The U.S. Center for SafeSport Youth Athlete Training courses are now live! These valuable resources include courses for children of pre-school age, grades K-2, grades 3-5, middle school, and high school. These free online trainings are designed as an introduction for minor athletes and their parents or other caregivers to understand the importance of positive, welcoming environments in sports, where misconduct like bullying or abuse is less likely to happen, and to know where to report abuse, should it occur.
Each course is hosted on athletesafety.org and requires that a parent/legal guardian create an account to provide consent for their child to access the training. Once an account is created, parents can choose which course is best for their child based on their actual or developmental age. Each course will take less than 30 minutes to complete. While the youth training courses are not required, a fillable PDF certificate is available at the conclusion of each training, and parents are encouraged to write their child's name on the printed certificate.
SafeSport for Preschoolers
The preschool course includes a fun cheer; emphasizes that sports should be an inclusive environment that prioritizes safety, respect, and fun over winning; and encourages starting an open conversation with children at an early age. This course will take approximately ten (10) minutes to complete.
SafeSport for Grades K-2
The Grades K-2 course includes an animated video and game that focuses on having a positive attitude, keeping sport fun, and speaking up when something doesn’t feel right. The course concludes with resources for reporting abuse or misconduct. This course will take approximately ten (10) minutes to complete.
SafeSport for Grades 3-5
The Grades 3-5 course provides an interactive game to identify and speak up when behavior crosses the line, recognize the difference between discipline and abuse, stresses the importance of being a good teammate, and have a healthy sports environment focused on fun and safety. The course concludes with resources for reporting abuse or misconduct. This course will take approximately fifteen (15) minutes to complete.
SafeSport for Middle School Athletes
The middle school course focuses on bullying prevention, safe online behavior, responding to red flags, and resources for reporting abuse or misconduct. This course will take approximately fifteen (15) minutes to complete.
SafeSport for High School Athletes
The high school course focuses on bullying and hazing prevention, supporting friends who have experienced abuse or inappropriate conduct, and resources for reporting abuse or misconduct. This course will take approximately twenty (20) minutes to complete.
Parent’s Guide to Misconduct in Sport
Designed for the parents of athletes of all ages, this course explains the issues of misconduct in sport and helps parents ensure their children have a positive and safe sport experience.