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 USA Swimming Head Coaches & Club Contacts
The U.S. Center for Safe Sport requires the distribution and review of the following materials.
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1. Training and Education
a.) Federal law (the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017) requires USA Swimming to offer and provide consistent training to all adult members who are in regular contact with minor athletes and, subject to parental consent, to members who are minors regarding prevention and reporting of child abuse.
USA Swimming requires all adult members of USA Swimming – both adult athletes and non-athletes – to complete Athlete Protection Training (APT) on an annual basis. This includes:
- USA Swimming members;
- Employees or board members of USA Swimming, Zones, Local Swimming Committees (LSCs), or member clubs;
- Individuals within the governance or disciplinary jurisdiction of USA Swimming, Zones, LSCs, or member clubs; and
- Individuals who are authorized, approved or appointed by USA Swimming, Zones, LSCs, or member clubs to have regular contact with or authority over minor athletes.
For more information on the training and education requirements, please review USA Swimming's Training and Education Policy found here. Adult athlete and non-athlete members can access the required training through the Education tab in their SWIMS account.
b.) USA Swimming offers free training for both parents and minor athletes which can be accessed through the USA Swimming University. In addition, there are free monthly virtual trainings available to both parents and minor athletes via Zoom. The monthly virtual Zoom training schedule is located here.
c.) USA Swimming’s Safe Sport Family Resource Guide is another education tool for our members. This guide encourages parents and guardians to join USA Swimming in creating a positive environment free from abuse.
d.) USA Swimming's Safe Sport Club Recognition (SSRP) program allows USA Swimming member clubs to go above and beyond the organization's requirements. Clubs can demonstrate its commitment to creating healthy and positive environments free from abuse for all its members through the development and implementation of club governance measures, Safe Sport policies and reporting mechanisms, Safe Sport best practices, and training to athletes and parents. Don't know where to start? Follow these checklist guides to achieve SSRP approval in three months or six months. For more information, reach out to USA Swimming Safe Sport staff at [email protected].
2. Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy
The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) is a required policy to be implemented in full by USA Swimming, its Zones, LSCs, and member clubs. MAAPP addresses the risk areas of one-on-one interactions, meetings and individual training sessions, electronic communications, in-program transportation, lodging, and residential environments, locker rooms and changing areas, as well as manual therapy, therapeutic, and recovery modalities. The policy aims to strengthen accountability and supervision when it comes to interactions between adults and minors while participating in USA Swimming - all with the goal of preventing abuse. USA Swimming members are required to acknowledge MAAPP annually and there are numerous MAAPP resources available in Spanish to assist our Spanish speaking members. The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy was updated October 16, 2024 and can be found at www.usaswimming.org/maapp. This updated MAAPP replaces the previous version, and must be acknowledged on an annual basis by all members. Additional educational materials to assist Zones, LSCs, and member clubs with implementation are also available. 3. Reporting
It is every member’s responsibility to promptly report any incident regarding abuse, including sexual misconduct, by a member to USA Swimming. Reporting must occur when an individual has firsthand knowledge of misconduct or where specific and credible information has been received from a victim or knowledgeable third party.
In addition, pursuant to federal law, all adults authorized to interact with minor athletes who learn of facts that give reason to suspect a child has suffered an incident of child abuse, including child sexual abuse, are mandatory reporters and must make a report of the suspected abuse to law enforcement and/or the state's designated agency, as well as to the U.S. Center for SafeSport immediately (e.g., within 24 hours).
- This reporting requirement is a part of the USA Swimming Code of Conduct Article 306: Child Abuse Reporting Requirements. Various state laws may also require reporting to law enforcement or to a designated child protection agency.
- Article 307 of the USA Swimming Code of Conduct also states no member shall retaliate against any individual who has made a good faith report. False reporting of sexual misconduct made in bad faith is prohibited, and neither civil nor criminal statutes of limitation apply to reports of cases of sexual abuse. See more about the Whistleblower and Anti-Retaliation Policy here.
Reporting sexual, physical, or emotional misconduct can be very difficult. To provide ease in reporting, USA Swimming provides numerous ways in which members can report, which includes the ability to report anonymously.
- Fill the online reporting form here;
- Text message at 888-270-SWIM (7946);
- Email [email protected]; and
- Call USA Swimming headquarters at 719-866-4578.
If you need any advice or help in making your report, please contact USA Swimming Safe Sport staff at [email protected] or visit www.usaswimming.org/report. To learn more about SwimAssist, USA Swimming’s survivor’s assistance fund, please view our website here or read this article.
Following all of the USA Swimming Safe Sport policies and requirements throughout your membership year is vital. Should you have any questions about this information or anything Safe Sport related, contact USA Swimming Safe Sport staff at [email protected]. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act
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