The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has announced additional parent-centered content on the NFHS Learning Center, along with the NFHS National Parent Credential certification for those who complete the designated course offerings.

“We are pleased to be able to offer more tools and resources for parents to utilize with their students,” said Dan Schuster, NFHS director of educational services. “The NFHS National Parent Credential provides a new professional development pathway for parents.”

Supporting the NFHS Learning Center’s continued efforts to correct negative parent behavior at events, the curriculum for the National Parent Credential is comprised of two free courses – “The Parent Seat” and “Positive Parenting Within School Programs.” Parents who achieve the National Parent Credential receive a certificate and a badge to be displayed on their Learning Center dashboard.

A promotional video for the NFHS National Parent Credential can be viewed here: https://nfhslearn.com/library/videos/nfhs-national-parent-credential.

The all-new “The Parent Seat” course, which bears the same title as the Learning Center’s first parent video resource, blends together key takeaways from its namesake, as well as elements from “Beyond the Scoreboard” – the second video in the series – and “A Lasting Relationship,” another brand-new arrival to the Learning Center.

The third and final video in the trilogy, “A Lasting Relationship” reviews 10 tips for building and maintaining a meaningful parent-child bond through the highs and lows of high school activities participation. Among the topics addressed are the importance of ‘being a good listener,’ ‘supporting the child’s goals’ and understanding the correct approach for ‘the ride home’ after an event with the child.

By incorporating themes from all three videos in the series, “The Parent Seat” course is designed as the first half of a blueprint for parents to make their student-athletes’ high school experiences as memorable as possible.

“The goal is to reach as many parents as we can with the mission and purpose of interscholastic sports and activities,” Schuster said. “We hope parents can experience the ‘(The) Parent Seat’ video series or the course; it will provide them with valuable information that will help them and their students have a great interscholastic experience.”

The three videos in “The Parent Seat” collection may still be downloaded from the NFHS Learning Center website and are available here: https://nfhslearn.com/library/videos?sports_ids=17&video_id=652.

For more information on “The Parent Seat” course, please visit: https://nfhslearn.com/courses/the-parent-seat.

“Positive Parenting within School Programs” features revised material from a previous course known as “Positive Sport Parenting,” along with supplemental content intended to assist parents of high school performing arts and other non-sporting activities participants. The course emphasizes values similar to those found in “The Parent Seat,” while stressing additional aspects including the educational perspective parents should use to evaluate activities programs and the appropriate methods for communicating with coaches and officials.

More details on “Positive Parenting within School Programs” can be found here: https://nfhslearn.com/courses/positive-sport-parenting.

“Parents have a tremendous impact on the competitive environment and it’s imperative we reinforce the ways they can do that in a positive manner,” said Dr. Karissa Niehoff, NFHS Executive Director. “Providing resources like ‘The Parent Seat’ and ‘Positive Parenting within School Programs,’ and issuing a challenge in the form of the National Parent Credential are excellent initiatives for accomplishing that mission.”

After starting with two courses – “Fundamentals of Coaching” and “First Aid, Health and Safety” – in 2007 through the former NFHS Coach Education Program, the NFHS Learning Center now offers 78 online courses – 52 of which are free. More than 12 million courses have been taken since the inception of the program, and courses are now available to students, coaches, parents, administrators, officials and performing arts/educators.

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A note from NFHS:

As the pandemic has persisted over the past few months, we have all experienced the altering of a number of customary life events. We have hoped and worked behind the scenes in an effort to successfully conduct the 2020 National Athletic Directors Conference as scheduled in Tampa, Florida.

Our planning, registration delay announcements, and survey have led us to this time during which a decision must be made for preparation purposes and for the wellbeing of our members. The conclusion has been reached that the 2020 National Athletic Directors Conference will move to a virtual conference. We are currently determining the platform that will bring the educational sessions to you, and working with the Tampa authorities to bring the national conference back to Tampa in the near future.

It is our goal to continue with most all normal conference functions general sessions, workshops, networking sessions, exhibit hall vendors, meetings and Leadership Training courses. We encourage you to regularly reference the conference website to monitor the registration information, schedule and updates. The number of hours presented each day will be adjusted to help accommodate time zones and work days, balancing non-event supervision weekends with afternoon start times, and having many of the 44th NIAAA Annual Meetings surrounding the professional development sessions.

We hope that this unique National Athletic Directors Conference will provide an opportunity for many athletic administrators who have never attended the national conference to be a part and enjoy a taste of the learning, camaraderie, and uplifting experience that it provides. As the registration fee and opening date are determined, it will be done with the effort to reach many new professionals. The sessions of the conference will be recorded and registrants can view portions that they may have missed, or view workshops other than the one attended.

We know that each of you have committed much too reopening schools and education-based athletic programs. Your efforts are met with continual change, challenges and readjustments. However, we also are confident in your skills, your persistence and your dedication to your students in order to provide them with safe opportunities in which to participate.

We look forward to seeing you virtually at the 2020 National Athletic Directors Conference in December.

Dr. Mike Blackburn, CMAA
NIAAA Executive Director

Dr. Karissa Niehoff
NFHS Executive Director

In one year, Deer Park sophomore Emily Franciscovich completed 100 hours of dance classes for her personal development, 100 hours of tennis for physical fitness and 200 hours of community service!

She was highlighted by Team Up 4 Community for her work.

In support of its commitment to high school officials’ education, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has announced two new free courses have been published to the online NFHS Learning Center – “Officiating Soccer: Pre-Game Conference for Officials” and “Officiating Track and Field.”

Designed as a complement to two other soccer officiating courses on the Learning Center, “Officiating Soccer: Pre-Game Conference for Officials” focuses on teaching referees the proper protocols to be carried out ahead of each contest. Key aspects include the importance of advance communication between officials, field inspections, and discussing relevant game-time topics and recent rule changes. Effectively executing the pre-game conference allows each referee to work cohesively with his or her team and be as informed and observant as possible during play.

“The pre-game conference for officials in the game of soccer serves to familiarize the contest officials with the host of responsibilities they have to complete prior to the beginning of the contest,” said Theresia Wynns, NFHS director of sports and officials and liaison to the NFHS Soccer Rules Committee. “These checks and balances performed by the officials make sure that the field and equipment are safe for the student-athletes, that players are dressed properly and that auxiliary personnel know their responsibilities. In other words, the pre-game conference serves to get the game started on the correct footing.”

To take “Officiating Soccer: Pre-Game Conference for Officials” on the NFHS Learning Center, please visit: https://nfhslearn.com/courses/officiating-soccer-pre-game-conference-for-officials.

Developed in concert with USA Track & Field, “Officiating Track and Field” is constructed to assist officials in presiding over the sport’s diverse collection of events. The course outline contains separate modules for track event and field event officiating responsibilities, and details important guidelines and recommendations for keeping meets running smoothly and safely for competitors, coaches and spectators.

“There is no substitute for actual meet experience or the knowledge of rules, but all officials can benefit from guidance from a mentor and information that assists them in carrying out their responsibilities,” said Julie Cochran, NFHS director of sport and liaison to the NFHS Track and Field Rules Committee. “By following the techniques used by some of the most successful track and field officials across the nation, this track and field officiating course can serve as a guide and resource for all individuals officiating track and field interscholastic meets.”

For more information and to access “Officiating Track and Field,” please visit: https://nfhslearn.com/courses/officiating-track-and-field.

Did you know the National Federation of State High School Associations offers free online learning courses? There are more than 35 courses in their online library.

The NFHS is the national leader and advocate for high school athletics as well as fine and performing arts programs.

There are courses for coaches, officials, trainers, security, and much more.

CLICK HERE FOR COURSES AND MORE!