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 work to protect athletes? Before we answer this question, it’s important to understand when this policy applies.

Let’s refresh our memories on what In-Program Contact is. As we learned in our second MAAPP series article, How To Know Who the MAAPP Applies To and When, In-Program Contact is any time an Adult Participant¹ is present, a Minor Athlete² is present, and the contact or activity is related to sport—like team dinners and weekly practice.

In-Program Contact is a key component of the observable and interruptible policy. It sets the stage for the type of interaction that needs to be public between adults and minors.

The observable and interruptible policy states:

All In-Program Contact between an Adult Participant and a Minor Athlete must be observable and interruptible, unless an exception exists.

From awards banquets to individual meetings, any interaction related to sport between an Adult Participant (like a coach or adult volunteer) and a youth athlete needs to be observable and interruptible. Next, let’s take a look at what observable and interruptible really means.

What Is Observable and Interruptible?

Coaches and athletes spend a lot of time together. They travel to and from events, meet weekly for practice, and even share team dinners together to boost morale before a game or meet. The MAAPP puts policies in place to protect athletes during all of these interactions connected to sport—and one of the most important policies is that these interactions be observable and interruptible.

Observable

For an interaction to be observable, it must occur in a location that is easily seen by another person (adult or minor).

Interruptible

For an interaction to be interruptible, it must occur in a location where another person (adult or minor) can step in and stop the interaction if necessary.

Essentially, the interaction must take place in public—so it can be easily stopped if something inappropriate occurs. Both observable and interruptible must be satisfied in order for the interaction to be in compliance with the MAAPP.

Observable & Interruptible in Action: Sport-Related Examples

Let’s go over a few sport-related examples to help us better understand when and how this component of the MAAPP plays out in real life sport scenarios.

One-On-One Meetings

Coaches, health care professionals, and other Adult Participants sometimes need to have one-on-one meetings with Minor Athletes to discuss their performance, share feedback, understand how they’re feeling, and more. While confidentiality and privacy are important, there are ways to make these interactions observable and interruptible to help keep the athlete safe.

Example: A junior USA Table Tennis team is practicing together. One player is clearly distracted, repeatedly failing to produce a legal serve or legal returns During a break, the assistant coach has the team huddle up while the head coach pulls the player off to the side, out of earshot of the team but still in the team’s visibility.

This interaction would be considered observable and interruptible because the interaction occurs in a public space where the team and assistant coach are visibly present (observable), and the team and assistant coach are able to step in and stop the interaction if necessary (interruptible).

Individual Training Sessions

Training one-on-one with a coach can be beneficial for athletes of all levels. And athletes who compete in solo events—like equestrian or figure skating—may find themselves training alone with a coach more often. Individual training sessions are a key component of mastering any athletic skill, but it’s important to make sure they’re conducted in a safe way. Let’s explore an example.

Example: A youth figure skater is preparing for an important competition, which requires individual practice sessions with her coach, an Adult Participant who is affiliated with U.S. Figure Skating. The practice sessions take place in the evening and there is always another coach present. Rather than drop her off, her parents also stay to observe the lesson from the stands.

This interaction would be considered observable and interruptible for several reasons. 1) There are two coaches present at the training sessions, so the athlete is never alone with a single Adult Participant. 2) Her parents are also present, watching her training sessions and providing even more observance. The lessons are within eyesight of several other individuals (observable), and several individuals are able to easily step in and stop the interaction if needed (interruptible).

Locker Rooms and Changing Areas

For some sports, like hockey and swimming, locker rooms and changing areas are used before and after practices, games, and meets. These are vulnerable areas for athletes and because of this it’s important that these spaces be monitored to reduce the risk of abuse. While adults may be required to check these areas, it’s still essential that all contact in locker rooms and changing areas between Adult Participants and Minor Athletes be observable and interruptible.

Example: A youth artistic swim team affiliated with USA Artistic Swimming has finished practice, and they all retreat to the locker room to change. The coach is required to check the locker room regularly to make sure the space is safe. Remembering the MAAPP’s one-on-one policy, the coach brings the assistant coach with them when they enter the locker room to monitor the space.

This interaction is observable because two adults are present—the coach and the assistant coach. The interaction also takes place in a space where others are present—minors and adults—so another individual can interrupt the interaction if necessary (interruptible).

One-On-One Policy

Explore more information and examples around Observable and Interruptible. Check out our In-Program Contact & One-on-One Policy video below.

Note: For exceptions to the In-Program Contact and Observable and Interruptible policy, see our second MAAPP series article, How To Know Who the MAAPP Applies To and When.

Disclaimers

¹ Adult Participant: Any adult (18 years of age or older) who is: a. A member or license holder of an NGB, LAO, or USOPC; b. An employee or board member of an NGB, LAO, or USOPC; c. Within the governance or disciplinary jurisdiction of an NGB, LAO, or USOPC; d. Authorized, approved, or appointed by an NGB, LAO, or USOPC to have regular contact with or authority over minor athletes.*

*This may include volunteers, medical staff, trainers, chaperones, monitors, contract personnel, bus/van drivers, officials, adult athletes, staff, board members, and any other individual who meets the Adult Participant definition.

²A Minor Athlete is an amateur athlete under 18 years of age who participates in, or participated within the previous 12 months in, an event, program, activity, or competition that is part of, or partially or fully under the jurisdiction of, an NGB, USOPC, or LAO.†

†This term shall also include any minor who participates in, or participated within the previous 12 months in, a non-athlete role partially or fully under the jurisdiction of an NGB, USOPC, or LAO. Examples include, but are not limited to: officials, coaches, or volunteers.