What if a parent balks at signing a waiver/release?
If your league has required the signing of a waiver/release by all parents and players (which we strongly recommend), you should hold firm on your requirement and not make exceptions for the few parents who may complain. It has been our experience that a waiver/release requirement will not drive participants away.
If your league has required the signing of a waiver/release by all parents and players (which we strongly recommend), you should hold firm on your requirement and not make exceptions for the few parents who may complain. It has been our experience that a waiver/release requirement will not drive participants away. Should a parent complain or ask questions, you should cover the following “talking points”: 1) The litigation system in the U.S. is out of control with too many frivolous lawsuits being filed and with outrageously excessive jury awards. These excessive jury awards are scaring sports organizations into settling cases that lack merit. 2) The cost of legal defense and run away settlements and jury verdicts can drive up the cost of insurance to unaffordable levels and this can threaten the future survival of sports organizations and the availability of volunteers upon which they depend. 3) Requiring players and their parents to sign a waiver/release form helps to equalize the fai
