Safer Sport for Kids Starts with Educated, Knowledgeable Parents and Guardians

 

Whether your child plays hockey or does gymnastics, athlete safety is often on the minds of parents. Between organizing carpools and double checking the practice schedule, it’s not uncommon to find yourself asking questions such as, “Does my child have the proper safety gear—like a mouthguard or a helmet—to avoid injury?”

But it’s important to remember that athlete safety goes beyond physical safety. It also encompasses a sport experience free from misconduct and abuse.

 

Steps Parents Can Take

Equipping your child with the necessary gear to skate onto the ice is often as simple as checking off a pre-season equipment list. But it’s a little more challenging to equip yourself with the knowledge to understand and address abuse, especially within the context of your child’s specific sport. And if you have multiple kids playing multiple sports, you’re up against an even tougher challenge.

The first step is education. Understanding what abuse in sport is can help you stay aware, allowing you to set your child up for a safer, more successful athletic season.

Below, we’ve listed three types of abuse and misconduct that can occur. Through our easy-to-understand definitions and sport-related examples, you’ll feel more confident in your understanding of abuse, and you’ll know what to look out for.

 

Three Examples of Misconduct in Sport

• Physical Misconduct: An athlete loses their temper and punches an opposing player after the game.
• Emotional Misconduct: A coach excludes an injured player from all team activities, including the end-of-season party.
• Sexual Misconduct: An athlete taunts another athlete about their gender identity.