5 Core Abuse Prevention Principles Every Pickleball Club Should Follow
As a pickleball club owner or administrator, it’s easy to get swept up in the day-to-day operations of making sure your club runs smoothly. From checking that the courts are operational, to maintaining rental equipment, to overseeing staff, you have a complex and busy schedule.
While all of these responsibilities are important, perhaps the most important is ensuring your members have a safe and welcoming place to volley. Below, we’re sharing five abuse prevention policies you can easily incorporate into your pickleball club to safeguard your members and keep misconduct or abuse from occurring on your courts.
Here are 5 ways you can help set the stage for safer play in your pickleball club:
- Create a culture that promotes having a positive experience over winning. As a club admin or owner, you help set the tone. Encourage club members to practice good sportsmanship and respect the game.
- Require training and education. A key step in preventing abuse or misconduct in sport is making sure you and your staff are trained on best practices in abuse prevention. By requiring abuse prevention training, you’ll be setting your club apart and equipping your staff with the knowledge needed to recognize, prevent, and respond to harmful behavior.
- Model respect and equity. People of all abilities, races, cultural backgrounds, and sexual identities can enjoy and play pickleball. By modeling respect and equity, you can help create an inclusive environment for your club that welcomes everyone.
- Encourage members to hold each other accountable. Safer sport starts when we all hold each other accountable for our actions. Encourage staff and club members to speak up and say something or tell someone if they witness anything that makes them feel uncomfortable.
- Make athlete well-being the priority. Set policies that reinforce athlete safety and well-being as top priorities of your club. By prioritizing the well-being of athletes above all else, you communicate to your staff and club members that abuse or misconduct are not tolerated.
To learn how your club can embody all five of the abuse prevention principles listed above, take our SafeSport® Training. Through real-world scenarios rooted in sport, our SafeSport courses help learners create sport environments where everyone can feel safe, supported, and strengthened.