5 POINTS FOR PARENTS: KEEPING KIDS SAFE IN YOUTH SPORTS 

USA Wrestling’s Safe Sport Program is the cornerstone of USA Wrestling’s commitment to ensure a safe, healthy and positive wrestling environment for all of its members and volunteers. In order to be successful, we all have a role to play. Raising awareness and education are key to creating a culture that will takedown misconduct. 

Get Educated 

Education is the most important tool for combatting misconduct. Look for resources that can help you understand how abuse occurs and what you can do about it. You should be able to recognize signs of grooming behavior and boundary violations and what to do when you suspect a child’s safety is at risk. 

Create Healthy Boundaries 

It’s important to establish healthy boundaries between athletes and coaches and have clear expectations about the coach’s role. A coach can often serve as a teacher, a mentor, or a role model for a young person. A coach is not an athlete’s friend, peer, or romantic partner. Teams and youth sport organizations should spell out prohibited behaviors to ensure strong and safe boundaries between adults and athletes. 

Identify and Address High Risk Areas 

For misconduct to take place, an offender needs privacy, access, and control. One way to reduce the risk for abuse is to design strategies for addressing these high-risk areas, which include travel, locker rooms, and electronic communications. Teams should adopt policies that spell out expectations and create boundaries. 

Speak Up 

If you recognize questionable behaviors, say something! Your youth sports organization should designate someone—the team administrator, or a parent advocate—who is there to hear your concerns or take a report of inappropriate behavior. Make sure that everyone knows that person. 

Talk to your Kids! 

Physical and sexual misconduct can be a hard topic for parents to talk about with their children. Having these conversations is extremely important in helping prevent your child from becoming a victim of abuse. Having ongoing and open conversations with children about their bodies and appropriate boundaries will make it easier for them to talk to you if anyone is making them feel uncomfortable. 

www.takedownmisconduct.com Adapted courtesy of USA Swimming Safe Sport 

All former Virginia high school wrestlers should check out our list of athletes who won 100 or more matches in their career to make sure their name, school, graduation year and number of career wins is listed. You can check the list by clicking here. If you need to be added to the list please email Rob Prebish with your information and he will add it to the list!