Safe Sport Requirement? Seriously?

[MysticOakRanch]

So, we don’t have enough requirements on our plates already for rated shows, now USEF is requiring ALL who show or participate in USEF events must complete this training:

http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/usef-announces-new-safe-sport-training-requirements

I actually think this is a good idea for coaches, trainers, and PARENTS (no requirement that THEY complete it however). But seriously - how many of you have any contact with kids at all in dressage? I am not at a show barn, I haul in to shows, compete, haul back out - no contact with kids at all - except maybe to say hi if I recognize one in the warm-up.

Has anyone else noticed this new requirement?

[Janet]

mandated by federal law.

[Mardi]

@MysticOakRanch

Has anyone else noticed this new requirement?

Noticed it, and thought it was over the top.
The new USEF rule includes this: “Those who do not complete the training within the grace period will be ineligible to participate in USEF activities, including competitions.”

How will they enforce that…by turning away entries in the show office ?
Mr. BNT comes to the show to ride clients’ horses, and the steward informs him that he cannot because he didn’t do the training. He goes back to the barn and competes the training online. Now he says it’s done and he can show. Show office says “We haven’t received confirmation yet. You’ll have to wait.” Will they let him compete anyway, because he’s a BNT with many clients, horses, and preferred barn location ?

Or nice amateur lady comes in to the office to pick up her number and is told “Sorry, can’t compete…didn’t do the training.” Reply: “What training ?? You accepted my entries and cashed the check”.

USEF has enough trouble enforcing their drug rules and suspensions, especially in the hunter division. Now show management has to take this on.

The intent looks good on paper, but in practice I just don’t see it going well.

Signed,
Skeptical

[MysticOakRanch]

@Janet

mandated by federal law.

Where? I read the law, and it does not mandate training of all participants. It mandates there be a reporting process (which I agree should be there), but it doesn’t say all sport participants must go through this training. Here is a summary they provide of the legal requirements:

[]Amateur sports organizations seeking a sanction for amateur athletic competitions must implement and abide by the policies and procedures to prevent emotional, physical, and child abuse of amateur athletes

Amateur sports organizations, which participate in an interstate or international amateur athletic competition and whose membership includes any adult who is in regular contact with an amateur athlete who is a minor, must

• Comply with the reporting requirements of the Victims of Child Abuse Act

Establish reasonable procedures to limit one-on-one interactions between an amateur
athlete who is a minor and an adult

-Offer and provide consistent training to adult members who are in contact with amateur athletes who are minors

• Prohibit retaliation

[poltroon]

I think it’s a really important step for the horse industry to have this training available. Some of us have had training of this sort via our day jobs, but a large number of people in the horse industry have never experienced any kind of HR, any kind of harassment training, any kind of “this is how you act professional” except by the side of another horseman.

An hour of your life, you can find it.

Your membership won’t be official without it, just like it won’t be if they don’t receive your payment.

[Middleburg_Misfit]

@Mardi

How will they enforce that…by turning away entries in the show office ?
Mr. BNT comes to the show to ride clients’ horses, and the steward informs him that he cannot because he didn’t do the training. He goes back to the barn and competes the training online. Now he says it’s done and he can show. Show office says “We haven’t received confirmation yet. You’ll have to wait.” Will they let him compete anyway, because he’s a BNT with many clients, horses, and preferred barn location ?

All show managers do pulls from the USEF web system to check riders for medical suspensions anyways, so it will go the same way. If a rider/trainer isn’t up to date on their Safe Sport training or (god forbid) has a Safe Sport violation suspension, it will show up for the secretary and the entry will be denied.

Since all of the training is online, there is no man-power that needs to go into processing of the completion, so once said BNT takes the training, it will automatically show up in the USEF system as completed.

I’ve seen so much complaining about Safe Sport, but really, it’s a 30 minute online class that can be useful. While you may not see it in your brief show experience (haul in, show, haul out, all at a personal barn), the examples of grooming and other behavior can open your eyes to other instances outside of the horse world where you might be able to help a child. What is 30 minutes, seriously?

[ladyj79]

People complaining about Safe Sport, seriously?

[scruffy_the_cat]

Seems like folks want it both ways- they want protection from harassers and predators, but not to have to any of the work. If Safe Sport training helps even one person, then it’s worth it. Is it the right way to go about doing it? Who knows? But it’s better than nothing and I, for one, appreciate the effort.

[soloudinhere]

In the time it’s taken to start/post in multiple threads about this, you could have completed it and moved on with your life.

[yaya]

It takes a little more than 30 minutes (more like 60-90), but once you are done, you can download the certificate to show to a show secretary, even before it shows up on USEF’s site (which doesn’t take long).

[MysticOakRanch]

@yaya

It takes a little more than 30 minutes (more like 60-90), but once you are done, you can download the certificate to show to a show secretary, even before it shows up on USEF’s site (which doesn’t take long).

I attempted it over a year ago, and it took more then 2 hours to get the darn thing working on my computer - I gave up! It crashed multiple times, and made me start over each time. If it was 30 minutes, I wouldn’t care, but since I"ve already spent 2 hours on it, and couldn’t even get it running correctly - that makes it a significant time investment in my books. And again, I have NO problem with it being required of coaches, parents, etc - and suggested for the rest of us. Why not just give us a SHORT and RELEVANT training… What I did get out of it (in between crashing my computer over and over) was that it is really more a team sport kind of training - soccer is VERY different then riding.

[atlatl]

I completed Safe Sport for the L program the day after the mandatory 2 hour training on sexual harassment that I take at work so pretty much breezed through it.

The point of the training is not sport specific; it goes through the steps abusers take to identify, groom and control (it’s all about control) their victims. The recent publication of the Jimmy Williams situation drove home to me how important this training is as I was able to easily see the pattern. The SS module talks about preventing athletes from starting positions on teams, Jimmy Williams’ victims were concerned with not getting the better rides.

I suspect it’s easier for USDF/USEF to point to something already existing than to create a separate training module.

[pluvinel]

What happens to people who show once or twice every eon and pay non-member fees?

[soloudinhere]

@atlatl

I suspect it’s easier for USDF/USEF to point to something already existing than to create a separate training module.

They have to meet the safe sport content requirement, and safe sport is providing all the infrastructure and content already for free, so why do anything differently?

[hoopoe]

this is not just about kids. College students have been entrapped in these unhealthy situations and yes, so are adults. This is education to allow them a resource for their concerns. If it prevents a situation, if it give support to someone who still struggles with the aftershock of past treatment , then it is all a positive.

it does not have to be horse specific, it is teaching concepts that pertain to many situations in life. There are, no doubt, adults who have never been through corporate awareness training and will see, through this, what kind of BS is going on right in their work place.

[emipou]

@MysticOakRanch

I attempted it over a year ago, and it took more then 2 hours to get the darn thing working on my computer - I gave up! It crashed multiple times, and made me start over each time. If it was 30 minutes, I wouldn’t care, but since I"ve already spent 2 hours on it, and couldn’t even get it running correctly - that makes it a significant time investment in my books. And again, I have NO problem with it being required of coaches, parents, etc - and suggested for the rest of us. Why not just give us a SHORT and RELEVANT training… What I did get out of it (in between crashing my computer over and over) was that it is really more a team sport kind of training - soccer is VERY different then riding.

It would be smart for shows then to offer this certification at their shows. You could do it in your downtime between classes, or early, or late, print and show. For those with less than ideal computers/connections/tech skill/printer/etc.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

@poltroon

I think it’s a really important step for the horse industry to have this training available. Some of us have had training of this sort via our day jobs, but a large number of people in the horse industry have never experienced any kind of HR, any kind of harassment training, any kind of “this is how you act professional” except by the side of another horseman.

An hour of your life, you can find it.

Your membership won’t be official without it, just like it won’t be if they don’t receive your payment.

This. We see that it is necessary. Think of what they have been through…the survivors. Let’s get it done and take it seriously and show our support for the effort and against abuse.

[yaya]

@emipou

It would be smart for shows then to offer this certification at their shows. You could do it in your downtime between classes, or early, or late, print and show. For those with less than ideal computers/connections/tech skill/printer/etc.

Our shows don’t have internet or WiFi, and due to location, they barely have cell reception! (Have to stand in one spot outside of the office, and don’t move!)

And why should the shows supply a printer? Toner and paper don’t come for free!

[soloudinhere]

@yaya

Our shows don’t have internet or WiFi, and due to location, they barely have cell reception! (Have to stand in one spot outside of the office, and don’t move!)

And why should the shows supply a printer? Toner and paper don’t come for free!

What do you need a printer for? The certificate is digital just store it in your email.

[soloudinhere]

@emipou

It would be smart for shows then to offer this certification at their shows. You could do it in your downtime between classes, or early, or late, print and show. For those with less than ideal computers/connections/tech skill/printer/etc.

The rule needs to be the same for everyone - you can’t enter the show until it’s done. Otherwise there will be too much “I’ll do it before the show starts” “I’ll finish it before then” “I’ll do it at the show and be done before the show is over” everyone needs to be held to the same standard. It’s 2018 the tech skill required is minimal.