HUDSON VALLEY DOLPHINS

Metropolitan Swimming


MINOR ATHLETE ABUSE PREVENTION POLICY (MAAPP)

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2025

(Signed at Registration)

(Driver & Hotel Permission Forms located in Travel Section)

 

Full HVD Team MAAPP Policy:    Click here for the full Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention (January 1, 2025)

USA Swimming MAAPP Website: https://www.usaswimming.org/safe-sport/minor-athlete-abuse-prevention-policy

Who does MAAPP Applies to:

In-Program Contact:

  • Any contact (including communications, interactions or activities) between an Adult Participant and any Minor Athlete(s) related to participation in sport.
  • Examples include, but are not limited to: competition, practices, camps/clinics, training/instructional sessions, pre/post event meals or outings, team travel, video review, team- or sport-related team building activities, celebrations, award ceremonies, banquets, team- or sport-related fundraising or community services, sport education, competition site visits, conventions and/or summits.

Adult Participants: Any adult 18 years of age or older who is a:

  • USA Swimming member, either athlete or non-athlete.
  • Participating non-member (e.g., meet marshals, meet computer operators, timers, etc.).
  • Authorized, approved, or appointed by USA Swimming, Zones, Local Swimming Committees(“LSCs”) or member clubs to have regular contact with (e.g., ongoing interactions during a 12-month period wherein the individual is in a role of active engagement) or authority over Minor Athletes.
  • Within the governance or disciplinary jurisdiction of USA Swimming, Zones, LSCs or member clubs.

General Requirement

USA Swimming Zones, LSCs and member clubs are required to implement this Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy in full. The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy must be reviewed and agreed to in writing by all athletes, parents/legal guardians, coaches, and other non-athlete members of member clubs on an annual basis with such written agreement to be retained by the club or LSC, as applicable.

Exceptions (these exceptions only apply where specified in the MAAPP Policy)

  • Close-In-Age Exception: In-Program Contact between an Adult Participant and a Minor Athlete is permitted if:
    • The Adult Participant has no authority over the Minor Athlete
    • The Adult Participant is not more than four years older, determined by birthday, than the Minor Athlete
  • Dual Relationship Exception:
    • An Adult Participant has a role or relationship with a Minor Athlete that is outside of the sport program.
    • This exception requires written consent of the Minor Athlete’s parent/legal guardian at least annually, which must also identify which portion of MAAPP the parent/guardian is providing consent. 
  • Emergency Exception:
    • Applies to all situations in MAAPP where an Adult Participant must violate requirement(s) of the MAAPP due to an emergency. Adult Participants must carefully consider whether specific circumstances meet the threshold of an emergency circumstance.
    • It is strongly encouraged that the Organization or Adult Participant document the emergency circumstance.

Adult Athletes (18 years old and older)

  • Adult Athlete must take the Athlete Protection Training (APT) by their 18th birthday. There is no exception to this policy.
  • If not completed, athletes will not be allowed to swim at practices or meets
  • Notification will be sent 30 days before birthday, on birthday, and 30 days after birthday, if APT has not been completed
  • APT course is Free and is the same course taken by USA Swimming non-athlete members (coaches and officials)
  • Link to APT Online course: CLICK HERE

One-On-One Interactions

  • Observable and Interruptible
  • All one-on-one In-Program Contact interactions between a Minor Athlete and an Adult Participant must occur at an observable and interruptible distance from another adult, except:
    • In emergency circumstances:
    • When a Dual Relationship exists; and/or
    • When the Close-In-Age Exception applies.

Meetings

  • Meetings between a Minor Athlete and an Adult Participant may only occur if another adult is present and where interactions can be easily observed and at an interruptible distance from another adult.
  • If a one-on-one meeting takes place, the door to the room must remain unlocked and open. If available, it must occur in a room that has windows, with the windows, blinds, and/or curtains remaining open during the meeting.
  • Meetings must not be conducted in an Adult Participant or Athlete’s hotel room or other overnight lodging location during In-Program Travel.

Locker Rooms & Changing Areas

  • Dolphin swimmers and families are guests of the practice facilities and are subject to the facility's rules & regulations.  While the Dolphins are permitted to use the locker rooms at these practice facilities, the locker rooms are shared with the school’s students, faculty, employees, and their families.  As such, there may be people who are not associated with the Dolphins in the locker rooms around the time of practice.
  • Use of the locker rooms is solely allowed at the discretion of the Dolphins swimmer’s parents/guardians. 
  • For swimmers who use the locker rooms:
    • To limit the time in the locker rooms, the Dolphins discourages the use of the showers at the practice facilities.
    • Swimmers should dry off and change into their dry clothes and exit the locker room.
  • No swimmer is to leave the pool area during practice, without the permission of their Coach.
    • If a swimmer doesn’t return in a timely manner either the Coach, or another swimmer designated by the Coach, will check on the swimmer.
  • Limited Parental Access to Locker Rooms
    • Only same-sex parents may enter the locker rooms, and only in certain emergency situations; if a child requires significant assistance in getting dressed, or to check on a swimmer who is lingering in the locker room (only if no Coach, Board Member or another swimmer is available.)     
  • Requirement to Use Locker Room or Changing Area
    • The designated locker room or changing area must be used when an athlete or Adult Participant changes, in whole or in part, into or out of a swimsuit when wearing just one suit (e.g., deck changing is prohibited)
  • Observable and Interruptible
    • All In-Program Contact between Adult Participants and Minor Athletes in a locker room, changing area or similar space must be observable and interruptible, except:
    • In emergency circumstances.
    • A Dual Relationship exists; and/or
    • The Close-In-Age exception applies.
  • Private or Semi-Private Space for Minor Athletes:
    • The Organization must provide a private or semi-private place for Minor Athletes that need to change clothes or undress at Events or Facilities Under Partial or Full Jurisdiction of the Organization.
  • Use of Recording Devices
    • Use of any device’s (including a cell phone’s) recording capabilities, including voice recording, still cameras and video cameras in locker rooms, changing areas, or similar spaces by a Minor Athlete or an Adult Participant is prohibited.

Electronic Communication: 

  • Content
    • All Electronic Communication from Adult Participants to Minor Athletes must be professional in nature.
    • Includes, but not limited to, phone calls, emails, videoconferencing, video coaching, text-messaging, social media or any other electronic medium
  • Open and Transparent
    • If an Adult Participant communicates one-on-one with a Minor Athlete via Electronic Communications, the Minor Athlete’s parent/legal guardian, or another adult family member, must be copied or included.
    • If a Minor Athlete communicates to the Adult Participant privately first, said Adult Participant must copy or include the Minor Athlete’s parent/legal guardian, or another adult family member, on any Electronic Communication response to the Minor Athlete.
    • Adult Participants must only use Electronic Communication platforms that allow for Open and Transparent communication.
    • The following exceptions apply:
      • When the Close-In-Age Exception applies.
      • When a Dual Relationship exists; and/or
      • In emergency circumstances: When an Adult Participant communicates electronically to the entire team or any number of Minor Athletes on the team, said Adult Participant must copy another Adult Participant.
  • Requests to Discontinue
    • Parents/legal guardians may request in writing that their Minor Athlete not be contacted through any form of electronic communication by Organization or by an Adult Participant subject to this Policy. Organization and/or Adult Participant must abide by any such request that the Minor Athlete not be contacted via electronic communication, or included in any social media post, absent emergency circumstances.
  • Hours
    • Electronic communications must only be sent between the hours of 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. local time for the location of the Minor Athlete, unless emergency circumstances exist, or during competition travel.
  • Prohibited Electronic Communication
    • Adult Participants are not permitted to maintain private social media connections with Minor Athletes and such Adult Participants are not permitted to accept new personal page requests on social media platforms from Minor Athletes, unless the Adult Participant has a fan page, or the contact is deemed as celebrity contact as opposed to Regular Contact. Existing social media connections with Minor Athletes must be discontinued. Minor Athletes may “friend”, “like” or “follow” USA Swimming’s official page.
    • Adult Participants must not send private, instant or direct messages to a Minor Athlete through social media platforms.
      • The following exceptions apply: When a Dual Relationship exists; and/or ii. When the Close-In-Age Exception applies.

In Program Travel and Lodging

  • Transportation
    • During In-Program Travel, observable and interruptible environments must be maintained.
    • An Adult Participant must not transport a Minor Athlete one-on-one during In-Program Travel and must always transport at least two Minor Athletes, who are at least 8 years of age, or another Adult Participant except:
      • In emergency circumstances;
      • When a Dual Relationship exists;
      • When the Close-In-Age Exception applies; and/or
      • The Minor Athlete’s parent/legal guardian has provided, at least annually, written consent for the Adult Participant to transport the Minor Athlete one-on-one, which can be withdrawn at any time.
    • Adult Participants, including team managers and chaperones, who travel with USA Swimming athletes must be USA Swimming non-athlete members of USA Swimming.
    • [Recommended]:Adult Participants who are parents/legal guardians of Minor Athletes must pick up their Minor Athlete first and drop off their Minor Athlete last in any shared or carpool travel arrangement.
    • [Recommended] Prior to parents/guardians providing consent, said parent/guardian complete the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s education and training on child abuse
  • Lodging and Residential Environments
    • An Adult Participant must not share a lodging arrangement including, but not limited to hotel stays, rentals (i.e. Airbnb, VRBO, HomeToGo, etc.), and long-term residential environments, including lodging at training sites and Billeting, with an Athlete.
    • During In-Program Travel, all In-Program Contact in a lodging arrangement including, but not limited to hotel stays, rentals (i.e. Airbnb, VRBO, HomeToGo, etc.), and long-term residential environments, including lodging at training sites and Billeting, between an Adult Participant and a Minor Athlete must be observable and interruptible.
    • During In-Program Travel, when doing room checks, two-deep leadership (two Adult Participants should be present) and observable and interruptible environments must be maintained.
    • The following exceptions apply:
      • When a Dual Relationship exists, the Adult Participant is not a coach, and the Minor Athlete’s parent/legal guardian has provided advance, written consent for the lodging arrangement; and/or
      • When the Close-In-Age Exception applies and the Minor Athlete’s parent/legal guardian has provided advance, written consent for the lodging arrangement.
    • Minor Athletes should be paired to share a lodging arrangement including, but not limited to hotel stays, rentals (i.e. Airbnb, VRBO, HomeToGo, etc.), and long-term residential environments, including lodging at training sites and Billeting, with other Minor Athletes of the same competition category and of similar age.
    • Adult Participants, including team managers and chaperones, who lodge with USA Swimming athletes must be USA Swimming non-athlete members of USA Swimming.
  • Written Consent
    • A Minor Athlete’s parent/legal guardian must provide written consent, at least annually, for all In- Program Travel and lodging during In-Program Travel, which can be withdrawn at any time.
  • Meetings
    • Meetings during In-Program Travel must be conducted consistent with the One-on-One Interactions section of this Policy (e.g., any such meeting must be observable and interruptible).
  • Waiver Forms for Travel

Manual Therapy, Therapeutic, and Recovery Modalities

  • General Requirement
    • Any In-Program Massage performed on an athlete must be conducted in an observable and interruptible location and must be performed by a licensed massage therapist or other certified professional. However, even if a coach is a licensed massage therapist, the coach must not perform a rubdown or massage of an athlete under any circumstance.
  • Additional Minor Athlete Requirements
    • Written consent by a parent/legal guardian must be obtained in advance at least annually by the licensed massage therapist or other certified professional which can be withdrawn at any time.
    • Parent/legal guardians must be allowed to observe the Massage, except for competition or training venues that limit credentialing.
    • Any Massage of a Minor Athlete must be done with at least one other Adult Participant physically present and must never be done with only the Minor Athlete and the person performing the Massage in the room.
    • Any Massage of a Minor Athlete must be performed with the Minor Athlete fully or partially clothed, ensuring that the breasts, buttocks, groin or genitals are always covered. Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to areas of the body exposed while wearing swimwear which conforms to the current concept of the appropriate for the individual’s competition category.
    • The provider must narrate the steps in the modality before taking them, seeking consent of the Minor Athlete throughout the process.
    • [Recommended] Prior to parents/guardians providing consent, said parent/guardian complete the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s education and training on child abuse. 
    • [Recommended] Any Massage of a Minor Athlete must only occur after a proper diagnosis from a treating physician and be done in the course of care according to the physician’s treatment plan.