*Information provided in this article is not to be considered a substitute for legal advice. Readers are strongly encouraged to seek the advice of a licensed attorney familiar with youth sport laws and regulations within your state and local district.

Volleyball leaders are responsible for protecting a player’s physical and emotional safety. That includes fostering a safe environment and immediately notifying the proper person and agency if malice is discovered. Safe environments should be free from bullying or harassment, sexual and emotional misconduct and abuse, and cultural, gender, and religious discrimination and/or harassment. Our safeguarding responsibility is to protect those athletes under our care from a physically and psychologically harmful culture and involves:

  • Implementing proper safety measures.
  • Ensuring the use of appropriate equipment.
  • Educating players on injury prevention techniques.

By prioritizing physical safety, coaches contribute to an environment where players can pursue their athletic goals without compromising their well-being.

Protect

How do we accomplish this heavy task? One way is by promoting a training method that minimizes and protects from the risk of injuries during practices and competition. Knowing and implementing the basic concepts in Exercise Physiology that refer to over-training, energy systems used in volleyball play (anaerobic, aerobic), and nutritional and hydration needs are some examples. Fostering a safe environment also includes implementing proper safety measures, ensuring the use of appropriate equipment, and educating players on injury prevention techniques. (see previous article for details).

In a practical sense, don’t overtrain your players on Monday after a 3-day weekend tournament that includes over seven full matches. If you decide to have practice, use it as a film review day. A mental health practice is an excellent alternative to an over demanding physical one. The following article, “Mind, Body, and Sport: Risk factors in the sports environment,” NCAA Sports Science Institute,  is an excellent overview of the everyday stressors young athletes are exposed to during their athletic career. By prioritizing physical safety, coaches contribute to an environment where players can pursue their athletic goals without compromising their well-being.

To protect athletes and coaches from a psychologically harmful culture, leaders must model and teach ethical and culturally positive behavior. Set the example by refraining from negative self-talk or negative talk about others (including referees and other team coaches and players) and developing a personal sociocultural competence that embraces diverse individuals. Work to understand and include people different from you. People of different genders, races, religions, abilities, sexual orientations, socioeconomic status, or cultures than yourself and your players. Work with your team to analyze their background and how it might affect their interactions with others. The following activity, from the Cultural Competence Learning Institute, is a great starting point for team discussions:  BTW, this is a great Monday, after a long tournament, practice activity or a pre-season coaches’ training session.

As a coach, create times to have intentional, open discussions with your athletes to help them understand what’s right and wrong. Remember, you are working with youth and adolescents, and you are an active part of their personal growth, so embrace that responsibility. Remind your players how important it is for you to act ethically and encourage them to do the same. As a director, do the same with your coaches and parents.

It is your responsibility to make sure everyone feels safe and respected. Treat athletes and everyone involved in the program with kindness and fairness. Use your volleyball leader title to wisely stop any abuse or harassment between athletes, parent to athlete, coach to athlete, or fan to athlete/parent/referee/coach. If you see it, report it. You have a legal duty to stop bullying or hazing by athletes, staff, or fans before it happens and report it if you see or hear about it.

Notify

Your legal duty to Notify is your 13th and final responsibility as a volleyball leader. In Risk Management Solutions: Essential Documentation for a Volleyball Club’s Overall Ability to Safeguard we discussed the importance of notifying the appropriate person/agency when you see an equipment or facility maintenance issue. A volleyball leader’s legal duty to notify consists of a wide range of situations. For example, if fire ants are infesting your beach courts, remove your players and fans from the area and notify your facility director. Or if an antenna is broken and will not stay attached, remove the antenna from the net and then notify your equipment manager of the need for a new one. Your legal duty to notify also means you are responsible for notifying your coaches and parents of expected codes of conduct before they agree to play under your Club’s organization. Coaches must then notify their athletes of the team’s code of conduct before the season begins.

Ensure you have policies written down and expressed so that everyone knows your action plan. In medical emergencies during practice or matches, quick notification to medical personnel or emergency services can be vital for timely assistance to those in need. (see previous article on documentation and Emergency Action Plan). You must notify the relevant authorities and the facility management personnel about any facility issues, such as disrepair or safety hazards, to prevent accidents and injuries. As a reminder, ensuring you can openly communicate about weather events is vital for player and coach safety. Whether thunderstorms or extreme heat, notifying players, coaches, and officials about practice cancellations or schedule changes helps ensure everyone’s safety and minimizes unnecessary risks. Apps such as Band, are valuable team and organizational communications tools.

Understanding when and how to notify the correct people or organizations in various situations is crucial. The excuse of “I didn’t know who to tell” is still considered negligence if an injury or abuse happens. For example, suppose you become aware of any instances of sexual abuse or misconduct. In that case, it is your responsibility to immediately notify the appropriate authorities and individuals who can take action to ensure safety and address the situation effectively. See Athlete Abuse Prevention (APS), Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) and SafeSport for state and local reporting requirements. Refer to your Club’s operation manual for details on its organizational structure and reporting policy. If your Club still needs an operation manual, help them create one.

How to Report

If you have an incident to report involving a minor and any adult associated with your club, here are ways that you can report the incident to the proper authorities:

Contact your local Youth Protection Agency
  • You can find Contact Information for Local and County Child Welfare Agencies here.
  • If the incident happened at a USAV event (including but not limited to practice, travel, tournament or camp), or you are a USAV Club, report the incident to SafeSport here, or directly to USAV here.

NOTE: When reporting, have on hand all relevant information you have at the time and remember you do not have to prove anything. Your legal duty is to Notify and Report.

The 13 legal duties presented in this series have a primary goal: reminding volleyball leaders of the necessity of safeguarding by cultivating a safe environment that is devoid of bullying, harassment, sexual and emotional misconduct, abuse, as well as discrimination based on cultural, gender, or religious factors.

It is imperative to shield individuals from any culture that may cause physical or psychological harm. Effective communication plays a pivotal role in achieving this goal. By promptly notifying all relevant parties in various situations, we exhibit our dedication to upholding a secure and effectively managed volleyball environment for the benefit of all participants.

View the Risk Management Solutions Series.

View more JVA resources for Club Directors and Leaders.

About the Author

Jenny D. Johnson, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at American Public University in the Sports & Health Science Department. She played indoor at UNC Greensboro, Class of ‘95.

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