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SafeSport: A Comprehensive Initiative to Improve Off-Ice Safety

By Scott Gray, SafeSport Coordinator, 11/26/12, 2:30PM CST

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A couple of weeks ago, the newsletter provided a brief introduction to the new USAH SafeSport Program that was created to insure that participant safety is strived for not only on the ice, but off the ice as well. The importance of this program warrants outlining SafeSport in more detail.  By pulling together existing USAH off-ice safety policies related behavior and hockey environment management, constructing a supervision and monitoring structure, creating a reporting, investigatory, and response system, producing education and awareness training materials, and enhancing participant screening, USAH has taken giant steps towards improving off-ice safety.

It is important for everyone to understand that in addition to players, this program applies to all participants in USAH and Minnesota Hockey programs. We view education as a key component in providing awareness, maximizing safety, and responding to concerns.

Over the next year, local associations will be appointing SafeSport Coordinators. This important role will be responsible for not only undergoing the SafeSport training, but will insure that all who have contact with minor participants will also complete the prescribed training materials. This includes board members, administrators, coaches, referees, team managers, locker room monitors, chaperones and drivers. In part, the Safesport training materials shall:

-Provide definitions for, and effects of, all forms of child abuse including physical, sexual, and emotional.
-Identify risk opportunities for these types of abuse
-Address common myths about offenders
-Outline patterns, behaviors, and methods of operation of sexual predators
-Identify risk opportunities for abuse and misconduct in sports
-Identify policies, practices, and procedures to recognize, reduce and report misconduct.

The extent and content of the training will vary for different types of participants. In coming weeks, I will outline the training formats that will be required by the SafeSport Program as they apply to the various participant roles. In addition to the identification, minimization, and response values obtained from the training materials, we are also setting a standard in youth sports by making a strong public statement that our organization places a priority on the safety of all of its participants.