Risk Management

The adoption, implementation and enforcement of the USOC Coaching Ethics Code (or appropriate sport specific national sport governing body ethics code) and a detailed sport organization “Policies Governing Professional Coaching Conduct,” the violation of which may result in the coach’s immediate suspension and other penalties up to and including termination of affiliation or employment is an essential "standard of care" responsibility of youth sports organizations.

The adoption, implementation and enforcement of specific policies regarding bullying, hazing and sexual harassment applicable to all athletes, parents and sport organization staff is an essential "standard of care" obligation for all youth sport organizations.

The adoption and implementation of policies and procedures that adequately ensure that volunteers and employees successfully pass background and reference checks that identify individuals with past histories of sexual abuse of minors, inappropriate relationships with athletes, substance abuse and other disqualifying offenses is an essential "standard of care" obligation.
 

A:  The sport organization response should be clearly defined by policy and include the following essential elements: (a) a mandate to immediately restore a safe sports environment that will stay in place until the conclusion of adjudication, (b) immediately reporting the incident to proper authorities as required by law, (c) clearly defining the supporting role of the trusted parent or other volunteer designated to assist and support the athlete and/or parents in reporting more powerful coaches or officials or other athletes and participating in the investigation and adjudication proc

A:  Policies and procedures governing the reporting of coaching or participant misconduct should include (a) mandatory reporter responsibilities for all coaches, volunteers and staff members, (b) “whistle blower” protection from retaliation and (c) the provision of a trusted parent or other volunteer to assist the athlete and/or parents in reporting more powerful coaches or officials or other athletes because of fears of retaliation or hazing.

A:  Competent sport organization administrators understand that the most common type of pedophile encountered in youth sport programs is the “acquaintance pedophile.”   Generally, there are three types of pedophiles: “stranger”, “family” and “acquaintance” pedophiles.  Stranger pedophiles typically abduct and harm their victims, often fatally.  Family pedophiles involve child abuse by a parent or family member.  Acquaintance pedophiles are the most difficult to detect because they often occupy positions of respect (i.e., teachers, coaches, priests, etc.) and ar

A:  The definition of “standard of care” for a youth sport organization refers to the degree of attentiveness, caution and prudence that a reasonable person in the circumstance of providing such activity would exercise.  There are decades of expert opinions and publication of model policies and practices promulgated by national sport governance organizations that inform those conducting sports programs of their obligations to anticipate and prevent coach sexual abuse and harassment, physical and emotional abuse, bullying by coaches or bullying or hazing by other participants, and

Historically, the design of academic support programs in college athletics has been more about responding to crisis than operating from a sound and proactive philosophical perspective.  For example:

There are five circumstances that I have found are commonly used to justify non-renewal or termination of employment and lower compensation levels for female coaches that, on their face, appear appropriate, but which are in actuality commonly used to mask discriminatory treatment:  

Student-athlete annual evaluations and exit interviews should never be the sole determinant or even a significant determinant of employee termination and compensation decisions.  Research on student-teacher evaluations (SET) clearly reveals the lack of reliability of such instruments: