Some of the most frequently asked questions are answered below.  If you have other questions, please email us.

  • How do we know when to show up and what to do the first week?
  • What time will we play?
  • I signed up a while ago but have not heard anything?
  • What are Buddy and Coach Requests?
  • How are the teams put together?
  • What about wait lists and late adds?
  • What if we need to drop?
  • I am thinking of coaching but…
  • What do I need to know before starting Biddy Sports?
  • Parent & Spectator Guidelines and Expectations
  • Pictures
  • Shirts
  • Keep it simple

How do we know when to show up and what to do the first week?
The league cannot be put together until after registration closes, coaches are confirmed, and the teams formed. So even if you sign up way in advance, you will not hear anything until the week before we start. Your coach will call you with details usually by the Wednesday just before the start date. If you have not heard from your coach by the Friday morning prior to the start date, you can email julie@biddysports.com. Or call the location where you registered and they should be able to give you this information. For what to do the first week, see below.

What time will we play? You will be playing on Saturday morning for one hour, finishing by noon at the latest. But the exact time depends on how many players and teams we have. So we don’t know until registration closes and the teams get formed. Please be patient and sign up early. If you wait to sign up, trying to see what the exact time will be, it will be too late. Occasionally in some locations and seasons, the time is set in advance. Best bet, email through the biddy website or ask when you register. Most likely we don’t know yet. If we do have enough teams to play over two hours, the playing time rotates between the two hours just like a league.

I signed up a while ago but have not heard anything? 
Please be patient, we do not contact people until the week before the start date. The league needs to close, the coaches recruited and trained. You can always email us through the website, but until registration closes, usually 10 days before the start, we don’t know much.

What are Buddy and Coach Requests?
For most Biddy Sports programs you may request to play with another child or request to be on a particular coach’s team.  Check when you register on how to make the request. Requests will be considered but cannot be guaranteed.  It is best if your buddy also requests you.

How are the teams put together?
Coaches are assigned to teams first, with their child/ren on their team.  Any coach requests are placed next on the team and then the rest of the players are assigned. Siblings are placed on the same team (please make sure to do a Buddy Request for each sibling, especially if the last names are different).  There is, as best as possible, an even spread of ages on each team.  In order to encourage social development and new friendships, no more than half of any team can already know each other – even if there are additional Buddy Requests.  Teams have no more than 10 players.

What about wait lists and late adds?
How the league comes together depends on how many children enroll; we need an even number of teams.  There are limited number of spots and the league can fill BEFORE the registration deadline, so do not wait to sign up. There is a maximum number of players per season and once that is reached we are full. Once the registration deadline passes, we may be full. If not full, we may leave it open a day or so until all spots fill. And sometimes we keep adding from the wait list until each team is filled. Sometimes there is an extra (late) fee and late adds may not receive a shirt. The best thing to do is to enroll early because once we are filled, the teams close. Occasionally someone drops after the program start and then we try the wait list.

What if we need to drop?
We hope you don’t.  Please give your child time to adjust and get used to a new activity. Encourage them.  Watching with mom and dad is just fine, if needed.  Children usually decide for themselves when they are ready to join in.  If you do need to drop for some reason, please let your coach know and call wherever you registered to see what their policy is.  Refund policies vary.

I am thinking of coaching but….
Just do it, whether or not you have any experience. We will train you, give you information on managing practice, players and parents, and make it so easy. Staff is present the whole time if you need help. You will even get a lesson plan that outlines exactly what you are supposed to do. The most needed skills are patience with small children and organization- keeping everything moving. The league needs you too, as the program does no happen without our volunteers. With a little time, a positive effort and attitude you can make a huge difference in your players lives, just by coaching. If you absolutely cannot make the coaches training, we will figure something out. Join us!

What do I need to know before starting Biddy Sports?
Biddy Sports is a non-competitive introduction to sports where your child gets to participate at their pace and have healthy fun playing.  We are a great start to organized sports.  Expect to enjoy sports fun at a preschool level.  Please leave your competitive nature at home and support all the children as they play to their own capabilities.  You will be asked to help; please do so.

  • What does my child need?
  • Should we bring a ball?
  • What about shin guards for soccer?
  • Why can’t my child wear cleats?
  • Do we really play rain or shine?

What does my child need?
Please dress your child in loose fitting play clothes and tennis shoes – no cleats.  Bring water.  For outdoor programs, please put sunscreen on your child.  If you are playing t-ball, your child may use a mitt if you have one, or they may play with just their hands.  Each child receives a Biddy Sports team t-shirt, usually in the second week of the season.  They should wear their Biddy Sports team t-shirt each week.

Should we bring a ball?
Please do not bring any balls or other sports equipment. Balls are extraordinarily distracting for young children.  If we lose their attention before we even get started then it is very hard to get their attention back.  Also, we can only use the equipment supplied by Biddy Sports due to insurance reasons.

What about shin guards for soccer?
In order to keep the cost of participating as low as possible, we do not require shin guards.  If you have them and your child wants to wear them, it is fine.  If your child is hanging back because he/she is afraid of getting kicked, then we would recommend getting some shin guards.

Why can’t my child wear cleats?
Please just wear regular tennis shoes.  Children at this age do not run fast enough to get much benefit from cleats and the likelihood of getting their hands stepped on is pretty great, especially during soccer.  So, we do not allow cleats for safety reasons.

Do we really play rain or shine?
Biddy Sports does play rain or shine, unless there is lightning, so we hope you will make it even if it drizzles. And hopefully it won’t actually rain.Usually the kids have a blast but unfortunately some parents are less enthusiastic. Be flexible, it is fun to play in the weather. If it is really wet, we skip the warm up and shorten the game if needed.

Here are some tips in case it is soggy or drizzling.

  • Bring an umbrella.
  • Have you and your child wear rain boots and a raincoat, rainhat. Yes, they can play in their raingear.
  • Bring extra shoes to change into and a bag to put the wet ones in when you get to the car.
  • Bring a towel to dry off with, when they are done or taking a break.

Parent & Spectator Guidelines and Expectations

  • Need to be present – no drop off
  • Participate in the warm up
  • Cheer for everybody
  • “Ring” the field to keep the ball in
  • How to support your child
  • Player recognition

Need to be present – no drop off
A parent or guardian of each child needs to be present the whole time every week.

Participate in the warm up
Be a role model for your child by participating in the warm up which is designed for the whole family to do.  It is easy and it shows your child that you value being active.   Your child will feel more comfortable participating, too.

Cheer for everybody
The children are trying hard and love to hear your cheers of support, even when they go the wrong way.  So cheer a lot for the smallest thing.

“Ring” the field to keep the ball in
Some of the sports really need spectators to stand around the field/court to help keep the ball in bounds.  This is especially important for both indoor and outdoor soccer; without spectator help we really can’t play.  Staff will direct you on how to help.

How to support your child
Be on time.  Be enthusiastic even when your child isn’t.  Hang in there – they may not play like you want but they do have fun.  Cheer a lot.  Practice at home.  Feed your child a healthy breakfast.  Help your coach with practice, sign up to bring snacks, or offer to referee.

Why can’t we have trophies, banners etc?
Biddy Sports provides everything needed for the program, including a small participation award at the end.  Please do NOT add on anything else.  We believe that trophies and banners are appropriate for older children.  There will be plenty of time for these things as your child grows older and actually accomplishes sports competence. We have had some bad experiences with teams getting special items and other children feeling disappointed and left out.

Pictures
For many of our seasons we have Picture Day where professionals from Gentile Photography take pictures of the teams and players.  You do not need to purchase anything but we do like you to stay for picture time so your child will be part of the team picture.  Specific Picture Day information will be on your schedule.  Pictures will be handed out by your coach.  Online ordering is available.  Please contact Gentile Photography directly if you have any questions about picture products.  925-294-8140 – terry@gentilephotography.com –  www.gentilephotography.com

Shirts
Shirt sizes for youth are: Youth extra small, Size 2-4;  Youth small, Size 6-8;  Youth medium, Size 10-12;  Youth large, Size 14-16.  They are cotton t-shirts; each team has a different color shirt.  We often do not know the color of the shirts before they arrive, which is usually the second week of the season.

Keeping it Simple– We try to keep the experience for all the kids, regardless of which team they are on, similar. Parents and coaches sometimes want to do special stuff for their team, but it is sad when one team has fancy extras and another team doesn’t and feels left out.  That is why we do not have banners, or any other extra stuff. Occasionally we have a team put names on their shirts but that is about it. So go small and not over the top.  Biddy is intentionally simple and an introduction all the way around. There is plenty of time for the ‘extras’ when the kids get older.