1 | 2

Risky Business "Risk management is a phrase one sees increasingly in today's litigious society. More and more, national, state and local youth sports organizations are establishing risk management committees to reduce the legal and financial risks to members of the boards of clubs, leagues and state associations through proper management, while at the same time safeguarding players. A risk management committee can help protect your child's physical health by making sure, for example, that fields are free of holes, ruts, rocks or glass and that goals are padded and securely anchored to the ground before the start of each season, and protect their psychological well-being (by adopting programs like KidSafe TM and screening out abusive coaches). If your club, league or association doesn't have a risk management committee, join with other parents to push to have one established.

Was The Scholarship Worth It?
Men Coaching Girls A Special Problem?
Should Background Checks Be Mandatory?
Keeping Kids Safe

James R. Tavares was the coach of a highly successful amateur basketball team in Massachusetts for players aged 13 to 17. Scores of his players had earned basketball scholarships at Division I colleges. But Tavares had a secret: an arrest record for sex offenses and an alleged history of sexually inappropriate conduct towards some of his players. In March 1998, Tavares resigned amid disclosure of his police record and allegations that he had asked some players to take whirlpool baths with him and made them shower while he watched.

"Predators come from all walks of life and, more often than not, have a smooth, well-mannered demeanor. They can be charming, witty, helpful, eager to please, says Shaune Osborne, Risk Management Coordinator for the Iowa State Youth Soccer Association.

Back to Top

Linda Van Housen didn't tell her mother when her track coach sexually abused her. People don’t understand the power a charismatic coach has over a girl," Van Housen said. "My coach would tell me we had a special relationship no one would understand and to keep it a secret."

Psychiatrist Peter Rutter says that the central personality trait of men who take advantage of trusting women, whether as a coach, professor, minister or psychotherapist, is a desire for power. Van Housen said her track coach's obsession with control manifested itself in harsh rules. During long rides to meets, he wouldn't stop to let the girls on the team use the bathroom. He'd say how weak we were, which is what he'd say if when he didn't allow water breaks or made us run with injuries." As a result of the coach's abuse, Van Housen became a withdrawn teenager, isolated from her friends.

The key to solving this national problem is awareness, say coaches, athletes, administrators and psychologists. Break the silence, says sports sociologist Don Sabo, Chair of the Committee On Coach-Athlete's Relationships of the Women's Sports Foundation. Parents and daughters need to talk about the issue.

Back to Top

1 | 2

 Abuse, Harassment And Neglect: The Pain Of Emotional Injuries
 Recognizing The Warning Signs Of Sexual Abuse
 What You Should Do If Your Child Reports Harassment/Abuse/Neglect
 Preventing Harassment And Abuse In Youth Sports: What To Say At Home

Printer-friendly Version

Send MomsTeam Feedback