The Mt. Prospect Park Dist. 2004 sports season is just around the corner, yet hundreds of children may be ineligible to participate this year if their parents are not certified to enter their children into competition.

Certification is attained through the Parents Association for Youth Sports (PAYS), a national program that "aims to help parents and youth leagues work together to provide the best possible sports experience for children," according to park district officials.

The Mt. Prospect program requires that both parents (or legal guardians) of the participating child must attend a one-time PAYS session (which costs $5 to attend) that includes a video presentation, a speaker from the park district, and the parent(s) signing a code of ethics.

If they do not comply with these rules, their children are not eligible to play in the baseball, basketball, soccer, or in-line hockey park district youth programs.

PAYS has become a popular method of operation for park districts and athletic associations across the country. Mt. Prospect follows in the footsteps of Prospect Hts. and River Trails Park Dist., who have already been involved in the PAYS program. Other park districts, such as those of Elk Grove and Glenview, have their own means of notifying parents about sportsmanship and expected behavior. Glenview and Elk Grove do not require parents to attend a meeting, however.

A recent release from the office of the Mt. Prospect Park Dist. said that 1,000 children played in their sports programs in 2003. For next year, however, only half that number of children are eligible to participate as of yet. Hundreds more parents would need to be certified if the park district hopes to fill its enrollment rates from previous years.

Brian Taylor, sports coordinator for the Mt. Prospect Park Dist., says that the certification process takes no more than 45 minutes and that there are at least 15 more sessions scheduled through winter and spring. With the classes offered only on Wednesdays and Saturdays, though, Taylor says that he can arrange for parents to come in at other times if they need. "It is my last intention to take kids out of sports," he explained.

Walter Cook, chief executive officer of the Mt. Prospect Park Dist., explains that the organization entered into the PAYS program voluntarily. He says that the Mt. Prospect Park Dist. has seen lawsuits where "adults have physically gone after kids," and that parents have taken the responsibility of reprimanding players into their own hands. "It's ludicrous," he says.

Cook acknowledged that the park district sports programs would be affected if enrollment decreased significantly due to ineligibility.

"It's a standoff, I guess. But it is important," Cook explains. "People have to have decorum." He adds that the program has been popular with some parents, and not so popular with others.

Anyone can still attend a park district sporting event without being PAYS certified, according to park district officials.