Aug. 8 is International Safe Sport Day, a time to recognize safer sport environments for athletes at every level and acknowledge the role each of us plays in helping prioritize safety and well-being for the young athletes in our lives.
As summer winds down and fall sports get ready to kick off, families across the country are beginning to transition back into sport routines, including after-school practices and weekend competitions. At the grassroots level, it can sometimes feel like our primary role as parents is shuttling our kids back and forth (and back and forth again) to practices and games … and remembering when it’s our turn to bring the post-game snack. But parents also have tremendous potential to influence the culture of sport programs as it relates to safeguarding. International Safe Sport Day is the ideal time to pause and consider how you can help keep your child’s sport experience positive and safe.
Whether your child is joining a team for the first time or has been competing for years, there’s always more to learn about creating a positive, safer sport experience. This International Safe Sport Day, explore practical resources from the U.S. Center for SafeSport to help recognize healthy sport environments, ask thoughtful questions and support the experiences of youth athletes.
Explore Resources to Protect Athletes
Most parents sign their children up for sports hoping they’ll gain more than just athletic skills. We want them to build confidence, learn to work as a team, develop resilience and have fun. Research shows those benefits are real … especially when children participate in sport environments where they feel safe, supported and respected.
Parents play an important role in helping create positive, safer sport experiences, but the responsibility doesn’t fall on parents alone. Coaches, organizations, volunteers and families all have a part to play. As a parent, knowing what to look for and what questions to ask can help you become an active partner in your child’s sport experience.
In this guide, we’ve pulled together practical tips and questions to help you feel more confident as you navigate the season.
- Begin the conversation with your kids about appropriate behavior and how to establish healthy boundaries. Plus, learn how to listen if they come to you with a problem.
- Take SafeSport Training. Explore the Center’s free online training courses for families, including courses for parents, kids (ages 5-12) and teens (ages 13-17).
- Learn the signs of grooming in sport environments, and what to do if you notice signs of inappropriate behavior.
- Check the Centralized Disciplinary Database (CDD), an online database of individuals who are currently restricted or banned from sport within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement.
- Download the SafeSport Ready® app and gain access to resources (including the CDD) and abuse prevention support wherever you go.
- Learn the warning signs of bullying behavior, including signs that your child might be participating in or experiencing bullying, and what to do.
- Report Abuse. If you notice misconduct or abuse occurring and your child’s sport is within or affiliated with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement, make a report to the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
- Explore SafeSport’s Resource Library. Discover helpful guidance and tools to help you recognize, prevent and respond to misconduct and abuse in sport.
Take the Lead on Making Sport Safer
Parents and guardians are an important part of creating positive, safer sport environments. This International Safe Sport Day, take a moment to explore practical tips and resources that can help make sport safer for every athlete.
Monica Rivera is the vice president of Education & Research at the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
