Treatment & Reporting

The issue of child abuse in youth sports has been one MomsTEAM cares deeply about, but what are the attitudes about youth sports coaches about child abuse policies and reporting? A survey of coaches being conducted by Jeff Noble, Ed.D, a professor in the Department of Sports Management at Wichita State University, is trying to find out.

This week's announcement that USA Swimming has commissioned an "independent review" of its safe sport program is just the latest in a series of chess moves by this U.S. Olympic Committee national governing body in the run-up to a meeting next week with the staff of Congressman George Miller, the California Democrat and ranking minority member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce who is investigating how the organization responds to sexual abuse allegations.

If your child says she has been sexually abused in sports, the most important thing to do is stay calm and show that you are listening. It is extremely important that your child knows that harassment or abuse is not her fault, nor a reflection her.

In the wake of the Penn State and USA Swimming sex abuse scandals, parents need to be on the lookout for the warning signs that their child's coach may be sexual abusing them.