USA Archery is committed to providing a safe, healthy and fun learning environment for our athletes. All coaches and club administrators are required to have a Background Screening and current U.S. Center for SafeSport training. The Minor Athlete Abuse and Prevention Policy (MAAPP) spells out expectations for adults in coaching and leadership positions.
The U.S. Center for SafeSport (The Center) is an independent nonprofit headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The Center provides a safe, professional and confidential place for individuals to report sexual misconduct within the U.S. Olympic Movements. The Center also provides resources on abuse prevention and policies.
On and off the field of play, USA Archery is committed to providing training, educational materials and resources for our athletes, coaches, clubs, and parents.
Education is the most important tool for combating misconduct. Use USA Archery’s U.S. Center for SafeSport resources to help you understand how abuse occurs and what you can do about it. Learn to recognize signs of grooming behavior and boundary violations and know what to do when you suspect a child’s safety is at risk.
The Center's Education & Outreach Office is a national awareness and prevention resource to sports organizations of all levels, from youth to professional. The Center develops and implements programs based on best practices to keep athletes protected from emotional, physical and sexual abuse.
The Core U.S. Center for SafeSport Training is a required 90-minute online course for the following adults at USA Archery and Local Affiliated Organizations* (Collectively referred to as USAA):
Those individuals USAA (a) formally authorizes or appoints (a) to a position of authority over, or (b) to have regular contact with athletes, including, but not limited to, any volunteer, coaches, instructor, judge, administrator, board members, trainers, medical personnel (excluding those who only have incidental and observable contact with athletes at events); and,
Other individuals who have regular contact with athletes as determined by USAA, in its sole discretion and/or as required by USOPC.
*A Local Affiliated Organization is a State Association or local club that is directly affiliated with USA Archery.
To complete the U.S. Center for SafeSport Training, follow these steps:
Note: Courses can take up to 24 hours to display in the Platform.
A 30-minute Refresher Course is required on an annual basis effective the calendar year following completion of the Core Training
Once a course is complete, your account will automatically update (may not be immediate). For more information on how to complete the course please contact [email protected].
If you see questionable behavior, say something! Report all sexual misconduct and child abuse to law enforcement and file a report with the U.S. Center for SafeSport at uscenterforsafesport.org/report-a-concern. Violations such as non-sexual child abuse, emotional and physical misconduct, including stalking, bullying behaviors, hazing, and harassment; criminal charges or dispositions not involving child abuse or sexual misconduct and minor athlete abuse and prevention policy violations should be reported to USA Archery at [email protected]. The U.S. Center for SafeSport has exclusive jurisdiction over allegations of sexual misconduct.
U.S. Center for SafeSport Reporting Line: 833-5US-SAFE
There are no associated costs or fees to report. You may report anonymously.
Report a Concern to the U.S. Center for SafeSportReport a Concern to USA Archery
The U.S. Center for SafeSport (The Center) is recognized by the United States Congress, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), and the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) as the official safe sport organization for all Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Para Pan American sports in the United States.
The Code is administered by the Center. The USOPC, NGBs, and Local Affiliated Organizations (LAOs) must comply, in all respects, with these policies and procedures and shall be deemed to have incorporated the provisions into their relevant policies as if they had set them out in full therein. Participants are responsible for knowing the information outlined herein and, by virtue of being a Participant, have expressly agreed to the jurisdiction of the Center and this Code’s policies and procedures, including those governing arbitration. The Center reserves the right to make changes to the Code as necessary. Once posted online, notice has been provided and changes are effective immediately unless otherwise noted.
The Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) is a collection of proactive prevention and training policies for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Movement. It has three primary components: an Education and Training Policy, Required Prevention Policies, and Recommended Prevention Policies. The Center developed the MAAPP to assist National Governing Bodies, Paralympic Sport Organizations, Local Affiliated Organizations, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and other individuals to whom these policies apply in meeting their obligations under federal law.
For misconduct to take place, an offender needs privacy, access and control. One way to reduce the risk for abuse is to follow USA Archery’s Minor Athlete Abuse and Prevention Policy (MAAPP) which spells out expectations and creates boundaries for one-on-one interactions.
USA Archery Clubs must require Minor Consent Forms to be completed as applicable for the following events:
The Athlete Safety Procedures for USA Archery Event Organizers outline what steps event organizers must take to pre-authorize field of play access for all volunteers, media, vendors, medical personnel, athlete assistants, coaches and judges, etc. (hereafter, “Event Personnel”). Event organizers are encouraged to plan ahead to make sure all “Event Personnel” who have access to the field of play at a USA Archery sanctioned event, while athletes are present, are authorized. USA Archery and/or the U.S. Center for SafeSport may audit any USA Archery sanctioned event at any time to verify compliance either in person or through a request for compliance information.
Athlete Safety Procedures for USA Archery Event Organizers Event Organizer Resource PacketResources for Coaches and Club Leaders
It’s important to establish healthy boundaries between athletes and coaches and have clear expectations about the coach’s role. USA Archery club leaders and coaches agree to USA Archery’s Code of Conduct and are required to follow the SafeSport Code to ensure there are strong and safe boundaries between adults and athletes.
Physical and sexual misconduct can be a hard topic to talk about with your children. It is extremely important to have these to help prevent your child from becoming a victim of abuse. Ongoing and open conversations with children about their bodies and appropriate boundaries will make it easier for them to talk to you if anyone is making them feel uncomfortable.
The U.S. Center for SafeSport Response & Resolution Office investigates and resolves alleged policy violations for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movements’ sport national governing bodies. The Center will report allegations or suspicions of child abuse to appropriate law enforcement. There is no statute of limitations on alleged policy violations involving sexual misconduct. If the Center concludes an individual committed a violation, that person has an opportunity to be heard before an arbitration body.
The U.S. Center for SafeSport Code and USA Archery's Minor Athlete Abuse and Prevention Policies outline prohibited conduct related to:
SafeSport Reporting: Reporting misconduct is vital to protecting athletes and preventing further incidents.
Sexual Misconduct: If you have a reasonable suspicion that child sexual abuse or neglect has occurred, the first step should be to make a report to law enforcement. Please also report sexual misconduct to the U.S. Center for SafeSport here: uscenterforsafesport.org/report-a-concern
Emotional Misconduct, Physical Misconduct, and Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy violations: please complete the USA Archery Athlete Safety Reporting Form and submit to [email protected]. Emails are monitored regularly by the SafeSport and Compliance team.
The U.S. Center for SafeSport’s Centralized Disciplinary Database is a resource designed to keep the public informed when individuals connected with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Movements are either subject to certain temporary restrictions pending investigation by the Center or are subject to certain sanctions after an investigation found them in violation of the U.S. Center for SafeSport Code.
Centralized Disciplinary Database
For information on how to file a USA Archery Administrative or Right to Compete Complaint please click here.
