Keeping
Kids Safe

Sport Injuries

Our Sport Clinic now offers prevention and treatment services including a sport medicine physician, chiropractic services, physical therapy, massage therapy, nutrition, and sport psychology. The Sport Manitoba Clinic offers Functional Movement Screens that are a valuable tool to help reduce the risk of sport related injuries. The screen identifies physical imbalances, limitations, and weaknesses, as well as establishes a functional baseline to mark progress.

We recently launched a new concussion program designed to inform the sports community about the key issues related to concussions, whether they happen on the field, ice or court.

Read it here.

Abuse

Community sport needs to address the issue of child safety, specifically as it pertains to harassment and abuse. Coaches and parents/guardians need to work together to help keep our kids safe. Parents play a critical role in protecting children. Understanding child sexual abuse and implementing strategies to prevent it, can help you build safe environments for your child and other children in the community.

Here Are Some Suggestions

Respect in Sport Certified - Keeping sport and kids safe

In 2006, Sport Manitoba launched a program called Respect in Sport (Sheldon Kennedy helped develop it). Respect in Sport - Coaches helps us keep kids safe through a simple and convenient online training course for coaches and sport leaders. It is designed as a tool to assist coaches in identifying and dealing with abuse, neglect, harassment, and bullying in sport. As a parent, ask if your coach has their Respect in Sport certificate. As a coach, encourage the adults around you to take this simple online course. In 2016 we launched an updated program for our coaches to take. Some Provincial Sport Organizations require parents to take the the parent version of Respect in Sport.

Rule of Two

The goal of the Rule of Two is to ensure all interactions and communications are open, observable, and justifiable.

The Rule of Two serves to protect athletes and coaches from potentially vulnerable situations by ensuring that more than one adult is present (at all times). Vulnerable situations can include closed doors meetings, travel, and training environments. As a parent, try to avoid situations that place your child alone with a coach or volunteer, particularly behind closed doors. As a coach, you need to ensure there is at least one other person, preferably another screened and trained adult, with you and your athlete. Leave the door open or meet in public areas when you need to have sensitive conversations. You can also encourage the athlete to bring a trusted person in the conversations as well.

The same rule applies to online communication. Parents should be copied on email or text message communications. Coaches should never talk to their athletes in chat rooms or via social media direct messaging. Group chat is ok, but never on social media platforms like SnapChat. Please always use platforms that save your chats like Team Snap, TeamLinkt, etc.

Coach Training

Canada has a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) that offers a course called Make Ethical Decisions (MED). This course helps coaches identify the legal, ethical, and moral implications of difficult situations that present themselves in the world of team and individual sport. There is  also the Commit to Kids for Coaches online training that addresses the importance of understanding boundaries, sexual misconduct and reporting of inappropriate behaviour. As a parent, ask if your coach has taken MED or Commit to Kids. As a coach, encourage the adults around you to take these simple courses.

Screening Process

Parents and coaches should look to get involved with organizations or activities that have screening policies. Good screening processes can include volunteer interviews, reference checks, criminal record checks and child abuse registry checks. If your organization/activity doesn't have a screening process, Sport Manitoba can help. Contact Susan Lamboo, Coaching Manager.

Trust Your Gut

Listen when your instinct whispers that something might not be right. Don't ignore it. In fact, turn the volume up and tune in. Ask questions. And most importantly, get help.

Safe Sport Line

As a coach or a parent, you might encounter a situation in sport centering around bullying or harassment that you are uncertain about how to address. Talk to someone who can help.  For support, consultation, referral or resources please call toll free 1-833-656-SAFE or email help@safesportline.ca. For any suspected incidents of abuse, harassment, bullying and hazing call this number immediately. A trained support line staff person will be available to assist with questions or concerns.