What's New??

Check this page regularly for new information pertinent to Safe Sport and Operational Risk initiatives at the national level, central zone, and within our LSC. Information posted will also be filed/archived within the appropriate subgroup.

General

USA Swimming Safe Sport Document

Dealing With A Safe Sport Concern

Questions or want to get involved?

Contact the MI Swimming Safe Sport and Operational Risk Chair: Melissa Millerick-May

How to comply with the New Adult Athlete APT Requirements Q&A

USA Swimming athlete members who are 18 years of age and older are considered Adult Athletes and are subject to the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP). Adult Athletes are also required to take and pass every 12 months the US Center for SafeSport’s free online Athlete Protection Training (APT).

*Please note that this is the same Athlete Protection Training required of coaches and non-athlete members, NOT the SafeSport Training for Minor Athletes that is found on the USA Swimming SafeSport page.

Who is an Adult Athlete?

Any USA Swimming athlete member who is 18 years of age or older is an Adult Athlete.

When must Adult Athletes take the new Athlete Protection Training?

  • By June 23, 2019, all current Adult Athletes must complete the APT.

  • Beginning now, Adult Athletes must take the APT within 30 days of their 18th birthday.

  • Adult Athletes must renew their APT certification every 12 months to retain their USA Swimming membership and be eligible to compete in USA Swimming sanctioned meets and practice with USA Swimming clubs.

Where can Adult Athletes find the APT courses?

  • The US Center for SafeSport training can be found on the USA Swimming website at:https://www.usaswimming.org/APT

  • Adult Athletes should go to this page and follow the step-by-step instructions to access the APT modules on the USA Swimming LEARN site. This is the ONLY ACCESS point that ensures an Adult Athlete gets credit for completing the APT certification.

  • APT is linked to an athlete’s registration account and should update APT certification status in DECK PASS within 24 hours. Note, trainees must complete all three APT modules including the course evaluations and​ receive a “✓DONE” in each for their certification to be complete. Athletes will receive a congratulatory email when they are certified and should save a copy as proof.​

What about new/renewing Adult Athlete members?

New Adult Athletes or Adult Athletes who have allowed their memberships to lapse must submit their USA Swimming membership applications to the MI Swimming Registrar. Once the Registrar processes the application, the Adult Athlete will be able to access the APT certification site. Check the MI Swimming website for registration procedures at https://www.teamunify.com/SubTabGeneric.jsp?team=milsc&_stabid_=92613.

What happens if an Adult Athlete does not complete their APT certification by the deadline?

Adult Athletes who do not complete the APT within 30 days of their 18th birthdays (or by June 23 for a those who are already 18 or older) will be considered unregistered swimmers and will not be eligible for sanctioned competition or USA club practices and activities until the APT is completed. These unregistered swimmers will be flagged on the pre- meet recon report, in OME, and in your Club Portal on the USA Swimming website.

How are soon-to-be Adult Athletes being informed about APT now and in the future?

  • Adult Athletes are solely responsible for complying with all USA Swimming membership requirements.

  • Current USA Swimming athlete members will receive notification emails from USA Swimming 30 days before their 18th birthday, on their 18th birthday, and 30 days after their 18th birthday if they have failed to complete the APT.

Can 17-year-old athletes take the training early?

Yes! Athlete members can access the training at https://www.usaswimming.org/APT. The APT certification is valid for 12 MONTHS from the training completion date. Keep in mind that when athlete members reach the age of 18, they must always maintain valid APT certification while they are competing.

MI Swimming recommends that 17-year-old athletes who will turn 18 within a season consider taking the training early so that they are covered for all meets in that season. Of course, they can wait until their 18th birthdays but must complete the APT within 30 days to be eligible for competition in sanctioned meets. To avoid registration issues, it is recommended that swimmers who will become Adult Athletes prior to the first day of a sanctioned meet complete the APT no later than the entry deadline.

Does this training requirement apply to NCAA athletes?

Maybe. NCAA athletes 18 and older who wish to join USA Swimming as Adult Athletes to compete in sanctioned meets and practice with USA clubs must complete and maintain APT certification.

How can I help make sure my team’s Adult Athletes are always compliant?

  • Identify the current Adult Athletes on your team and personally alert them to the new APT requirements. Remind them that they must take the APT by June 23, 2019.

  • Identify the swimmers who will become Adult Athletes in a season and personally alert them to the new APT requirements.

  • Inform parents so that they can join in encouraging Adult Athletes to complete the APT within the required timeframe or earlier.

  • Make sure your club has an active and engaged SafeSport Coordinator who will stay up to date on APT and other SafeSport programs. The SafeSport Coordinator can assist with monitoring Adult Athlete APT compliance as well as with other SafeSport initiatives such as MAAPP implementation and qualifying your team as a SafeSport Recognized Club.

  • Encourage Adult Athletes to download DECK PASS on their smartphones so they have access to their USA Swimming membership card that will prove APT certification and note when 12-month renewal is required.

  • Check your team roster in your USA Swimming Club Portal prior to entering meets to correct any APT issues before they create problems with entries. Go here www.usaswimming.org/utility/landing-pages/club/club- and-lsc-portal-search and log in.

  • Include Adult Athlete APT requirements in your team’s registration materials and communicate APT compliance through your team’s website, newsletters, team updates, parent meetings, etc.

  • Consider dedicating a practice to APT training or set up an activity session during which athletes gather to complete the training courses on their phones, tablets, or laptops while under coach supervision.

Other questions? Contact MI Swimming Safe Sport Coordinator, Melissa Millerick-May.

MINOR ATHLETE ABUSE PREVENTION POLICY (MAAPP)

USA Swimming LSCs and Member Clubs are required to implement the USA Swimming Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) in full by June 23, 2019. MAAPP contains five sections: one-on-one interactions, travel, social media and electronic communications, locker rooms and changing areas and massage, rubdowns and athletic training modalities.

Click here for the full policy.

The following contains helpful links and documents to assist clubs with fulfilling the MAAPP requirement. Please direct any questions to the MI Swimming Safe Sport Chair Melissa Millerick-May at [email protected].

MAAPP

Definitions and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Applicable Adults

One-On-One Interactions

Social Media and Electronic Communications

Travel

Locker Rooms and Changing Areas

Massages, Rubdowns and Athletic Training Modalities

APT Requirement for Adult Athletes

Non-USA Swimming Activities (updated)

SAMPLE FORMS

Customizable Club Template - Clubs may use this template to assist with the development of their club specific MAAPP.

Acknowledgement of Policy

How to Set Up MAAPP Acknowledgement via Team Unify

Permission for a Licensed Massage Therapist or Other Certified Professional or Health Care Provider to Treat a Minor Athlete

Permission for a Mental Health Care Professional or Health Care Provider to have One on One Interaction

Permission for an Unrelated Adult Athlete to Share the Same Lodging with a Minor Athlete

Permission for an Unrelated Applicable Adult to Provide Local Transportation to Minor Athlete

Permission for an Unrelated Applicable Adult to Travel to Competition with Minor Athlete

ADULT ATHLETE APT CERTIFICATION (Component of MAAPP)

Effective June 23, all athlete members 18 years of age and older must satisfactorily complete the US Center for Safe Sport Athlete Protection Training Program every 12 months. Athletes who are not certified within 30 days after their 18th birthdays or do not renew their certification every 12 months will not be permitted to participate in USA Swimming activities like sanctioned swim meets and practices.

Adult Athletes can access the certification site here. 

DOWNLOAD DECK PASS PLUS

All USA Swimming members can use USA Swimming’s website and DECK PASS PLUS to prove and track APT compliance.

Link to https://www.usaswimming.org/DeckPass

CHECK YOUR ATHLETE ROSTER IN YOUR CLUB PORTAL ON USASWIMMING.ORG

Use your club portal to track APT status for your Adult Athletes and address non-compliance issues. Go here  www.usaswimming.org/utility/landing-pages/club/club-and-lsc-portal-search and log in. Coaches, don’t know your team’s password? Contact Dawn Gurley at d[email protected].

ATHLETE PROTECTION TRAINING

MANDATORY TRAINING FOR NON-ATHLETE MEMBERS, APPLICABLE ADULTS AND 18+ ATHLETES

USA Swimming LEARN, a new online education hub, has launched! 

All non-athlete members, applicable adults and athletes age 18+ are required to complete the Athlete Protection Training by clicking the link below. New members will be required to have their non-athlete application form and payment processed by Dawn Gurley (MI Swimming Registrar) before they can sign in to complete the course.

This certification is required for all new and existing members including coaches, officials, chaperones and meet directors. If you are registering with USA Swimming for the first time, this course applies to you. 

The course is free of charge and completion status will be updated in your membership record within 24 hours. Initiate the course by entering your information in the boxes below.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION (http://www.usaswimming.org/learn or www.usaswimming.org/apt)

To complete the Athlete Protection Training Certification, please follow the directions below:

  1. Enter your first name, last name, and birthday. Make sure to use your legal name. Click the Search button.
  2. When the system finds you, click on "CONTINUE" to access the LEARN site.
  3. You must take three courses to complete the requirement:
  • "Sexual Misconduct Awareness Education"
  • "Mandatory Reporting"
  • "Emotional and Physical Misconduct"
  •  

You must complete the last evaluation questions on the three required courses, so that it will appear in SWIMS and match to your member record. Once you have fulfilled the requirement there will be a check mark on the course and you will receive an email congratulating you for completing the requirement.

Once you have completed your courses, your membership record will update within 24 hours with a new APT expiration date.

Your APT will expire 12 months after you complete all three courses.

Members must always enter LEARN via www.usaswimming.org/learn or www.usaswimming.org/apt.  If you create a non-member account, you will not receive credit for the courses that you take.

If you get a "No Results Found" message, one of three things has happened:

  1. You may have made a typo on your name and birthday. Double check and resubmit.
  2. If everything is correct and you are or have ever been a member of USA Swimming, it is possible that there is a typo in your membership information in the USA Swimming database. Contact your LSC registrar (Dawn Gurley).
  3. You have never been registered with USA Swimming. You must join through your LSC (Michigan Swimming). New members will be required to have your application form and payment processed by your LSC registrar before you can sign in to complete the course.

Michigan Swimming is dedicated to the safety of all participants in our sport - Athletes, Coaches, Officials, and Spectators.  Information presented here is intended to make you aware of the various laws, regulations, and policies we follow to promote a safe environment for our members.  While the information here is intended to cover many areas, it may not represent all safety requirements.  As such, you should be sure to understand any obligations you may have in your role as a Michigan and/or USA Swimming participant.

All safety-related inquiries should be directed to the Operational Risk/Safe Sport Chair, Dr. Melissa Millerick-May, at [email protected].

Common safety-related topics are available from the dropdown menu.