I saw this link on Rick's www.gymnasticscoaching.com and felt that it would be a great article for the CB and also a great discussion topic for both coaches and parents.
So here are Mark Folger's ten tips for keeping kids safe in the gym. These rules also protect our coaches.
FOLGER'S GYMNASTICS: HOW DO WE PROTECT OUR CHILDREN?
1. A coach should never be alone with a child, not before practice, not after practice, not during travel.
2. Coaches and athletes should never share hotel rooms when traveling.
3. Coaches should not provide special treatment to one or two athletes compared to the rest of the team. This could be trips to movies or ballgames, gifts, etc.
4. Team sleepovers should be supervised by multiple adults. Use common sense when considering the sex and number of adults supervising this type of activity. Make sure parents are involved.
5. Trust your child’s coach, but not blindly. Trust is something earned, not given. It must be continually earned or it should be taken away.
6. Parents should monitor their child’s relationship with his/her coaches, not in a conspiracy theory, witch-hunt way, but to simply confirm they’ve chosen good people to guide that part of their child’s life.
7. Everyone should report abuse when witnessed. Not hearsay or rumors, but if you witness abuse, REPORT IT!
8. Adults should intervene on behalf of the child when witnessing child abuse (if you can do so safely).
9. Children should understand what constitutes inappropriate touching and know to report it when they see it or experience it.
10. If you are one who is part of that percent of one percent who coach or get involved with youth activities for immoral reasons, please get help.
So here are Mark Folger's ten tips for keeping kids safe in the gym. These rules also protect our coaches.
FOLGER'S GYMNASTICS: HOW DO WE PROTECT OUR CHILDREN?
1. A coach should never be alone with a child, not before practice, not after practice, not during travel.
2. Coaches and athletes should never share hotel rooms when traveling.
3. Coaches should not provide special treatment to one or two athletes compared to the rest of the team. This could be trips to movies or ballgames, gifts, etc.
4. Team sleepovers should be supervised by multiple adults. Use common sense when considering the sex and number of adults supervising this type of activity. Make sure parents are involved.
5. Trust your child’s coach, but not blindly. Trust is something earned, not given. It must be continually earned or it should be taken away.
6. Parents should monitor their child’s relationship with his/her coaches, not in a conspiracy theory, witch-hunt way, but to simply confirm they’ve chosen good people to guide that part of their child’s life.
7. Everyone should report abuse when witnessed. Not hearsay or rumors, but if you witness abuse, REPORT IT!
8. Adults should intervene on behalf of the child when witnessing child abuse (if you can do so safely).
9. Children should understand what constitutes inappropriate touching and know to report it when they see it or experience it.
10. If you are one who is part of that percent of one percent who coach or get involved with youth activities for immoral reasons, please get help.