If you played a sport at Parker, in either Middle School or Upper School, you have likely experienced a mess up, miscommunication, or lack of relevant information from the Athletics Department. This year has been no exception to the norm. The 2021 Fall Athletics season has set a high water mark for Athletics Department miscommunications.

Students in and outside of Athletics expressed frustration with the order of the 2021 Homecoming games. Captains and coaches first approached the Athletic Department in August about putting the Field Hockey game first as a way to encourage attendance and level out long-felt disparities of support and respect between girls and boys sports at Parker. They were not given a clear yes or no to the advance notice request.

When captains followed up they were told it was “too late,” though Upper School Head Christopher Arnold promised to implement this schedule in future years. The soccer game in the coveted first slot ran over, pushing Field Hockey back to 2:45p.m. with a smaller and noticeably lower energy crowd in the stands. 

The Homecoming schedule is one example of a logistical error stemming from a systemic lack of support for student athletes, girls in particular. Lack of planning from the Athletic Department often leaves teams without adequate practice space, a full competition schedule, or time to finish games. This failure causes lasting impacts on the success of a team, and potentially the success of an entire program. While teams are occasionally bussed to the Montrose/Wilson turf field, there potentially are other fields, both public and private, within 20-30 minutes of Parker that could provide practice spaces for Middle and Upper School teams. With more organization and planning, Parker athletes could have the field space needed to practice. 

The issue of field space goes beyond practices. On “home game days” there are two scheduled competitions. The first game begins at 4 p.m. and typically concludes by 5:45 p.m.. After the second game begins, the end is not determined by the conclusion of time on the clock but instead by the darkness of the sky. Not having adequate field space could send the JV athletes the message that their game, and therefore they, are not as important as the varsity team. Ensuring equity of playing time and space for all athletes requires more organization, planning, and resources.

Scheduling snafus have plagued teams other than soccer and field hockey. The Upper School volleyball team has missed at least two matches. On one occasion, the entire team loaded on a bus for an away game. When they arrived at the opponents’ school, there was no opponent. The opponent was waiting at Parker, as the match was scheduled as “home” for Parker. The frustrations with the Athletic Department, and the general leadership (or lack of leadership) from the administration regarding the athletic program, goes beyond just disappointed and confused athletes. The turnover rate of coaches suggests systemic problems, and the perspective of numerous long term coaches makes clear that Parker Athletics is a slow-moving disaster. Teams schedules are not available well in advance of the season, coaches are not given the appropriate gear (such as shirts, shorts, and coats) to maintain a professional appearance, and training seminars for new and returning coaches are non-existent. Frustration with the situation was particularly high during the 2020-21 coronavirus season. Rather than use the time to make changes for the better, such as providing great education options for coaches or holding feedback Zooms to improve the coaching experience, the department did nothing. 

The coaches are an integral part of the Parker community. With anywhere from 10 to 40 players, coaches directly support a large part of the student body. This support, athletic or not, is part of their already heavy workload, which many times also includes another job. The administration must show greater appreciation for the coaches whether that be giving them a higher salary or cutting down on their responsibility of handling team management to promote retention and prevent burnout. While issues with the Athletic Department began under former Athletic Director Dawn Wickstrum, the current administrative leadership demonstrates that Parker simply doesn’t understand the value of athletics. 

The problems in athletics are often placed on Athletic Director Starks and those who report to him. However, not everything hangs on the Athletic Department. The problems in Athletics demonstrate deeper systemic issues. Direct changes, such as improving logistics, organization, and respect towards coaches and student athletes can begin in the Athletics Department. Even with such changes, Parker needs to change the community’s narrative on the value of the athletics program. The failure of administrative leaders to regularly attend any home games other than state level competition tells the parent and student community that there is little value placed on Parker athletics.

Middle School teams, which help plant the seeds of success for Upper School teams, are similarly kneecapped by the failures of the Athletics Department. After an entire year of no Middle School athletics, all middle school teams began this year without a coach. Hiring coaches is the most basic of requirements for running an athletic team, but the entire group of Middle School Field Hockey and Soccer players were left to wonder about whether they would have an assigned coach until weeks into the season. Starks doesn’t take the time over the summer to find coaches. The result is that Middle School is where athletics suffers the most. The lack of consistency in coaching and scheduled games falls entirely on the Athletic Director. Although the Athletics Department informed families that this was due to fewer programs throughout the league, the solution could be to schedule more games with the few opponents available or “friendlies” between the teams rather than run a season with fewer than ten games. 

The solutions, however, are not difficult but require time, focus, and money. First, coaches must be treated with respect. These signals of respect must begin in the Athletic Department. While raises would certainly help retain coaches, respect can be shown without money. Communication should be improved. Coaches should be asked for their opinion regarding the athletic program. Respect from the community must be demonstrated. Student-athletes, parents, and the Administration must not treat coaches as temporary or disposable employees. The Administration and teachers should acknowledge that coaches typically spend more time with students than any of their teachers. Coaches should be treated as valuable partners in the education of Parker students and not just temporary employees that make the team run by drawing x’s and o’s on a white board. 

Second, the Athletic Department must adequately hire and train new coaches. The search process should begin over the offseason, not two weeks into the season. Such planning will allow a better search and interview process, resulting in hiring qualified coaches who fit the mission of the school. As a result, players will develop as athletes and people. Coach training must also improve. Handing a coach a ball of bags and cones is not a strategy for success. Typically, such a strategy results in unhappy players and parents. Instead, Starks should immediately personally train the new hires and request help from long-time Parker coaches who can offer advice and instruction. 

Lastly, scheduling must be completed well in advance. Under Starks, the scheduling of practices and games have been abysmal. In prior years, coaches would often create schedules for their teams that considered opportunities for both skill building and increasing playing time. For Fall Sports, the coaches completed this scheduling process by Thanksgiving, less than two months after the end of the season. By contrast, the Athletics Department did not complete the schedule for the 2021 Fall Season until August 1, less than two weeks before the beginning of the season. As a part of improved scheduling, the Athletics program should be responsible for all logistical aspects of the season, such as practice space and availability. This will allow the coaches to focus on the tactical standpoints of their respective sports. 

To continue a comprehensive and inclusive athletic program, the school must act quickly to bring change to the declining athletics culture at the brick building on Clark and Webster.