Arizona college athletes babysit, mentor kids with new app
New babysitting app uses college athletes as sitters
The new Sport Sitters app is connecting college athletes to parents. FOX 10's Steve Nielsen learns more about how these athletes are not just babysitting, but teaching kids new skills.
PHOENIX - If you're searching for a new babysitter, why not try a college athlete?
A new app called Sport Sitters is connecting athletes to parents, and it's all thanks to name, image, and likeness (NIL) rules, and it has been a game changer for those on scholarship at top universities in Arizona.
Big picture view:
As a parent, you can apply on the app and go through a background check. Once approved, you put in your request for a babysitter. And who comes knocking? A Valley sports star eager to teach kids what makes them great.
This isn't your normal babysitter experience— the sitters are college athletes, and the kids aren't zoned out on an iPad, they're learning new skills.
What they're saying:
Grace Bartlett, who plays women's soccer for Grand Canyon University (GCU), said that families often talk about how they want to push their kids.
"A lot of families talk about how they want to push their kids and us to be an example for them, and they want us to have their kids look up to us," Bartlett said.
Bartlett and Samantha Amato are on GCU’s soccer team, but they're also babysitters on Sport Sitters, designed by Meaghan Franks.
"They are showing the community who they are. They’re introducing children to their sport and hopefully influencing these kids to pick up a curiosity," Franks said.
Dig deeper:
After NIL rules changed, Franks sat down with athletes to build and constantly evolve a babysitting app that gives the athletes flexibility and parents trust about who is watching their kids. Everyone involved is background checked.
"Often times they can't take a regular job because their meets are unpredictable. They're in season, out of season," Franks said. "This allows them to open the app and select something perfect for them."
"It's definitely hard, especially in women's sports, to get that extra NIL money, so this is such a great opportunity for us to get that and not rely on parents for money," Amato said.
Ava Gandara, who is on Arizona State University's (ASU) Track and Field team, said the children enjoy the experience.
"The kids love it, especially the boys. They love asking me questions, they love hearing about it. I always like to hype them up, I guess you would say, ‘Oh, you would be a really good D1 track athlete when you're older’—like to put that in there. They love it. They love asking questions and being active," Gandara said.
What's next:
Right now, sitters come from ASU, GCU, and the University of Arizona (U of A), but they're expanding.
"There's some sort of difference we provide," Gandara said. "Being disciplined, on the right track, knowing what we need to provide, following instructions—that's something that goes a long way."
For more information and to download the app, click here.
The Source: This information was gathered by FOX 10's Steve Nielsen, who spoke with the designer of Sport Sitters and students who are babysitters on the app.