SAFE SPORT

Fellowship of Christian Athletes is committed to creating a safe and positive environment for its participants’ physical, emotional and social development and ensuring it promotes an environment free from abuse and misconduct. Fellowship of Christian Athletes has implemented policies addressing certain types of abuse, misconduct and policies intended to reduce the areas where potential abuse and misconduct might occur.

The policies below address the following types of abuse and misconduct:

• Sexual Abuse and Misconduct
• Physical Abuse and Misconduct
• Emotional Abuse
• Misconduct
• Bullying
• Threats and Harassment
• Hazing
• Locker Room Policy
• Electronic Communications Policy
• Travel Policy

Definitions

Emotional Abuse/Misconduct Definitions

Repeater or severe non-contact behavior involving (a) verbal acts, (b) physical acts and/or (c) acts that deny attention or support. Emotional misconduct is determined by the objective behaviors, not whether harm is intended or results from the behavior

• Verbal acts: Verbal assaults that repeatedly attack someone personally, repeatedly and/or excessively (e.g. calling someone worthless, fat and disgusting, and yelling at a particular athlete or other participant in a manner that offers no productive training or motivational purpose).
• Physical Acts: Physically aggressive behaviors such as throwing (sports equipment, water bottles, chairs) at or in the presence of others and punching walls or other objects.
• Acts that Deny Attention: Ignoring or isolating an athlete.

Physical Abuse/Misconduct Definitions

Any contact or non-contact conduct that causes or reasonably threatens to cause physical harm to another person.

• Contact Violations: Punching, beating, biting, striking, choking, slapping, intentionally hitting another with objects, encouraging an athlete to return to play prematurely following a serious injury without medical clearance.
• Non-Contact Violations: Isolating an athlete to a confined space, forcing an athlete to assume a painful stance or position for no athletic purpose, denying adequate hydration, nutrition, medical attention or sleep, providing alcohol, illegal drugs or non-prescription medications to another.

Sexual Abuse/Misconduct Definitions

Sexual touching or non-touching sexual behavior, with a person of any age, that is non-consensual or forced, coerced or manipulated, or perpetrated in an aggressive, harassing, exploitative or threatening manner. Creates an inappropriate or hostile environment and includes the following behavior:

• Sexual harassment
• Intimate relationship with a person in position of power or power imbalance sexual jokes, comments or innuendos to or about an athlete
• Child sexual abuse: Any sexual behavior with a minor
• An intimate relationship between a coach and an athlete or another person in a position of power, trust and authority
• Threatening to disseminate pictures, videos or recordings of another person in sexual act or private activity
• Taking or viewing pictures, videos and/or audio of a sexual act

Harassment Definitions

Repeated or severe conduct that (a) causes fear, humiliation or annoyance, (b) offends or degrades, (c) creates a hostile environment, (d) reflects discriminatory bias in an attempt to establish dominance, superiority or power over an individual athlete or group based on age, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, religion, national origin or mental or physical disability, (e) any act or conduct described as harassment under federal or state laws.

Emotional, physical or sexual misconduct as well as:

• Discriminatory Harassment: Based on race, age, sex, etc.
• Stalking: Following a person, frequent phone calls, emails, etc.
• Sexual Harassment: Sexual advances, request for sexual favors, verbal or physical behaviors of sexual nature

Threats

Written, verbal, physical or electronically transmitted expression or intent to physically injure or harm someone.

Bullying Definitions

Repeated or severe aggressive behavior among minors that is intended or likely to hurt, control or diminish another person emotionally, physically or sexually.

Forms:

• Social/Cyberbullying: Using rumors or false statements about someone to diminish that person’s reputation; using electronic communications, social media or other technology to harass, frighten, intimidate or humiliate someone; socially excluding someone and asking others to do the same.
• Physical: Hitting, punching, pushing, beating, biting, striking, kicking, choking, spitting or slapping; throwing objects, such as sporting equipment, at another person.
• Verbal: Teasing, ridiculing, taunting, name-calling, intimidating or threatening to cause someone harm.
• Sexual: Teasing, ridiculing or taunting based on gender or sexual orientation (real or implied), gender traits or behavior (e.g. taunting someone for being too effeminate); teasing someone about their looks or behavior as it relates to sexual attractiveness.

For more on Bullying, please see FCA's Anti-Bullying Policy below.

Hazing Definition

Any conduct that subjects another person to anything that may endanger, abuse, humiliate, degrade or intimidate the person as a condition of joining a group, team or organization. This can be done physically, mentally, emotionally or psychologically.

• Tying up, taping or physically restraining another
• Beating, paddling or physical assault
• Forcing consumption of alcohol, illegal drugs, binge drinking
• Excessive training and/or sleep deprivation
• Withholding food or water and personal hygiene
• Engaging in any mentally abusive harassments, threats, chants, songs and/or yelling or screaming

For more on hazing, please see FCA's Anti-Hazing Policy below.

Position of Power

• When a person has direct supervisory, evaluative or other authority over another.

Imbalance of Power

• Coach-athlete relationship is an imbalance of power relationship

Prohibit Retaliation

• Retaliation against any athlete or parent who makes a report in prohibited. Any report of retaliation will be fully investigated and those who do retaliate will be held responsible.

Screening Policy

All coaches, volunteers or staff that come into regular contact with minor athletes, or hold a position of power, should be properly vetted and screened prior to contact with minors.

Purposes of a Screening Policy

• Protects participants from known offenders.
• Deter offenders that have not been caught away from joining FCA programs because of known policies against abuse.
• Help protect Fellowship of Christian Athletes and its employees and volunteers from liability that could arise from allowing a previous offender to have access to minor participants.

Locker Room

The locker room can be a vulnerable place for athletes and misconduct. All clubs should have clear policies for expectations in this environment. Below are policies on ways to keep the locker room safe.

• Locker rooms must be supervised by a screened and approved adult. This adult will regularly and frequently enter the locker room to monitor activity.
• Coaches and adults are not to dress, shower or changes in the locker room with athletes.
• Coaches and adult participants are not to be alone with an athlete in the locker room.
• Any meeting with a coach and minor in the locker room must include another adult.
• Cell phones and other mobile devices with recording capabilities, which include voice, still camera and video cameras, are not permitted in the locker room.
• Separate locker rooms should be available for both genders.

Social Media

Offenders use social media to gain access to minors and to introduce them to sexual content. Coaches are not permitted to privately text, email, call or socially engage with individual athletes on any social media site.

• All texts should be sent to the team and include parents.
• Texts should never include offensive, sexual or inappropriate language.
• Members of the club and coaches can follow TeamSnap or club Facebook page.

Physical Contact Guidelines

• Coaches are not permitted to have bodily contact with athletes outside of the sport and can only have physical contact within the sport with the following conditions:
• Permission is given by athlete and the contact is for correcting physical form or mechanical position.
• Spotting with permission.
• Congratulatory high five or pat on head or back.
• Coaches are not to massage or give back rubs to athletes, wrestle, tickle or engage in horseplay.
• Coaches are prohibited from kissing, lap sitting and touching an athlete in the genitals, breast, buttock or thigh areas.
• Physical abuse and sexual abuse are prohibited.

One on One

• Coaches are not allowed to be alone with an athlete.
• Coaches are not permitted to drive alone with an athlete in a car.
• Coaches are not permitted to be alone with an athlete in a hotel room, athlete’s home, locker room, storage room, car or coach’s home, or social setting.
• Coaches are not permitted to socialize alone, outside of the sport, with an athlete.

Travel Policy

• Coaches are not permitted in an athlete’s hotel room to visit or sleep.
• Coaches are not permitted to travel alone with an athlete.
• Have appropriate chaperones.
• Athletes should travel and stay with parents. If parents are unable to travel, they can assign their child to travel with another family (not the coach or coach’s family).

Other Prohibited Behaviors

• Commenting on athlete’s bodies or appearances in a sexual manner.
• Exchanging or giving gifts.
• Romantic communications with athletes.
• Show obscene or suggestive photos.
• Video or photograph athletes in revealing or suggestive poses.
• Discuss sexual topics, jokes, comments, and sexually oriented banter with athletes.
• Ask athletes about their dating behavior.
• Sharing personal marriage or dating, or sexual behaviors.
• Holding “closed” practices or practices or events no open to parents or other adults.

Grooming Behaviors

Predators are allowed access to an athlete’s life by gaining the confidence of the child’s parents and organizations. The child’s family is led to believe the special attention the child receives is beneficial and empowering. The predator uses grooming, which is special treatment over time, to lower the victim’s defenses. The predator uses institutional manipulation, mastering organizational rules to exploit lapses, create opportunities to prey on the victim, and later to keep the victim quiet.

Grooming Behaviors or Red Flags:

• Singling youth out for special attention.
• Gift giving by coach to individual athlete.
• Spending one-on-one time with minor athletes, separating an individual athlete or finding ways to be alone with an athlete.
• Touching minor athletes in ways no related to training or sport.
• Telling youth sexual or inappropriate jokes or stories.
• Commenting on a child’s appearances when not related to sport.
• Treats an individual athlete different than others and makes that athlete feel special.
• Creates a dynamic where the athletes “need” him/her and he/she “needs” the athlete.
• Befriends an athlete’s parents and socializes outside of the sport.
• Encourages an athlete to keep secrets about the team activities, travel, and practices.
• Become “friends” with the athlete.
• Shows obscene or suggestive photos.
• Asks about dating history, sex questions, etc.
• Being “handsy,” always touching, hugging, patting butt and thighs.

Anti-Bullying Policy

It is the policy of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) that there shall be no bullying of any participant involved in any of its member programs by any other participant.

FCA believes all athletes have a right to a safe and healthy school environment. FCA has an obligation to promote mutual respect, tolerance and acceptance.

Definitions

Bullying is any severe or pervasive (repeated over time) physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically (i.e., cyberbullying), directed toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have one or more of the following effects:

1. Placing the athlete in a reasonable fear of harm to the athlete’s person or property.
2. Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the athlete’s physical or mental health.
3. Substantially interfering with the athlete’s academic performance.
4. Substantially interfering with the athlete’s ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities or privileges provided by FCA.

Cyberbullying is bullying using technology or any electronic communication, including without limitation any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part. This includes communication by a wire, radio, electromagnetic system, photo-electronic system or photo-optical system, including without limitation e-mail, internet communications, instant messages or facsimile communications. Cyberbullying includes the creation of a webpage or weblog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person, or the knowing impersonation of another person, as the author of posted content or messages if the creation or impersonation creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying in this Section. Cyberbullying also includes the electronic distribution of a communication to more than one person or the posting of material on an electronic medium that may be accessed by one or more persons if the distribution or posting creates any of the effects enumerated in the definition of bullying in this Section.

Investigation

When a report is received, FCA personnel will collaborate with parents and athletes to agree upon a course of action and work as quickly as possible to ensure the safety of athletes, gather information and clarify facts. FCA personnel will make all reasonable efforts to complete the investigation within 10 business days after the date of the report and take into consideration additional relevant information received during the investigation about the reported incident of bullying. Interventions may be provided, as needed, to the parties involved in the bullying, including but not limited to social worker services, restorative measures, counseling and others.

Consequences

If an athlete is determined to have engaged in bullying behavior, the athlete will be subject to disciplinary actions appropriate to the offense, the athlete’s age and past behavior, and the circumstances surrounding the events. Disciplinary actions may include a series of graduated consequences and, in severe cases, suspension. Disciplinary actions will be thoughtfully taken to promote athlete safety and wellbeing, see changed and improved behavior, and uphold the Mission, Philosophy and Core Values of FCA.

FCA will not tolerate behavior that infringes on the safety of any athlete. An athlete shall not intimidate, harass or bully another athlete through words or actions. Such bullying behavior includes direct physical contact (e.g. hitting or shoving); verbal assaults (e.g. teasing or name calling); social isolation or manipulation.

FCA expects students and/or staff to immediately report incidents of bullying to the FCA Player’s Health Protect site. Staff who witness such acts need to take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so. Each bullying complaint will be promptly investigated. This policy applies to athletes when they are attending camp, traveling to and from games, or participating in an FCA-sponsored Huddle.

To ensure bullying does not occur, FCA will provide staff development training in bullying prevention and cultivate acceptance and understanding of all athletes and staff to build each club’s capacity to maintain a safe and healthy environment.

Staff should discuss this policy with their athletes in age-appropriate ways and assure them that they need not endure any form of bullying. Athletes who bully are in violation of this policy and subject to disciplinary action to and including suspension.

The FCA Code of Conduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Any athlete who engages in bullying may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including suspension.
• Athletes are expected to immediately report incidents of bullying to the FCA Player’s Health Protect site.
• Athletes can rely on staff to promptly investigate each complaint of bullying in a thorough and confidential manner.
• If the complainant athlete or the parent of the athlete feels that appropriate resolution of the investigation or complaint has not been reached, the athlete or the parent of the athlete should contact Ken Williams, Senior Executive Advisor of FCA. FCA prohibits retaliatory behavior against any complainant or any participant in the complaint process.

The procedures for intervening in bullying behavior include, but are not limited, to the following:

• All staff, athletes and their parents will receive a summary of this policy prohibiting intimidation and bullying at the beginning of the sports season as part of the FCA League Management system’s notification to parents.
• FCA will make reasonable efforts to keep a report of bullying and the results of investigation confidential.
• Staff who witness acts of bullying shall take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so. People witnessing or experiencing bullying are strongly encouraged to report the incident; such reporting will not reflect on the target or witnesses in any way.

Anti-Hazing Policy

It is the policy of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) that there shall be no hazing of any participant involved in any of its member programs by any other participant.

FCA supports constructive, educational activities that contribute to the spiritual, personal and physical development of athletes and other individuals. Therefore, FCA prohibits hazing within the athlete community. Any person participating in, suffering from or witnessing an act in violation of this policy is encouraged to report the incident in a timely manner to the FCA Player’s Health Protect site.

FCA defines hazing as intentionally, knowingly or recklessly, for the purpose of initiating, admitting or affiliating a minor or athlete into or within a group (or for the purpose of continuing or enhancing an athlete’s membership or status in a group), causes, coerces or forces an athlete to do any of the following:

1. Violate federal or state criminal law.
2. Endure brutality of a sexual nature.
3. Endure brutality of a physical nature, including whipping, beating, branding, calisthenics or exposure to the elements.
4. Endure brutality of a mental nature, including activity adversely affecting the mental health or dignity of the individual, sleep deprivation, exclusion from social contact or conduct that could result in extreme embarrassment.
5. Consume any food, drink, alcoholic liquid, drug or other substance that subjects the minor or student to a risk of emotional or physical harm.
6. Endure any other activity that creates a reasonable likelihood of bodily injury to the minor or student.

Accountability

Hazing is a crime and may result in the imposition of criminal penalties against an individual, a group and/or FCA. In addition, athletes and groups are subject to discipline under the FCA Code of Conduct, up to and including suspension of an athlete or group of athletes, depending on the specifics of the incident.

This policy applies to athletes while they are attending FCA camps, traveling to and from games, and/or participating in an FCA-sponsored League.

The policy applies to all athletes, parents, coaches, employees, volunteers and other persons associated with FCA.

Groups may be held accountable

1. When a violation is committed by one or more members of the group and is supported by the group’s practices, custom or traditions.
2. When a violation is authorized, encouraged, or tolerated by one or more members of the group acting on behalf of the group within the scope of their membership.
3. When the group, through its relation, fails to take action to prevent violations of FCA policy.

Allegations against FCA employees who serve as staff or are otherwise associated with the group shall be reported to the Disciplinary Committee of FCA in the event of allegations that they failed to prevent hazing. Allegations against volunteers and other individuals associated with FCA shall be reported to the local police department and/or another appropriate office.

Athlete Conduct Process Guidelines for this Policy

If anyone suspects a student or student organization of hazing, that person should report the incident in a timely manner to the FCA Player’s Health Protect site.

Athletes may be held responsible for a hazing violation individually, in addition to the group.

1. It is the responsibility of the League and/or Club leadership to inform athletes, parents and coaches of FCA’s Hazing Prevention Policy.
2. This policy will also be posted on every League’s FCA branded microsite.