U.S. Center for SafeSport

Promoting Safer Youth Sport Settings

minor athlete abuse prevention policies

Young athletes are safer when all adults in any sport setting have a common basis of best practices for preventing abuse and misconduct in and around sport activities. However, league or organization administrators crafting prevention policies may wonder where to find robust, easy-to-apply guidance that reflects the operational and safety realities of today’s sporting landscape.

Fortunately, they can reference and take cues from policies we’ve developed for millions of athletes and allies in over 50 sports representing the entire U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement. These are the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP). Our RoadMAAPP series—six animations, each less than two minutes—will introduce you to the MAAPP and show you ways to keep young athletes safe./

THe MAAPP helps you navigate safer sport settings BY:

Limiting one-on-one adult/minor interactions with an “observable and interruptible” standard that reduces opportunities for inappropriate conduct.

  1. Promoting awareness and prevention by requiring certain adults to complete SafeSport® training, so that those who affect athlete welfare can prevent, recognize, and respond to abuse.
  2. Increasing accountability by setting reasonable, enforceable rules organizations should require of adults who have regular contact with or authority over minor athletes

The MAAPP’s standards apply not only to settings within bounds of play, but also to:

  1. Meetings and training sessions
  2. Athletic training activities, such as massages and rubdowns
  3. Locker rooms and changing areas
  4. Electronic communications
  5. Transportation
  6. Lodging

Our new MAAPP website offers specifics on how these policies work—and how they can work for you. You’ll find:

  1. An introduction to the MAAPP and why it matters
  2. Tailored guidance for parents, coaches, athletes, and administrators
  3. Dozens of searchable resources that break down the MAAPP at varied levels of depth and specificity
  4. Free role-specific virtual trainings to help you apply the MAAPP and get questions answered in real time
Learn More
U.S. Center for SafeSport