Safesport & Concussions

SafeSport & MAAPPs

The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) aim to help young athletes feel safe, supported, and strengthened—by limiting one-on-one interactions between adults and children, requiring abuse prevention training for certain adults, and promoting environments in which misconduct is less likely to occur. The animated You Tube series button above introduces the purpose of the MAAPP, as well as key definitions and requirements National Governing Body members (like SSEF) must adhere to. For more information about the Center’s efforts to end abuse in sport, visit uscenterforsafesport.org.

The MAAPP outlines training requirements and limits one-on-one interactions between Adult Participants and Minor Athletes. Adult Participants who have regular contact with or authority over Minor Athletes include coaches, athletic  trainers, and officials. The MAAPP applies to all interactions related to your child’s participation in a sport within the  Olympic and Paralympic Movement, including practices and competitions as well as events such as fundraisers, team meals, and celebrations. 

BE AWARE OF THESE MAAPP POLICIES ORIENTED TOWARD KEEPING KIDS SAFE:

1 | One-on-one interactions between Adult Participants and Minor Athletes must be observable and interruptible.

2 | Your consent is required for your child’s participation in individual training sessions, athletic training modalities,   meetings with health professionals, transportation, and lodging. The Organization must provide you with  consent forms. 

3 | You must be allowed to watch your child’s individual training sessions.  

4 | A second Adult Participant must be in the room during all massages, rubdowns, and other athletic training   modalities—for which your child must be fully or partially clothed, with private body parts covered.

5 | Your child must have access to a semi-private or private changing area, and locker rooms and changing areas   must be monitored.  

6 | Adult Participants must never shower with your child, unless they are close-in-age peer athletes or it is a pre/  post activity rinse where everyone is wearing swimwear. You can request that your child not change or shower   with close-in-age adult peer athletes. 

7 | You, another adult family member, or another Adult Participant must be included on all electronic   communications (including texts, emails, and social media). 

8 | One-on-one interaction policies apply during organization-sponsored transportation and lodging. 9 | Limited exceptions to some policies (related to youth close in age to peer adult athletes, Personal Care   Assistants, and out-of-sport dual relationships) are detailed in the full MAAPP document. 

We encourage you and your child to take the Center’s free, age-appropriate online trainings (uscenterforsafesport. org/training-and-education/training-and-education-services/), and to report any concern about abuse or misconduct  to the U.S. Center for SafeSport (uscenterforsafesport.org/report-a-concern/) or your organization.

The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) aim to help young athletes feel safe, supported, and strengthened—by limiting one-on-one interactions between adults and children, requiring abuse prevention training for certain adults, and promoting environments in which misconduct is less likely to occur. This animated series introduces the purpose of the MAAPP, as well as key definitions and requirements NGB members must adhere to. For more information about the Center’s efforts to end abuse in sport, visit uscenterforsafesport.org.

Concussions