Clubs hosting summer camps are responsible for creating a safe, enjoyable environment where athletes can develop their skills and build lasting relationships. While camp planning often focuses on activities and training sessions, summer volleyball camps also present liability exposures that should be addressed through thoughtful risk management and appropriate insurance coverage.
Planning a Safe and Enjoyable Camp Experience
Day and overnight camps provide athletes with opportunities for skill development, team bonding, and fun. They also place a wide range of ages in unfamiliar environments that require additional oversight and planning. Creating a positive experience that meets the expectations of athletes, families, and staff requires clear procedures and consistent supervision.
Consider the following best practices when planning your camp:
- Require pre-camp health screenings and medical release forms.
- Maintain appropriate staff-to-athlete supervision ratios.
- Implement daily warm-up, hydration, and cool-down routines.
- Educate staff, volunteers, and athletes on the signs and symptoms of concussions, dehydration, and heat-related illnesses.
- Develop emergency action plans and review them regularly.
- Conduct background checks and abuse prevention training for all staff and volunteers.
- When transportation is required, use school buses operated by CDL-licensed drivers.
- Schedule regular rest and hydration breaks throughout the day.
- Utilize weather-monitoring tools to track storm conditions and severe weather.
- Conduct and document facility and equipment inspections before camp begins.
- Review insurance coverage with your broker to ensure adequate protection is in place.
Addressing Unexpected Liabilities
Day camps remain one of the most common summer options for youth volleyball athletes, but residential overnight camps continue to grow in popularity. While day camps typically focus on training and recreational activities, overnight camps introduce additional considerations, including housing, dining, transportation, and increased periods of unstructured interaction among athletes.
These environments often encourage athletes to build friendships and spend more time socializing. As a result, expectations surrounding supervision can vary, particularly among families. Even with strong planning and oversight, unexpected situations can occur.
Accidents resulting from facility conditions or equipment issues may lead to allegations of negligence when an athlete is injured. Bullying that goes unnoticed can escalate quickly, creating both physical and emotional harm. Detecting bullying can be especially challenging, as studies show that more than half of incidents go unreported.
When incidents result in claims or legal action, having the appropriate insurance coverage in place becomes critical.
Set Your Club Up for Success
Insurance plays an important role in protecting both athletes and organizations from unexpected events. JVA offers camp insurance options that can be purchased on a per-player, per-day basis for camps lasting up to 10 days, or through a program policy for camps that extend beyond 10 days. Coverage is limited to general liability with a $1,000,000 limit.
When allegations of negligence arise, coverage considerations become more complex. Questions surrounding supervision, staff actions, or organizational responsibilities may require additional protection beyond a standard liability policy.
Depending on your camp operations, it may be beneficial to evaluate coverage options such as Excess Liability, Directors & Officers (D&O), and Abuse & Molestation insurance. If you are unsure whether your current policies provide adequate protection, consult with an insurance advisor who specializes in youth sports organizations. Reviewing coverage early can help identify gaps and ensure your club is prepared before camp begins.
Closing the Block: Camp Safety Tip
Encourage athletes to be safety advocates.
Creating a safe camp environment starts with clear expectations. Establish a camp code of conduct and review it with athletes before activities begin. Use real-world examples to help athletes understand how to support teammates, report concerns, and respond appropriately when unexpected situations arise.
When athletes understand their role in creating a positive environment, camps become safer, stronger, and more enjoyable for everyone involved.
About the Author
Mike DiNottia is a client advisor at World Insurance Associates (World). World is a leading insurance brokerage in the U.S. specializing in business and personal insurance, employee benefits, wealth management and retirement plan services, and payroll & HR solutions. The JVA and World have partnered together to bring JVA members educational articles and content to help you learn about your unique risks and exposures and how to better protect your businesses, members, and families in general. Feel free to reach out to Mike directly with any questions at mikedinottia@worldinsurance.com.
Stories like the one above are intended to be informational in nature. Insurance coverage will vary depending on language specific to your policy and specific facts and circumstances. Please contact your insurance broker and/or agent for your specific coverage implications based on your specific situation and follow any claims reporting procedures from your policy with your broker if there might be a claim. Nothing in this story should be considered as legal advice or opinion and you should seek independent advice or legal counsel.
