‘My daughter’s sports club won’t give her a participation certificate for the most unfair reason'

“I’m a single mum and they expect me to leave my child alone to volunteer - it’s unfair,” the disappointed Sydney mum reveals.

Jane* and her daughter Beth*. Picture: Supplied

When *Jane enrolled her ten-year-old daughter, *Beth, in her first season of Little Athletics, she thought it would be the after-school activity that would work well for her family.

“It seemed like it would have a community spirit and be inclusive of all different types of children,” the Sydney mum tells Kidspot.

When the season began last September, Jane volunteered at the canteen on one of the Friday night sessions, which run from 6pm until anywhere from 7pm to 9pm, depending on attendance.

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On that occasion, her adult sister had agreed to come along and supervise Beth at the different activities, which stretch out across multiple ovals at a major sports complex.

At every other athletics meet, however, Jane had little choice but to follow Beth - who has inattentive and hyperactive ADHD - around to every activity as there was no other adult supervision available.

“She also wanted me to be there to feel comfortable doing something she’s never done before with so many older kids around.”

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Jane* and her daughter Beth*. Picture: Supplied

Mum left "shocked and disappointed" at club's rule

For Jane, volunteering was something she had done ever since her daughter started school through the P&F, and she was eager to find ways to contribute to Little Athletics without having to leave her daughter alone.

The season was all going well until less than two months before the end, when parents at the club in Sydney’s south were sent an email about volunteering.

“At the end of the season, if a family has contributed less than four signups, their children will not be eligible for any end of season awards, regardless of the child’s level of participation or performance during the season,” the email read.

Jane was left shocked and extremely disappointed that her daughter’s efforts throughout the season would not be acknowledged due to her not being able to volunteer according to the club’s rules.

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Snippets from the club's original email about volunteering. Picture: Supplied

Snippets from the club's original email about volunteering. Picture: Supplied

“I felt it wasn’t right to punish the child and not the parent,” the 37-year-old says frustratingly.

“I understand they need volunteers but I’m a single parent, so it’s not like I have another person to watch her while I’m volunteering. 

“It’s a scary thing for me to leave my daughter, who has additional needs, alone for several hours in such a big place where no one is looking out for her. They don’t make any concessions for that. 

“I didn’t even mind about the certificate - and Beth didn’t care about it either - it was just the attitude of not being flexible to parents who don’t have the same choices.”

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The email Jane sent to her little athletics club. Picture: Supplied

"There need to be options for people who can't leave their kids"

The mum-of-one voiced her objection to the rule in a return email to the club and offered other ways to volunteer, such as printing certificates and assisting with the setup of the activities before the weekly meets.

“I told them that there needs to be options for people who can’t leave their kids,” she says.

With no resolution found, Jane decided to stop taking Beth a few weeks before the season ended in March, and enrol her in another activity, instead.

Needless to say, she won’t be returning to Little Athletics next season.

“She was happy to leave and do dancing, which has been the best thing for her,” the relieved mum says.

“I drop her off at 9am on Saturdays and there is an adult there supervising her while she has fun and I don’t have to worry, so it’s perfect.”

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The club's email back to Jane*. Picture: Supplied

"Centres cannot operate without the assistance of parents"

Kidspot has contacted Little Athletics NSW, and a spokeswoman says each club sets its own ‘parent helper’ policies.

“Because Little Athletics is a totally voluntary organisation, centres cannot operate without the assistance of parents each week in fulfilling the many and varied duties required,” she tells Kidspot.

“At any given weekly little athletics activity there could be approximately 80 to 100 parent roles, depending on the size of the centre.”

She added that parents who are not able to fulfil volunteering duties “can raise their concerns with the committee to seek an exemption or work out an alternative arrangement”.

“Little Athletics NSW does not support any member missing out on a participation award.”

*Names have been changed

Originally published as ‘My daughter’s sports club won’t give her a participation certificate for the most unfair reason'