As a member of USA Volleyball, Badger Region is proud to support SafeSport, a program to bring awareness, education and reporting for abuse and misconduct. Visit the USA Volleyball SafeSport website for more information on the resources available. The Badger Region will recognize, adopt and enforce any penalties imposed by the US Center for SafeSport, USA Volleyball or the USA Volleyball Ethics & Eligibility Committee.
Reporting
Training
Contact
Please note that there are a number of options and requirements to report abuse. Report to law enforcement immediately if you are aware of abuse. If abuse includes sexual misconduct report to both law enforcement and the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Out of respect for the importance of this issue and to encourage honest and effective reporting, knowingly making a false or malicious report will not be tolerated and may be a violation of USA Volleyball’s Code of Conduct.
Please be aware of your state’s mandatory reporting laws, as well as the mandatory reporting policies outlined by SafeSport. The SafeSport mandatory reporting requirements also include sexual misconduct and emotional / physical misconduct in addition to child abuse and neglect.
Filing an anonymous report may hinder our ability, or the ability of the Center, to investigate. An anonymous report may not provide evidence that you discharged your mandatory reporting duties.
If you are not sure the violation reaches the level of SafeSport, you may choose to either file a report with them, or with the Badger Region.
Cases not rising to the level of SafeSport will be referred to the Badger Region for adjudication. Badger Region, conversely, will report received cases to SafeSport based on severity.
SafeSport is an annual training on a four-year cycle. In the first year, members must take the Core SafeSport training. In the following three years, they must take a Refresher training course. Every four years, the Core training must be taken. The correct course will be retained in your membership registration account.
Members who are 18, or who turn 18 during the season, will be required to complete the Core SafeSport training. This is a USA Volleyball policy, which Badger Region must enforce. This must be done either before the member turns 18, or immediately upon turning 18. Members will not be permitted to participate if they are 18 and do not have SafeSport. Badger Region recommends all athletes 17-years-old or older take SafeSport prior to the season to prevent a disruption in their participation.
Once members turn 18, they must complete a background screen (if in any other role than player) and SafeSport training within 30 calendar days.
Jennifer Armson-Dyer (Executive Director / Commissioner) is the main point of contact for any SafeSport- or violation-related questions or concerns.
Proof of Training
When you purchase a membership in SportsEngine, you will receive a confirmation e-mail with instructions on how to complete SafeSport. Members who are 18 or turning 18 during the time they are participating should ensure they select the age-appropriate membership during the purchase process. Contact the Region office with questions or for assistance.
It can take up to 24 hours after completion of your course for your certificate to be updated in your member profile. Do not attempt to take this training at the last minute.
At the end of the course, you have the option to download your certificate of completion. Please do so and keep it for your records.
A valid certificate means you have completed all of the modules within the training. Completion of anything less than the full course does not make you eligible.
“Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.”
– John F. Kennedy
Badger Region, along with USA Volleyball and its 39 other Regional Volleyball Associations, believes that child safety and child protection standards are a cornerstone of our sport. This includes not only on-court safety, but also off-court safety in any part of Badger Region’s and USA Volleyball’s programs. We are committed to creating safe and fun environments. This includes, but is not limited to, providing access to training and educational materials and resources for our members, including clubs, coaches, officials, administrators, tournament directors, parents and athletes.
In mid-2019, USA Volleyball made it a priority to have MAAPP (Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies) in place. These include policies on: limiting one-on-one interactions (including meetings and individual training sessions), athletic training modalities (including massages), locker rooms and changing areas, electronic communications, transportation, travel and lodging. All members are expected to know and abide by these policies.
Please visit the below areas for resources and information.
Resources
WHAT IS ABUSE AND MISCONDUCT?
You hear the terms “abuse” and “misconduct” , but what exactly do these terms mean and what are the guidelines for establishing each? Below is more information, courtesy of SafeSport. A critical step in addressing misconduct is being able to recognizing the specific actions that are qualified as misconduct.
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE
- Child sexual abuse is any sexual activity with a child where consent is not or cannot be given. This category includes all sexual contact between an adult and a child as well as sexual contact that occurs through force or threat of force. A child is any participant under the age of 18. Sexual contact between an older child and a younger child can also be abusive when a significant disparity in age, development or size makes the younger child incapable of offering consent.
BULLYING
- Bullying is an intentional, persistent and repeated pattern of committing or willfully tolerating physical and non-physical behavior that is intended, or has the reasonable potential, to cause fear, humiliation or physical harm in an attempt to socially exclude, diminish or isolate the targeted athlete(s) as a condition of membership. It includes any act or conduct described as bullying under federal or state law.
- Bullying does not include group or team behavior designed to establish normative team behavior or promote team cohesion. For example, bullying does not include verbal admonitions to encourage team members to train harder and push through a difficult training regimen.
HAZING
- Hazing involves coercing, requiring, forcing or willfully tolerating any humiliating, unwelcome or dangerous activity that serves as a condition for joining a group or being socially accepted by a group’s members. It includes any act or conduct described as hazing under federal or state law. Activities that fit the definition of hazing are considered to be hazing regardless of an athlete’s willingness to cooperate or participate.
- Hazing does not include group or team activities that are meant to establish normative team behavior or promote team cohesion. Examples include: Allowing junior athletes to carry senior athletes’ equipment into the locker room after practice; Encouraging junior athletes to arrive early and set up training equipment; Giving senior athletes first preference in team assignments, responsibilities, accommodations, facilities or equipment.
HARASSMENT
- Harassment is a repeated pattern of physical and/or non-physical behavior intended to cause fear, humiliation or annoyance, offend or degrade, create a hostile environment; or reflect discriminatory bias in an attempt to establish dominance, superiority or power over an individual athlete or group based on gender, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression or mental or physical disability. It includes any act or conduct described as harassment under federal or state law.
EMOTIONAL MISCONDUCT
- Emotional misconduct involves a pattern of deliberate, non-contact behavior that has the potential to cause emotional or psychological harm to an athlete. Non-contact behavior includes verbal and physical acts, as well as actions that deny attention or support. It also includes any act or conduct (e.g., child abuse and child neglect) described as emotional abuse or misconduct under federal or state law.
- Emotional misconduct does not include professionally accepted coaching methods of skill enhancement, physical conditioning, team building, discipline or improving athletic performance.
PHYSICAL MISCONDUCT
- Physical misconduct involves contact or non-contact behavior that can cause physical harm to an athlete or other sport participants. It also includes any act or conduct described as physical abuse or misconduct under federal or state law (e.g., child abuse, child neglect and assault).
- Physical misconduct does not include professionally accepted coaching methods of skill enhancement, physical conditioning, team building, appropriate discipline or improving athlete performance.
SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
- Sexual misconduct involves any touching or non-touching sexual interaction that is non-consensual or forced, coerced or manipulated, or perpetrated in an aggressive, harassing, exploitative or threatening manner. It also includes any sexual interaction between an athlete and an individual with evaluative, direct or indirect authority. Last, any act or conduct described as sexual abuse or misconduct under federal or state law (e.g., sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, rape) qualifies as sexual misconduct. An imbalance of power is always assumed between a coach and an athlete. Minors cannot consent to sexual activity with an adult; and all sexual interaction between an adult and a minor is strictly prohibited.
MALTREATMENT
- Child maltreatment is the general term used to describe all forms of child abuse, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and emotional abuse.