Welcome to the second issue of the SFPAL newsletter! This is a way for us to keep our participants and their families informed about the happenings in the SFPAL organization. Please check the headings on the left for the highlights of this issue. For more information on our programs listed in this newsletter please check our website - www.sfpal.org
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When: Friday June 11, 2008 at 6:30pm
Where: Westbay Conference Center (1290 Fillmore St. @ Eddy St.)

Please remember to bring the following items to orientation:

-Copy of Birth Certificate
-Copy of Medical Card
-June Report Card
-Registration fee of $100 (Cash or Money Order only)

All other required paperwork will be given out at the meeting. All parent/guardians are required to attend an orientation. If you have any questions or cannot make the last meeting, call us at 415.401.4666.

Can you believe it's already that time to start thinking about basketball season? Below are a few items for coaches to start doing for their team to be succesfully registered in 08:

Start gathering your players - Remember there is a minimum of 10 players for each roster. If you're having a hard time filling your roster or have space to give another player a chance to play, please call our office at 415.401.4666 or email us. We have a list of players eager to placed on a team.

Have your players fill out an SFPAL waiver - The main reason players are unable to play is because proper paperwork is not filled out. The earlier coaches get these waivers out to your parents the more likely you'll get them back in time for registration. Please also make sure that each waiver is signed on the front and the back of the page. Incomplete waivers will not be accepted. Parents - please hand your complete waivers to you coach. Your coach is responsible for bringing them into our office. We do not accept faxed or mailed waivers.

Check back for registration Information - The staff at PAL are in the process of streamlining our registration process. Please remember to check our basketball site in the beginning of August for more specific information on registration appointments and deadlines.

SFPAL celebrated another successful golf tournament this year. With Compadres serving quesadillas and margaritas on the course, there was no better way to come together for a good cause. This year our golf tournament raised more than $30,000, enabling us to continue to provide affordable, safe, healthy activities for San Francisco kids.

We would like to give a special thanks to our main sponsors:

SF Police Officers Association
Compadres
Mr. & Mrs. George F. Jewett, Jr.
ING Financial Advisors

Dear SFPAL Sports Fans,

We’d like to encourage all you parents and guardians to get out this summer and work with your player on their individual skills. During the sports season we let the coaches do their job as trainers and motivators but what about the long stretch of summer months? The best thing you can do for your young athlete is to encourage them to practice their individual skills every day because when their skills are sharp their confidence will sky rocket. This is a great way for you as parents to get involved in the game regardless of your playing experience and it is a great opportunity for your young player to teach you a thing or two! Putting your player in a position to teach and guide you gives you great insight into how much they are learning and it also empowers them to take on a leadership role.

Additionally, by getting out and working with your child you can get a taste of what it is like to coach and how difficult it can be. This can only strengthen your involvement in your youth’s development and it widens your perspective as a parent and spectator as well.

Coaching Ideas:

Hand-Eye Coordination Games
What you’ll need: 2 tennis balls

What you do:

1. Start face to face about 3 feet apart with both people holding the tennis ball in their left hand
2. At the count of three, both players toss the ball to their partner’s right hand while simultaneously catching the ball in their own right hand.
3. Start the count again and toss again, catching now with the left hand while making the toss with your right hand.
4. Continue until you no longer need the count and start moving one step backward after 10 successful catches

NOTE: your right hand is always tossing to your partner’s left hand and vice versa

What’s the idea: having young players strengthen their hand-eye coordination will improve their sports skills regardless of the sport.

Baseball:
This same drill above can be modified to rolling the ball on the ground rather than tossing to focus on foot movement. Make sure that each player (and you too!) are shuffling your feet to pick up the ball rather than just reaching. You can start farther away, use a real baseball/softball and use gloves as well. Be sure to roll the ball smoothly to give your partner a good chance to pick up the grounder without too many bounces.

Soccer:
Toe Taps – players focus on tapping alternate toes on the stationary soccer ball. Players can progress slowly to toe tapping the ball forwards and backwards or around a cone. Players can also work on increasing the amount of toe taps in an allotted time.
Tick Tocks – players focus on knocking the ball back and forth between the insides of the foot. Players can work on increasing the amount of tick tocks in an allotted time.

Juggling – Juggling helps young players get a good feel for the ball and it improves their ability to strike the ball on the volley. Juggling takes a lot of practice but it is a great individual skill building activity that can be done even without a backyard! You can even juggle with a tennis ball!

Start by kicking the ball into your hands, dropping the ball down to your feet and kicking the ball back up to your hands. Then do two juggles with your feet before sending it back up to the hands. Continue to increase your touches and try to get your thighs involved as well. Always remain on your toes to give yourself better mobility to adjust to miss-kicks or slight deviations.

Thank you for choosing to participate in an San Francisco Police Activities League program.  Since 1959 we have been building community by organizing youth sports and healthy activities that develop personal character and foster a positive relationship among police officers, youth and dedicated volunteers.  We are a stand alone nonprofit organization and we do not receive city funding.  Instead we rely heavily on corporate, foundation and especially individual donations so that we can keep our participation fees to a minimum and continue to waive fees when necessary.  Participant registration fees represent only a small portion (33%) of the actual cost SFPAL incurs to run its leagues and activities.   

 You will soon be receiving a letter in the mail from us requesting your support.  We ask you to help us ensure that all children – without regard to their ability to pay – can participate in worthwhile programs.                                  

 All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. For your tax records, an acknowledgement letter with SFPAL’s tax ID# will be provided for your generous donation.

 Please be aware – we do not make telephone calls to solicit funds and if you give to organizations who represent themselves as PAL your donation will not support SFPAL.  We encourage you to call our office if you have any questions about telemarketers who call your home and represent themselves at SFPAL.