Links/Education

Parent Education

Information on Safe Sport and Concussions was shared with families at the Annual Parent Meeting in September and is attached for future reference.

Safe Sport Basics

The U.S. Center for SafeSport is an independent non-profit organization that has exclusive authority given to them by the “Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017” and the Bylaws of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to investigate and resolve possible SafeSport Code violations involving sexual misconduct.

USA Gymnastics Safe Sport is the organization’s department that handles all Safe Sport related matters such as:

• Reports of misconduct;

• Policy Violations;

• Education related to policy; or

• Education for the prevention of abuse.

If you have a question regarding policy, misconduct, or a specific case, you can contact the USA Gymnastics helpline at 833.844.SAFE (7233) or safesportpolicy@usagym.org. The helpline and email account are monitored during regular business hours and will be replied to as soon as possible.

Parents are encourage to visit the USA Gymnastics Parent Portal at www.usagymparents.com. This is a good resource for information and education. USA Gymnastics recommends reviewing the Parents Guide to Understanding USA Gymnastics Safe Sport.

Arlington County required trainings for gymnastics coaches and staff include Safe Sport; Mandated Reporter – Child; Safety and Risk Management; and Stewards of Children (Darkness to Light). Staff attended a presentation by Shelba Waldron, USA Gymnastics Director of Member Club Education and Outreach, on boundaries with athletes and parents at the Season Kick-Off Staff Meeting on Friday, September 9, 2022.

Additional parent and athlete education sessions on Safe Sport will be scheduled this season. Dates and times are forthcoming.

USA Concussion Overview

The USAG Concussion Overview is also attached for your review.

The number one priority of our program is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our athletes.

CONCUSSION AWARENESS

As we all know concussions are on the rise within competitive sports. Our coaches continue to educate ourselves on the latest research and take the necessary precautions when an athletes shows possible signs of a concussion.

It is just as important for parents to be familiar with the signs and symptoms of concussions. Please talk with your athlete regarding concussions and that they should immediately let their coaches know if they have any of the signs.

We are looking into guidelines and baseline testing for our athletes for the next competition season. More information will be available towards the end of the summer.

Below are some articles for you to read regarding concussion awareness.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/24/concussions-can-occur-in-all-youth-sports/?_r=0

https://usagym.org/PDFs/Member%20Services/webinars/nov14.pdf

Concussion Awareness Cont.

To help ensure the health and safety of young athletes, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) developed the Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports initiative to offer information about concussions to coaches, parents, and athletes involved in youth sports. The Heads Up initiative provides important information on preventing, recognizing, and responding to a concussion. We strongly suggest that parents take this opportunity to educate themselves on the symptoms of concussions and the appropriate way to monitor them. You will be surprised as to how many signs there are that most take for granted or simply miss. Click HERE for more helpful information.