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The Safe Sport Act is more than just a guideline—it’s a game-changer for youth athletes, organizations, and families across the U.S. Designed to enhance the protection of young athletes, the law ensures sports programs are safe and supportive environments. Discover the five key essentials of the Act and how you can actively contribute to athlete safety.
1. Mandatory Reporting of Abuse
The Safe Sport Act mandates that all adults involved in youth sports organizations, whether coaches, volunteers, or staff, report any suspected child abuse within 24 hours. This critical requirement emphasizes that everyone in a position of trust (such as a coach or volunteer) is responsible for recognizing and acting on signs of abuse. Failure to report has consequences, including legal ramifications for individuals and organizations. Building a culture of safety starts with a commitment to immediate action when a young athlete may be at risk.
How you can help: If you are a coach, volunteer, or youth sports administrator, consider getting SafeSport trained. Learn more >
2. Background Checks for All Adults
The Safe Sport Act requires that all adults interacting with minors in a sports setting undergo regular background checks to create a safe environment. This process is now a standard part of youth sports. It ensures that those in direct contact with young athletes have a verified history of safe interactions. Organizations must establish policies for conducting these checks, keeping them updated, and ensuring their effectiveness in screening adults who have direct access to minors.
How you can help: Are you a youth sports administrator or organization leader? Background checks are not all created equal. Consider the a quality background check. Learn more >
3. Prevention Training for Abuse and Misconduct
The law also requires abuse-prevention training for all adults working with youth athletes, aiming to educate them on identifying, preventing, and responding to any form of abuse or misconduct. This training, which includes information on appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, empowers coaches, volunteers, and staff to actively foster a safe environment. It’s more than just a requirement—it’s vital to creating a culture where safety is always a priority.
How you can help: Are you a youth sports administrator or organization leader? Ensure your team is up-to-date on their training. Learn more >
4. Limiting One-on-One Interactions
One key component of the Safe Sport Act is the focus on minimizing one-on-one interactions between coaches or other adults and young athletes. Organizations can help reduce opportunities for inappropriate behavior by promoting policies that encourage group settings and parental supervision. Policies may include open-door rules, transparent communication practices, and ensuring that a second adult is present during private interactions.
How you can help: The U.S. Center for SafeSport developed best-practice Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) that are easy to adopt in any sport setting. Learn more >
5. A Foundation for Organization-Wide Policy
Compliance with the Safe Sport Act means integrating its mandates into every level of an organization’s policies. From mandatory reporting procedures to clear communication standards, creating organization-wide policies that support and enforce the Act is essential. These policies offer legal protection and foster trust and transparency within the community, assuring parents and athletes that their safety is the top priority.
How you can help: If you are a leader in youth sports, encourage every parent and athlete in your organization to download the U.S. Center for SafeSport's new SafeSport Ready app. It provides essential tools, training, and reporting options to reinforce Safe Sport standards, keeping your organization informed and proactive. Learn more >
A Responsibility We All Share
With these tools and insights, your organization can proactively ensure the highest safety standard for all young athletes. Protecting them isn't just a requirement—it's a responsibility we all share.
Looking for abuse prevention training for your organization? Learn about the all-inclusive safety programs SportsEngine offers. >
Sources
- U.S. Center for SafeSport. SafeSport Ready App. U.S. Center for SafeSport, 2024, https://uscenterforsafesport.org/safesport-ready-app/.
- Congressional Research Service. The Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017: Legal Overview. Congressional Research Service, 2017.
- Aspen Institute. The Safe Sport Act Overview. The Aspen Institute, 2023, https://www.aspeninstitute.org.
