2/6/2012
Child-Abuse Prevention Resources
View Webinar for Coaches and Leaders on Child-Abuse Prevention Co-Hosted by PCA and Kidpower
View Webinar for Parents on Child-Abuse Prevention Co-Hosted by PCA and Kidpower
How PCA Protects Against Child Abuse in Youth Sports
PCA’s mission of providing all youth athletes a positive, character-building youth sports experience entails addressing ways to ensure children’s safety. This concern is heightened by the late 2011 allegations of child sex abuse against prominent coaches and youth sports leaders.
A Founding Member of PCA’s National Advisory Board, and Founder of Common Cause, John Gardner, once said, “There isn’t any other youth institution that equals sports as a setting in which to develop character. There just isn’t. Sports are the perfect setting because character is tested all the time. It means a great deal if that time in sports is well used.”
So many parents involve their children in youth sports precisely because it is THE best place to build character and learn life lessons, such as teamwork and overcoming adversity. While the alleged abuses are horrific in and of themselves, they also are troubling because they call into question the safety and trustworthiness of the institution of youth sports.
We all, as leaders in the youth sports community, have the opportunity and obligation to make a difference – to do all we can to protect the kids in our programs by intentionally and deliberately creating organizational prevention measures, reporting policies and procedures for dealing with reports of abuse.
To be clear, PCA is not an expert in the area of child abuse prevention. But we are experts in building positive youth sports cultures, and in that vein, we provide youth sports leaders, coaches and parents with the following resources to make you more aware of and prepared to combat child sexual abuse.
Resources for Youth Sports Parents
Resources for Youth Sports Leaders
Resources for Youth Sports Coaches
-- POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE