SoFLO Volleyball Academy
MINOR ATHLETE ABUSE PREVENTION POLICIES
SafeSport Club Policies
These policies shall apply to the following:
(Collectively “Applicable Adult” for the purposes of this policy)
POLICY 1 - ONE-ON-ONE INTERACTIONS
Observable and interruptible
One-on-one interactions between a minor athlete and an Applicable Adult (who is not the minor’s legal guardian) at a facility partially or fully under the jurisdiction of a FLORIDA REGION CLUB are permitted if they occur at an observable and interruptible distance by another adult.
One-on-one interactions between minor athletes and an Applicable Adult (who is not the minor’s legal guardian) at a facility partially or fully under the jurisdiction of a Covered Organization/LAO are prohibited, except in the circumstances described in meetings with mental health care professionals and health care providers of this section and under emergency circumstances.
Meetings between Applicable Adults and minor athletes at a facility partially or fully under the jurisdiction of a FLORIDA REGION CLUB may only occur if another adult is present, except under emergency circumstances. Such meetings must occur where interactions can be easily observed and at an interruptible distance from another adult.
If a one-on-one meeting takes place in an office at a facility partially or fully under the jurisdiction of a FLORIDA REGION CLUB, the door to the office must remain unlocked and open. If available, it will occur in an office that has windows, with the windows, blinds, and/or curtains remaining open during the meeting.
Meetings with mental health care professionals and health care providers
If a mental health care professional and/or health care provider meets with minor athletes at a facility partially or fully under the jurisdiction of FLORIDA REGION CLUB, a closed-door meeting may be permitted to protect patient privacy provided that:
The door remains unlocked and another adult is present at the facility.
The other adult is advised that a closed-door meeting is occurring written legal guardian consent is obtained in advance by the mental health care professional and/or health care provider, with a copy provided to the organization.
Individual training sessions
Individual training sessions between Applicable Adults and minor athletes are permitted at a facility partially or fully under the jurisdiction of FLORIDA REGION CLUB if the training session is observable and interruptible by another adult. It is the responsibility of the Applicable Adult to obtain the written permission of the minor’s legal guardian in advance of the individual training session if the individual training session is not observable and interruptible by another adult. Permission for individual training sessions must be obtained at least every six months. Parents, guardians, and other caretakers must be allowed to observe the training session.
POLICY 2 - MASSAGES AND RUBDOWNS/ATHLETIC TRAINING MODALITIES
Any massage or rubdown/athletic training modality performed at a facility or a training or competition venue under the jurisdiction of FLORIDA REGION CLUB must be conducted in an open and interruptible location. Any massage of a minor athlete must be done with at least one other adult present and must never be done with only the minor athlete and the person performing the massage or rubdown/athletic training modality in the room.
LOCKER ROOMS AND CHANGING AREAS
Non-exclusive facility
If FLORIDA REGION CLUB uses a facility not fully under their jurisdiction (for, e.g., training or competition or similar events) and the facility is used by multiple constituents, Applicable Adults in categories 1 through 4 are nonetheless required to adhere to the rules set forth herein.
Use of recording devices
Use of any device’s (including a cell phone’s) recording capabilities, including voice recording, still cameras and video cameras in locker rooms, changing areas, or similar spaces at a facility under the jurisdiction of FLORIDA REGION CLUB is prohibited. Exceptions may be made for media and championship celebrations, provided that such exceptions are approved by the FLORIDA REGION CLUB and two or more Applicable Adults are present.
Undress
Under no circumstances shall an unrelated Applicable Adult at a facility under the jurisdiction of FLORIDA REGION CLUB intentionally expose his or her breasts, buttocks, groin, or genitals to a minor athlete.
One-on-one interactions
Except for athletes on the same team, at no time are unrelated Applicable Adults permitted to be alone with a minor athlete in a locker room or changing area when at a facility under the partial or full jurisdiction of FLORIDA REGION CLUB , except under emergency circumstances.
If FLORIDA REGION CLUB is using a facility that only has a single locker room or changing area, separate times will be designated for use by Applicable Adults, if any.
Monitoring
FLORIDA REGION CLUB will regularly and randomly monitor the use of locker rooms and changing areas at facilities under their jurisdiction to ensure compliance with these policies.
POLICY 3 - SOCIAL MEDIA & ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS
As part of FLORIDA REGION CLUB emphasis on athlete safety, all electronic communications between a coach and athlete must be professional in nature and for the purpose of communicating information about team activities.
Content
All electronic communication originating from Applicable Adults to minor athletes must be professional in nature.
Open and transparent
Absent emergency circumstances, if an Applicable Adult with authority over minor athletes needs to communicate directly with a minor athlete via electronic communications (including social media), another Applicable Adult or the minor athlete’s legal guardian will be copied.
If a minor athlete communicates to an Applicable Adult (with authority over the minor athlete) privately first, said Applicable Adult should respond to the minor athlete with a copy to another Applicable Adult or the minor athlete’s legal guardian.
When an Applicable Adult with authority over minor athletes communicates electronically to the entire team, said Applicable Adult will copy another adult.
Minor athletes may “friend” the organization’s official page.
Facebook, Myspace, blogs, and similar sites
Coaches may not have athletes of FLORIDA REGION CLUB’s Team join a personal social media page. Athlete members and parents can friend the official FLORIDA REGION CLUB’s Team page and coaches can communicate to athlete members though the site. All posts, messages, text, or media of any kind between coach and athlete must be professional in nature and for the purpose of communicating information about team activities or for team-oriented motivational purposes.
Twitter, instant messaging and similar media
Coaches and athletes may “follow” each other. All posts between coach and athlete must be for the purpose of communicating information about team activities.
Email and similar/electronic communications
Athletes and coaches may use email to communicate. All email content between coach and athlete must be professional in nature and for the purpose of communicating information about team activities. Where the coach is a staff member and/or volunteer, email from a coach to any athlete should come from the club website email center (the coach’s return email address will contain “@CLUB.com”).
Texting and similar electronic communications
Texting is allowed between coaches and athletes. All texts between coach and athlete must be professional and for the purpose of communicating information about team activities.
Electronic imagery
From time to time, digital photos, videos of practice or competition, and other publicly obtainable images of the athlete – individually or in groups – may be taken. These photos and/or videos may be submitted to local, state or national publications, used in club videos, posted on club or club associated websites, or offered to the club families seasonally on disc or other electronic form. It is the default policy of FLORIDA REGION CLUB to allow such practices as long as the athlete or athletes are in public view and such imagery is both appropriate and in the best interest of the athlete and the club. Imagery must not be contrary to any rules as outlined in FLORIDA REGION CLUB’s Participant Safety Handbook.
Request to discontinue all electronic communication or imagery
The parents or guardians of an athlete may request in writing that their child not be contacted by any form of electronic communication by coaches or Applicable Adults subject to this policy. (Photography or videography). The FLORIDA REGION CLUB will abide by any such request that their minor athlete not be contacted via electronic communication, absent emergency circumstances.
Misconduct
Social media and electronic communications can also be used to commit misconduct (e.g., emotional, sexual, bullying, harassment, and hazing). Such communications by coaches, staff, volunteers, administrators, officials, parents or athletes will not be tolerated and are considered violations of our Participant Safety Handbook.
Violations
Violations of FLORIDA REGION CLUB’s Electronic Communications and Social Media Policy should be reported to your immediate supervisor, a FLORIDA REGION CLUB administrator or a member of FLORIDA REGION CLUB’s Participant Safety Committee for evaluation. Complaints and allegations will be addressed under FLORIDA REGION CLUB’s Disciplinary Rules and Procedure.
LOCAL TRAVEL & TEAM TRAVEL
This policy shall apply to:
(Collectively “Applicable Adult” for the purposes of this policy)
POLICY 4 - LOCAL TRAVEL
Local travel consists of travel to training, practice, and competition that occurs locally and does not include coordinated overnight stay(s).
Transportation
Applicable Adults who are not also acting as a legal guardian, shall not ride in a vehicle alone with an unrelated minor athlete, absent emergency circumstances, and must have at least two minor athletes or another adult at all times, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the minor athlete’s parent/legal guardian in advance of each local travel.
POLICY 5 - TEAM TRAVEL
Team travel is travel to a competition or other team activity that the organization plans and supervises.
Team/competition travel
When only one Applicable Adult and one minor athlete travel to a competition, the minor athlete must have his/her legal guardian’s written permission in advance and for each competition to travel alone with said Applicable Adult.
Hotel Room
Regardless of gender, a coach shall not share a hotel room or other sleeping arrangements with a minor player. (Unless coach is the parent, guardian or sibling of the player) However, a parent/legal guardian may consent to such an arrangement in advance and in writing. Furthermore, a parent/legal guardian may consent in advance and in writing to the minor athlete sharing a hotel room or other sleeping arrangement with an adult athlete
Coach or his/her designee will establish a curfew by when all players must be in their hotel rooms in a supervised location. Regular monitoring and curfew checks will be made to each room by at least two properly background screened adults. At no time should one adult be present in room with minor players, regardless of gender.
Team personnel should ask hotel to block adult pay per view channels.
Meetings
Meetings shall be conducted consistent with the FLORIDA REGION CLUB policy for one-on-one interactions
Individual meetings between coach and player may not occur in hotel sleeping rooms and must be held in public setting or with additional adults present with one of those adults being the same gender as the player.