communication between schools and parents is not just a formality—it forms the partnership that shapes a child’s learning journey. Just as coaches and athletes thrive on trust and clear feedback, so too do schools and families. Navigating this dynamic requires empathy, clarity, and a commitment to mutual understanding.
As an athletic director, your list of demands, responsibilities, and requirements is exhausting. This summer must hire coaches, clear athletes, inform parents, and prepare venues... and those are just a few to-do's on your list.
The time commitment and communication requirements are daunting, but every year you do it. And, education-based athletics will continue to thrive based on the herculean efforts of people like you.
