The U.S. Center for SafeSport is the federally-authorized organization that handles abuse and misconduct cases in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic movements, plus most NGB-affiliated youth sports. Most coaches in NGB-affiliated programs (USA Hockey, USA Swimming, USA Gymnastics, U.S. Soccer, USA Volleyball, etc.) are required to complete SafeSport training before working with athletes.
For parents, the basics matter. Knowing the system exists, knowing what to ask, knowing where to report.
What SafeSport requires of coaches.
Coaches in covered organizations must complete SafeSport’s online training (initially ~90 minutes, plus annual refreshers). The training covers recognizing and reporting abuse, appropriate physical contact, communication boundaries with minors, and the responsibility to report.
Coaches must also pass background checks (specifics vary by organization). Many NGBs require fingerprint-based checks; some require only name-based.
What to ask your kid’s program.
Three questions worth asking your league or club:
- “Are your coaches SafeSport-trained, and how recently?”
- “What’s your background-check policy?”
- “What’s the procedure if something feels wrong to a parent or athlete?”
A program that can answer these clearly is taking it seriously. A program that gets vague is a yellow flag.
The communication rules.
SafeSport requires coaches to limit one-on-one electronic communication with minors. Practical translation: a coach should not be texting your 12-year-old privately. Group chats, email to parents, and texts copied to parents are appropriate. Direct DMs with no parent visibility are not.
If a coach is communicating one-on-one with your kid in ways that go beyond basic logistics, that’s worth a conversation.
Physical contact rules.
SafeSport guidance: contact should be limited to what’s necessary for instruction (spotting in gymnastics, demonstrating a stance, etc.), should happen in observable settings, and should never involve private body areas. Hugs, “good game” pats, and similar brief positive contact in observable settings are generally fine; closed-door private interactions are not.
How to report.
If your kid or another athlete describes something that crosses these lines, the SafeSport Helpline is available 24/7. The number is 720-531-0340; online reporting at uscenterforsafesport.org. Reports can be anonymous. SafeSport investigates and refers to law enforcement when appropriate.
For non-NGB youth programs (rec leagues, school sports), report to the program’s leadership and to local law enforcement directly. The school’s Title IX coordinator handles reports involving school staff.
The conversation with your kid.
Most parents wait too long to have this. The age-appropriate version starts early: name body parts directly, talk about the difference between OK touch and not-OK touch, make clear that no adult, coach included, should ask them to keep secrets from you. Repeat the conversation as they age; the version at 8 is different from the version at 14.
The key message: if something feels wrong, you can tell me, and you won’t be in trouble. Coaches who tell kids to keep things from parents are the wrong coaches.
The rare-but-real reality.
Most coaches are good. The systems exist because the rare bad ones cause significant damage when no one is watching. The combination of SafeSport training, background checks, parent awareness, and kid-empowering conversations meaningfully shifts the risk profile. None of it is a guarantee. All of it is the responsible baseline.
Last updated April 2026.