Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse and misconduct can happen in any sport. It is most often perpetrated by people we know and trust, like coaches, trainers, or teammates. Research suggests that abuse and misconduct are often based on power differences in sport environments or in society. For example, adult coaches have more power than youth athletes because of age and authority.

Our Parents, Youth, and Kids courses are designed to help parents and minor athletes learn to recognize, prevent, and respond to abuse. The courses will also help you understand what factors can increase the risk of abuse—such as one-on-one interactions between adults and youth.

Signs of potentially unsafe sport environments include:

• Behavioral expectations are unclear, inconsistently applied, or not in place
• Policies to prevent abuse and misconduct are ignored or downplayed by coaches and staff and minimized to athletes and families
• Disrespect for sport officials, opponents, spectators, and facility staff is tolerated
• Athlete safety, growth, and well-being are sacrificed for the sake of winning

Grooming is when someone engages in a series of behaviors to gain the trust of youth, their families, and their communities with the end goal of sexually abusing a child. They may try to build trust through behaviors such as volunteering to help a child’s family and giving the child gifts and special attention. They may also test boundaries with youth by talking about sex and asking them to keep secrets. Grooming can also be manipulative behavior used to prolong abuse and make the minor fear reporting or others not believing them if they do report. 

Grooming behaviors include:

• Attempts to befriend the minor as a peer or “cool adult”
• Giving the minor gifts and special attention
• Talking to the minor about sexual experiences or desires
• Being helpful and non-threatening to the minor’s family
• Volunteering for situations that involve spending time alone with the minor
• Using organizational status to have one-on-one interactions with the minor