SafeSport Announces New Anti-Bullying Resource 

Travel Tips for Parents & Guardians: What to Know If You’re Planning to Chaperone

Travel Tips for Parents & Guardians: What to Know If You’re Planning to Chaperone As fall sports wind down and regional, state, and national tournaments ramp up, parents and guardians might find themselves chaperoning a team trip. While traveling to an away meet, game, or event is exciting and fun for everyone—from parents to coaches to athletes—it’s important for chaperones …

SafeSport Launches First National Survey of Coaches on Sport Safety

“Could my kid be the bully?” Four Steps to Changing the Cultural Narrative Around Bullying

“Could my kid be the bully?” Four Steps to Changing the Cultural Narrative Around Bullying Prevention Education Series The goal of this series is to bridge the gap between prevention education theory with on-the-ground practice.  Take a second and reflect on articles you’ve read about preventing bullying, or newsletters sent home from school about bullying prevention efforts. Chances are that …

Article 1: Understanding How Policy Shapes U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Sport

A Healthier, Safer Sport Experience: Understanding How Policy Shapes U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Sport We can all agree that safe sport settings in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement are essential to help athletes thrive. While it’s easy to recognize the impact of a sports environment defined by inclusion, support, and encouragement, understanding the policies put in place by the …

Article 2: How To Know Who the MAAPP Applies To and When

How To Know Who the MAAPP Applies To and When The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) are designed to keep young athletes safe within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement. Understanding what the policies are is the first step. Next, it’s important to understand who they apply to and when—or if—they go into effect. Who Does the MAAPP Apply …

Article 3: Observable & Interruptible: Making One-on-One Interactions Safer

Observable & Interruptible: Making One-on-One Interactions Safer Between Adult Participants and Minor Athletes The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) were created to keep athletes safer in sport-related activities. A key component of these policies is the requirement that one-one-one interactions be observable and interruptible. When Does Observable & Interruptible Apply? What is observable and interruptible and how does it …

Article 4: How to Safely Communicate with Minor Athletes

Texting, Emailing, Social Media, and Sport Apps: How to Safely Communicate with Minor Athletes via Electronic Communications Coaches, volunteers, sport administrators, and other Adult Participants1 often need to communicate with athletes to share important information regarding practices, games, and team updates. To make sure these electronic interactions remain safe, the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) set requirements and guidelines …

Protecting the SafeSport Process from Misuse

Protecting the SafeSport Process from Misuse The U.S. Center for SafeSport’s Response and Resolution process was created to fairly resolve reports of abuse or misconduct within U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sport. When a report is submitted to the Center, the Response and Resolution process begins. But what if someone submits a knowingly false report of abuse or misconduct that never …

Preventing Bullying in Youth Sports

Preventing Bullying in Youth Sports From Starting Conversations to Setting Expectations, Parents Play an Important Role When you sign your child up for a youth sports team, it’s natural to think about the many positive attributes of playing a sport—like discovering the power of teamwork or forming healthy friendships. But it’s important to also pause and reflect on how sport …