It is hazardous to sport and its athletes and coaches to take serious accusations and litigate them outside of the built-in safeguards of a transparent court system.
Thanks for writing about this important subject George. In my life I have been a coach and have been coached, and the times when I prospered as an athlete was when that wonderful coach created an environment/culture where I felt welcomed and safe and that included brunches and team socials at their house from time to time etc. We did the same when we coached. Same goes for giving/getting rides to workouts when they/I had no other means to get to the workouts. I am not sure what the answer is, but in reality, I think complying with all aspects of Safe Sport is virtually implausible for a good coach. Which means that you risk your livelihood and reputation in order to coach. Also do not like sport governing bodies having the power to hang someone out to dry using the precautionary principle. I get it - but again all the consequences end up being on the person hung out to dry - even if upon further investigation the complaint is baseless.
Giving an athlete a ride is such a classic example because it's so common and indescribably obvious, like a man-on-the-street litmus test / idiot check.
Coach: "An athlete asked me for a ride home after training because his mom had to work late and his dad is taking care of his grandmother. I told him no."
Random person on street: "Dude, what is wrong with you?"
In a recent article I talked about how we all now commit "three safe guarding violations a day." By the end of the piece, I realize that you can pretty easily get your three by 9am:
"That value only emerges from the little moments in the relationship, like giving the athlete a book he might like, and picking up breakfast while giving him a ride home after practice."
It is hazardous to sport and its athletes and coaches to take serious accusations and litigate them outside of the built-in safeguards of a transparent court system.
Thanks for writing about this important subject George. In my life I have been a coach and have been coached, and the times when I prospered as an athlete was when that wonderful coach created an environment/culture where I felt welcomed and safe and that included brunches and team socials at their house from time to time etc. We did the same when we coached. Same goes for giving/getting rides to workouts when they/I had no other means to get to the workouts. I am not sure what the answer is, but in reality, I think complying with all aspects of Safe Sport is virtually implausible for a good coach. Which means that you risk your livelihood and reputation in order to coach. Also do not like sport governing bodies having the power to hang someone out to dry using the precautionary principle. I get it - but again all the consequences end up being on the person hung out to dry - even if upon further investigation the complaint is baseless.
Giving an athlete a ride is such a classic example because it's so common and indescribably obvious, like a man-on-the-street litmus test / idiot check.
Coach: "An athlete asked me for a ride home after training because his mom had to work late and his dad is taking care of his grandmother. I told him no."
Random person on street: "Dude, what is wrong with you?"
In a recent article I talked about how we all now commit "three safe guarding violations a day." By the end of the piece, I realize that you can pretty easily get your three by 9am:
"That value only emerges from the little moments in the relationship, like giving the athlete a book he might like, and picking up breakfast while giving him a ride home after practice."