In Arizona, a state known for its love of sports and commitment to family life, a new babysitting app is playing matchmaker between parents looking for childcare and the college athletes eager to inspire the next generation. According to a report by FOX 10 Phoenix, the app, dubbed Sport Sitters, leverages the name, image, and likeness (NIL) rules to offer student athletes the chance to babysit, while also mentoring kids with their unique skill sets.
The process, is straightforward: parents apply through the app, undergo a background check, and once approved, they can request a babysitter. What they get is not the usual teen with eyes glued to a screen, but a college athlete, like Grace Bartlett or Samantha Amato of Grand Canyon University's (GCU) soccer team, ready to be a role model and instill new skills in children. "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 told FOX 10 Phoenix.
Meaghan Franks, who designed Sport Sitters, crafted the app to be mutually beneficial for both parents and athletes. The flexibility of the app acknowledges the hectic and unpredictable nature of college athletes' schedules. This platform allows them to log on and choose a babysitting job that aligns with their available time—a boon for student athletes who can't commit to regular employment. According to a statement obtained by AZFamily.com, Ciara Ulrich-Power at the University of Arizona appreciated the app's flexibility, stating, "Our schedules are very different from day to day, Being able to choose our own hours is perfect for what we need."
The app not only serves as a source of income for student athletes but also as a funnel for donations to their sports programs. A portion of each booking through Sport Sitters goes directly back to supporting women’s athletics. Ava Gandara an athlete with Arizona State University's (ASU) Track and Field team, emphasized the unique value student athletes bring to babysitting. "There's some sort of difference we provide," Gandara said to FOX 10 Phoenix. "Being disciplined, on the right track, knowing what we need to provide, following instructions—that's something that goes a long way."
As of now, Sport Sitters services are offered by student athletes from ASU, GCU, and the University of Arizona, with plans for expansion to include even more institutions. With every sitter and family required to pass a background check and the focus on engaging children in active, inspiring interactions, this approach to babysitting seems to be a win-win scenario for both ambitious athletes and supportive parents alike.
