November 16, 2022

Dear Club and League Representatives:

The U.S. Center for SafeSport recently released a toolkit designed for coaches and others who work directly with young athletes. The toolkit can be found here.

The Center’s toolkit is divided into three (3) sections which include recognizing abuses and misconduct, preventing abuse and misconduct, and responding to abuse and misconduct. The information outlines strategies for setting a positive tone and environment, and real-like scenarios intended to help coaches, volunteers, and parents/guardians on their interactions with young athletes.

Our recent communication from October 6, 2022, detailed allegations (in women’s professional soccer) where abusive behavior and sexual misconduct ‘from youth to pro leagues and everywhere in between, became normalized.’ Players were ‘conditioned to accept and respond to abusive coaching behaviors as youth players.’

The Center’s toolkit references the need [for coaches/others] to ‘play a key role in shaping sport environments in which all athletes feel safe, supported, and strengthened. By modeling and teaching appropriate behaviors and boundaries, and by sharing the importance of abuse prevention principles far and wide, we can reduce the possibility of abuse and misconduct.’

In closing, do not ignore abuse and/or misconduct or assume ‘someone else is taking care of it.’ Report any known or suspected abuse and/or misconduct according to applicable laws and policies. Additionally, should you or others need to make a report on suspected violations of MSYSA’s Athlete and Participant Safety Program, click here.

Sincerely,

Thomas Faro

Executive Director