I don’t know anything about cycling, so I don’t know how that sport is divided.
But I would be hard-pressed to think of too many horse sports that don’t have some sort of mix of minors and adults, particularly at competitions. Other than horse racing, I guess. But that’s not an Olympic sport anyway.
Of course they haven’t. Your local soccer kids aren’t affected by the Safe Sport law that was passed by Congress. Surely , as an attorney (corporate, but still…) you realize that congressional law making, moves at a glacial pace where the welfare of children is concerned. At this point only Olympic sports under NGB rules are under Safe Sport regulations.
Thankfully, rated USEF shows fall under Safe Sport regulations. There has been horrible abuse of minors in horse sport, with adults looking the other way for far too long.
The NGB’s of many sports (USEF included) have shown themselves unwilling and/or incapable of policing themselves as far as protecting their minor athletes safety.
Some, mostly intelligent people here are complaining about having to spend 45 minutes online as a member of USEF. Can you imagine Congress trying to enact a law that requires everyone, everywhere, who works with kids showing animals, to look at a SS video for 45 minutes once a year?
If you(general) can share the Safe Sport education that you are required to take online once a year, with the people that you (in general) know, who work with children and who have “never heard of Safe Sport”, so much the better. Do it.
Maybe have your soccer mom friend over and show her the Safe Sport information? That would be easier and more expedient than waiting for an act of Congress.
I can’t find anything on the USEF website that answers the question “Can non members take Safe Sport training”. Every one of the “FAQ” are about how to be able to avoid the training or, will the horse’s points count if the owner hasn’t completed the training? etc etc and so forth.
Perhaps the U.S. Center for Safe Sport has something about non-members taking training. I’ll check tomorrow.
Instead of questioning why other people aren’t required to receive the education, why not pass the education on to a friend, who has never heard of Safe Sport but whose kiddo plays sports?
Many of us are aware of how child abusers work, but there are many people who are not.
If you (in general) know people who aren’t required to take the Safe Sport training, but really should be aware, why not invite them to learn?
I never said that I didn’t tell her about–obviously we had the conversation or I wouldn’t have known that she didn’t know anything about it (and I am connected to her through work–I have very little intersection with school age parents). I am, however, surprised that school sports, where most children participate, are not part of this, and yet sports where there are very few children participating (dressage) are! To me that is very odd. By the way, soccer has been an Olympic sport since 1990 so it is reasonable to assume that it would fall within SS guidelines. And while I am required to take SS to compete (which I’m not sure I want to do anymore anyway), there is really not many ways in which I can “spread the word” so to speak as most of the people I interact with do not have school age kids. There are far better uses of my time–say spreading my knowledge of diversity, equity and inclusion, which horse sport knows little about.
The “I don’t interact with children so I shouldn’t have to do this” argument never sits well with me.
There is absolutely no way to ascertain when a competive ride will or won’t interact with someone under 18. There are many, many active competitors under 18 in horse sports, whether you (general) ever interact with them or not. There is no way to prove who will or won’t cross paths with minors.
I don’t get the same visceral reaction with criticism of the methodologies of delivering the training: there is always room for improvement. But it always strikes a nerve when people argue it shouldn’t apply to them; you can’t opt out of the responsibility of knowing how to keep people safe.
There are no hunter shows in the Olympics so remind me again why those who only show in the hunter ring have to take safesport?
This is the type of the thing that confuses me, because those people with kids playing high school level sports need this the most.
Pony club requires safesport for their adult members and pony club is certainly not a national governing body of an olympic sport. (To clarify this statement, I think pony club membership is a great place for safesport training, though I think the training should be taken by all members. Just pointing out the whole - olympic national governing body thing does not always apply so it is no reason why places that safesport really should be happening and is not happening can be explained away.)
I also want to point out that the reason these discussion go no where is because as soon as someone asks a question or complains about the content people start screaming that they must not care about the kids, think of the kids.
Having a training that causes people to ignore it, is not helping the kids.
There is no discipline under usef that is “adults only”. Just because you personally do not interact with children doesn’t mean there is a regulation prohibiting them, therefore you must take training, just like the person in question did when he was in discipline that did allow minors.
Even combined driving, which has strict rules about minimum age still has non adults showing.
You clearly did not read the rest of my post.
I think there are huge areas that NEED education and it is not happening and to toss out that it happens here because of the Olympics is having a blind spot for all the areas that would really benefit from the education. (Edit to clarify since DMK deleted the rest of their post - the discussion was about hunter riders having to take it even though there is no hunter riding at the olympics)
And if that is the reason why Hunter riders have to do, then there needs to be some other reason why the adult bike group does not have to do it, because they are the same governing body, blah blah blah.
Edit to add, darn, I wish I had quoted your whole post to me now, you deleted it.
I deleted because I did read the rest of your post and got the full context. My brain just exploded (pre-coffee) when I read that first line. (I’m betting it triggered a few victims to boot, and there are PLENTY reading 
)
However it seems pretty obvious that the sub discipline (masters class) in USA Cycling DOES NOT ALLOW MINORS. If, tomorrow, a breed affiliate of fire breathing dragon horses joined usef, and only allowed non minor membership and participation, I imagine based on USA cycling that they took could petition too be exempt as long as they had that rule. But that’s simply doesn’t apply to any discussion in usef
Most of these other situations that lack Safe Sport and involve kids (school or local youth sports, scouting, etc) require background and criminal record checks at least for the coaches and other adults who may have more chances for private interaction with kids. Heck, those clearances are even required to volunteer at my local library. There also tend to be other rules in place that don’t allow one adult to ever be alone with one child aside from their own kid. It would be extremely foolish to have nothing in place these days. Most of these rules or trainings are not only designed to protect kids from abuse but also to protect adults from getting in situations where they may be falsely accused. Of course it’s not a perfect system and probably never will be. It sounds like the training course needs an overhaul. But as we can see from many of the past situations that have been coming to light over the last 10-15 years with churches, scouting, and sports, SOMETHING needs to be done.
It is in context of the conversation.
We are talking about all the places that it seems like there should be training and there is not and people throw at us that it is because they are not Olympics or such.
So that removes the reason why Hunter riders have to take it.
I think it is sad that people teaching high school sports know nothing about Safesport or any of this.
This is not the situation with the people I have talked to that coach sports.
I am glad your experience is different.
I think you should raise the legal challenge that ushja doesn’t need to comply with it while they remain under usef if you feel this strongly, because that is the basis for which it applies. But today the understanding is that if the discipline has minors and is under the USOC NGB, then safe sport training applies.
I agree with you that HS disciplines are in desperate need as well, but if there isn’t already a program in place, I do not believe they are prohibited from adopting the program. I’m not sure PC was required, I think it was voluntary since they are separate from the USOC NGB.
I am a member of US Pony Club. I can tell you that it is required by them to participate as an adult.
It has nothing to do with the government.
Cycling competitions do have junior races along with adult races. They don’t compete together, but they at the same venue. I have attached a flyer. I personally think all adults at these events, either officials, coaches and racers, should be required to take the SafeSport training. Minor competitors should too.
So that screens out the predators who got caught. We know that many of these people do this stuff for decades before they ever suffer consequences, if ever. The amateurs here are being told they need to take the FULL annual SS training that instructs on how coaches should interact with minor athletes to train us on what to look for and how to report when we see something suspicious. That is to ferret out the predators who usually do not have a documented record yet. Why would that need not apply in school sports and other non-Olympic sports involving minors? Like I said, my husband, as a referee, who has to pay membership dues, etc. does not receive any similar training on reporting, recognizing grooming behaviors, etc.
I don’t think any of us resent having to take ANY training, but it should be better tailored to the range of audiences.
Well put.
I certainly do not mind being required to complete the SS program, just as in my former life I was required to maintain Basic CPR and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification, plus earn 40 hours of continuing education credits every year in my surgical specialty. There were good CE courses and there were bad CE courses.
I personally would call the SS course as it was structured the last time I completed it to be on the bad end of the course spectrum. The information is important; the format and presentation sucked.
Yes, PC requires adult members to be SafeSport trained (once–you do not have to do it annually like in USEF), however I do not believe Pony Club as an organization was required by law to participate in SafeSport. From my understanding, it was recognized that as an organization serving majority youth there was a need for this kind of training of adult members/coaches/volunteers/etc. They just happened to choose SafeSport as a program many were already familiar with and doing anyway through membership in USEF. At last year’s PC Convention there were a lot of folks who were pushing them to either develop their own training or use training from another organization (Girl Scouts has something similar, for example) because it can be a bit of a challenge to get compliance from folks who are not already doing it through USEF due to the length of the SafeSport training.
I’m sorry I wasn’t clearer in my statement. I understand that pony club (wisely) elected to adopt safe sport, this is what I was attempting to convey:
Pony club voluntarily adopts the standard. This is a good thing. To the extent that other organizations that are involved with minors in sport do not have similar standards/protections, they too should be more like pony club and voluntarily adopt safe sport. That would also be a good thing.
It doesn’t matter that hunters do not got to the Olympics, safe sport is mandatory for all disciplines under the ngb that handles Olympic sports. Still a good thing.
That is all.
I actually think SS is important and everyone should take it, whether they have regular interaction with minors or not. I just think it could be a lot more effective. Repeating the same exact course over and over again doesn’t seem like an effective method of teaching people.
I haven’t seen it, but I’ve never been at a barn with kids.
I don’t mind the stuff that’s actually about protecting kids. But the videos about the importance of sports in a child’s life? About how to host children at an away game? Totally irrelevant.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
