5 Signs of a Safe Sports Program

Jake plays football in the local youth association program. Every Tuesday through Thursday, he and 30 other 12-year-olds gather for practice. The practice field is in a multisport complex with multiple access points. Jake’s single parent mother drops him off at practice and she gets a much-needed two-hour reprieve. 

But what happens if Jake’s asthma attack flares up? Do they know how to contact his mother from the field? If the medical situation becomes critical, (e.g. Jake needs to be transported to the hospital), does the team have an emergency action plan? 

Typically, parents and youth sports providers think about the thing they do best – help young people have fun! The National Council of Youth Sports believes that all young people have the right to participate in a safe, wholesome and nurturing environment. We encourage parents and providers to think about issues that help to ensure the youth experience is safe. Below are five signs of a good sports program:

 1. It has comprehensive risk-management practices - You entrust your children to the care of generally well-meaning adults. However, well-meaning people may not be well-prepared. A good program should have an emergency action plan that outlines what happens in the case of an emergency. For example, in an emergency, who will call 911? Who will meet EMS and direct them to the athlete? Are there locked gates? Who is calling the parents? Who can identify the early signs of tornadoes or thunderstorms?

• In Jake’s case, did coaches know he had asthma? A service such as  @PRIVIT Sideline App not only ensures coaches have all player health information at their fingertips, it also provides easy access to parent phone numbers. Most sports organization keep this type of information in a file in the office.
• Youth sports organizations should conduct background screenings for those in contact with players to ensure safety. However, buyer beware! Not all background screens are created equal. NCYS recommends @National Center for Safety Initiatives.
• Does the program have a certified trainer at games and/or practices? Have program staff and volunteers been certified in first aid? Is there an AED in the vicinity?
• For any player sustaining a head injury, there should be a clear concussion-related protocols and a return-to-play policy.

2. It provides training for coaches - Most coaches bring their own experience to coaching young people. We’ve all seen coaches running practice for seven-year-olds like it’s a D1 program. On the other end of the spectrum is a mom or dad that’s never played and may know little about the game but is drafted because coaches are needed. Of the 6.5 million youth coaches, it’s estimated that 1 in 5 coaches receive training how to communicate with young athletes or in specific sport skills. @Nike and @USOC have developed a free How to Coach Kids training. 

3. It has an appropriate playing time philosophy - Being clear about the play philosophy eliminates later confusion. Does the program have a clear philosophy about playing time? Do young athletes have to perform at a higher level to earn playing time or will every athlete play equitably? Is the focus on winning or skill development? Is playing time based on skill level or attending practice? None of these approaches are wrong. It’s important to be clear about what you’re signing up for to eliminate grievances. Playing time is one of the major complaints from players and parents. Finally, there should be a clear philosophy on skill development-to-competition ratio. 

4. It creates a coach-parent relationship - Out of control parents at youth events have become more common. Parents should know and be held to a standard of behavior. They should know what’s acceptable from cheering to interacting with officials and opposing team fans. Parents should also know the consequences for failing to live up to good behavior. A Code of Conduct and the playing time philosophy should be covered in a Coach-Parent meeting prior to the beginning of the season. A good program keeps the lines of communication open by providing phone numbers and email addresses of coaches. @SportsEngine provides tools that keep teams, coaches and parents all on the same page.

5. It encourages athletes to play multiple sports – There is a myth that sports specialization leads to better play. Multi-sport players make for better athletes. Playing different sports engages diverse muscle groups providing better agility, balance, coordination and conditioning.  Specialization, at early ages, leads to increased susceptibility to overuse injury and burnout. 

Your goal is to create a safe culture where young people learn, have fun and develop a love of sports.