KEEPING ATHLETES SAFE IN SWIMMING
USA Swimming's top priority continues to be keeping our athletes safe. No form of abuse, including child sexual abuse, has a place in our sport. USA Swimming is committed to reducing the risk of abuse in swimming and increasing awareness of red flag behavior through its Safe Sport program. All adults working with athletes are responsible for creating an abuse-free environment.
To deal with a Safe Sport concern, contact USA Swimming at (719) 866-4578.
Aggie Swim Club's Safe Sport contact: Coach Dusti See - [email protected]
Contact the U.S. Center for Safe Sport to make a report. Call 833-5US-SAFE (587-7233) or use the online reporting form or find more information at http://www.uscenterforsafesport.org/ or contact the AGS Safe Sport Rep Dusti See at [email protected] or the Gulf LSC Safe Sport Coordinator - Erik Cozzard at [email protected] .
USA Swimming is committed to fostering a fun, healthy, and safe environment for all its members, and in 2010, it formally implemented a comprehensive Safe Sport program to respond to and prevent instances of abuse and misconduct within the sport of swimming. Since then USA Swimming Safe Sport has worked tirelessly to educate members, put policies in place, and empower LSCs and clubs to create the best possible environments for all members.
Full implementation of the Safe Sport Program involves six key components:
- Policies and Guidelines
- Screening and Selection
- Training and Education
- Monitoring and Supervision
- Recognizing, Responding, and Reporting
- Grassroots Engagement and Feedback
USA Swimming Safe Sport Best Practice Guidelines
The following Best Practice Guidelines are strongly recommended for all USA Swimming members.
1. Parents should be encouraged to appropriately support their children’s swimming experience.
2. All swimming practices should be open to observation by parents.
3. Coaches should not initiate contact with or accept supervisory responsibility for athletes outside club programs and activities.
4. When only one athlete and one coach travel to a competition, at the competition the coach and athlete should attempt to establish a “buddy” club to associate with during the competition and when away from the venue.
5. Relationships of a peer-to-peer nature with any athletes should be avoided. For example, coaches should avoid sharing their own personal problems with athletes.
6. Coaches and other non-athlete adult members should avoid horseplay and roughhousing with athletes.
7. When a coach touches an athlete as part of instruction, the coach should do so in direct view of others and inform the athlete of what he/she is doing prior to the initial contact. Touching athletes should be minimized outside the boundaries of what is considered normal instruction. Appropriate interaction would include high fives, fist bumps, side-to-side hugs and handshakes.
8. Coaches should avoid having athletes as their favorites. They should also avoid creating a situation that could be perceived as them having favorites.
9. Gift-giving, providing special favors or showing favoritism to individual athletes is strongly discouraged.
Safe Sport LInk on Gulf Swimming
Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy Updated 10/24
