Safe Haven® and the Division Coordinator
AYSO’s Safe Haven® program was designed to protect both players and volunteers while fulfilling a promise for a safe, fun, fair and family-friendly environment. Division Coordinators can help Regions ensure compliance with Safe Haven® guidelines and protocols. More information can be found in the AYSO Reference Book.
First and foremost, AYSO wants to ensure all volunteers receive maximum protection under the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 and therefore requires that all volunteers:
- Complete, sign, and submit a Volunteer Application each year and consent to a background check,
- Are authorized to do their jobs by the Region, Area, Section or other AYSO authority,
- Act within their Position Descriptions and the scope of AYSO Policies, Procedures and Guidelines,
- Complete Safe Haven® Training and are properly trained in their jobs.
A key role of the Division Coordinator is to help verify that all team coaches, assistant coaches, referees and team parents are registered volunteers who have submitted a current Volunteer Application for Safe Haven® screening and that they have completed Safe Haven® training and the appropriate job training including age specific coach training for coaches.
- All coaches, referees and board members are required to be trained and certified.
- Practices and games are NOT permitted without an AYSO trained and certified team coach.
- Official games are NOT permitted without an AYSO trained and certified referee for the 8U division and above.
Training and Certification is the only way to ensure the fulfillment of the AYSO vision and the protection of Volunteers and Players.
Note that changing state and federal legislation requires individuals who work with children in youth sports to have training in key areas of child protection including Concussion Awareness, Sudden Cardiac Arrests and Mandated Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse. Please consult aysovolunteers.org for State Matrices identifying additional training requirements.
Once the teams are formed, coaches are assigned, games are scheduled and everyone is trained and certified, it’s time to enjoy the season. And for the most part, that’s what it is – the joy of seeing children experiencing AYSO soccer.
Throughout the season, Division Coordinators should monitor coaches and teams to ensure that Safe Haven® supervision protocols and protection guidelines are being followed. Remind teams about any omissions and make notes about coaching styles and skills for the year-end evaluations.
AYSO requires the following Supervision:
- One adult for every eight or fewer children.
- At least two adults should be present at ALL times.
- At least one adult of the same gender as players.
- Adults should never be alone with a child, other than their own child(ren).
- Team coaches are responsible for the players on their team until they are picked up or otherwise leave the area.
- No child shall be left unsupervised after a game or practice.
- The AYSO “Buddy System” requires a minimum of 3 players.
In order to prevent misunderstandings, physical contact with children should be:
- In response to the need of the child only.
- With the child’s permission.
- Respectful of any hesitation.
- Careful to avoid private parts.
- In the open, never in private.
- Brief in duration.
- Age and developmentally appropriate.
Other Protection guidelines also include:
- Adults should avoid being alone with a child, other than their own, including transporting a child in a car.
- When it is necessary to speak privately with a child, select a spot out of earshot but within sight of others.
- Adults set appropriate boundaries and maintain adult privacy.
- Respect the privacy of children; intervening only as necessary for health and safety in the absence of parents.
- Hug from the side.
- No sexual jokes, comments.
- No corporal punishment.
AYSO also requires transparency in all electronic communications, requiring that all messages regarding AYSO activities be conveyed through parents or copied to older players. Private messaging between adults and minors is not allowed.
The identities of players must be protected from predatory individuals at all times by not posting the names of players with pictures or jersey numbers either on public websites, team banners or printed materials. Do not tag minors in social media posts.
AYSO coaches, referees, officials and participants are expected to present a healthy and safe athletic environment by not consuming alcoholic beverages, using tobacco products, smoking or simulating smoking or the use of tobacco products during AYSO activities.
All AYSO volunteers are asked to role model good sporting behavior and to help create an environment that enriches children’s lives, one that is both emotionally and physically safe, and that fosters learning and the development of young players.
KIDS ZONE®
Kids Zone® guidelines encourage appropriate sideline behavior – key to promoting a safe, fair, fun, family-friendly environment or “safe haven.” Every AYSO venue should be a Kids Zone® and every team should be encouraged to follow the Kids Zone® program. More information can be found in the AYSO Reference Book.
Division Coordinators can help make Kids Zone® a key part of the AYSO experience in a Region. Encourage Team Parents to help distribute and collect signed Parent/Spectator Pledges. The signed pledges can be helpful in the event there is a need to address someone’s sideline behavior during the season. Make Kids Zone® buttons and patches available for all participants and post Kids Zone® signs along the sidelines of fields.
The Kids Zone® Sideline tenets require that spectators agree to respect the following rules:
- Kids are # 1
- Fun, not winning is everything
- Fans only cheer, only coaches coach
- No yelling in anger
- Respect the volunteer referees
- No swearing
- No weapons
- Leave no trash behind
- Set a proper example of Good Sportsmanship
