Cer Acp 300 Course Content 2.0

CER ACP 300 COURSE CODE - “2GRO_W CHAMPIONS”
2GRO_W Champions
CER Topic Area: Athlete/ Coach Protection

CER Course ID: CER ACP 300
Authors:
Dr. Clark Power, Dr. Max Trenerry, Jimmie Santee
Reviewed by:
Dr. Gloria Balague, Susi Wehrli McLaughlin, Heidi DeLio Thibert
© Copyright 2017 PSA

NOTICE:
By signing on to take the exam, you certify that you are the person signing on and personally
completing this exam. False statements made by anyone taking this exam may result in
disciplinary action, up to and including, expulsion from the PSA both for the person taking the
exam and the person listed as the taker of the exam. This course is worth 1 credit towards U.S.
Figure Skating Continuing Education Requirement (CERs) for the successful completion of this
exam.
COURSE OBJECTIVE:
The objective of this course is to provide coaches’ education on the Definition,
Recognition, Elimination, and Prevention of abusive coaching, and the building of
safe training environments in figure skating. CER ACP 300 is a cooperative effort
among the Professional Skaters Association, U.S. Figure Skating, and University of
Notre Dame's "Play Like a Champion TM" program.
COURSE RESOURCES:
Prior to taking the exam, we recommend that you review and have on hand the following
materials:
 CER ACP 300 Course Content
 PSA Code of Ethics
o https://skatepsa.com/bylaws-ethics#code-of-ethics
 PSA Tenets of Professionalism
o https://skatepsa.com/bylaws-ethics#tenets-of-professionalism
 U.S. Figure Skating Code of Ethics (Official U.S. Figure Skating Rulebook
page 37)
o http://www.usfigureskating.org/content/2018-19%20Rulebook.pdf
 U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport Handbook
o http://www.usfigureskating.org/content/safesport%20handbook.pdf
2
COURSE OUTLINE:
Course Preface: Introduction of the GRO_W Approach
Part 1: Types of Abuse
Part 2: Physical Abuse
Part 3: Sexual Abuse
Part 4: Emotional Abuse
Part 5: Neglect
Part 6: Solutions
Part 7: Athlete/ Coach Protection:

U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport Handbook
Part 8: The National Standards for Sport Coaches
References
Credits
About the Authors
3
COURSE PREFACE: INTRODUCTION TO THE

GRO_W APPROACH
This course covers a topic that is delicate and often difficult for us to talk about, and it reflects
PSA’s and U.S. Figure Skating’s dedication and commitment to providing skaters with the best
possible experience by providing the finest training for skating coaches. As a society, we struggle
to understand how abuse can occur and how to deal with the effects. As coaches, we want
excellence for our skaters, and we would like to see them continue skating into their adult years.
The skaters we coach now will become the coaches of tomorrow, just like most of us were once
skaters. How our skaters are coached now will largely influence what kind of coaches they will
become in the future.
We know that abuse of skaters by coaches occasionally occurs. While we would like to think this
is a rare event, once is obviously far too often. Because most of us were once skaters who were
coached, there is a chance that some of you will see some of your experience in the course
material. If you recognize some of your own experience with one of your past coaches in this
course, we ask that you reflect on this information and use it to improve the experience that you
give to your skaters.
Within this course, the goal is for you to learn about the types of abuse that can occur and the
situations that can foster an abusive relationship. It is our purpose to provide you with
information about recognizing signs of abuse and helping to explain the effects of abuse. It is
important for coaches to know what to do if you become aware of abuse, how to react to it, and
how to report it.
The GRO_W Approach
The goal of coaching any youth sport, from soccer to figure skating, is to promote the growth of
children and adolescents as people. This means that coaches must always keep in mind basic
developmental principles as they work with young people. Coaches can do this by attending to
three basic human needs which must be met for growth to occur. A helpful way to coach for
growth is to keep in mind the GRO_W approach (Goals + Relationships + Ownership =
Winning). This approach is derived from Self-Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2007) and
moral education research (Power, Higgins & Kohlberg, 1989).
4
The goal dimension of the GRO_W approach focuses on setting challenging goals and maintaining
high but reachable expectations for every athlete. For purposes of this course, the athlete is
defined as a skater who is a minor, and a coach is defined as one who is in a position of
authority. Coaches should adopt strategies to foster intrinsic motivation so that young athletes
participate in the sport of skating for the joy and beauty of the experience. The relationships
dimension focuses on skating as a socio-moral activity.
Coaches need time and expertise to teach respect, fairness, and cooperation. The ownership
dimension focuses on skating as an empowering activity in which young skaters with proper
guidance and support can learn self-discipline and responsibility. The winning dimension follows
when athletes are fully and properly engaged in pursuing goals, building relationships, and taking
ownership. At any competitive level, coaches must subordinate winning to the development of
each athlete.
Because figure skating coaches often have especially close relationships with their athletes, they
must be particularly sensitive and vigilant. As an educational community, figure skating coaches
must protect children and adolescents from any kind of exploitation or abuse. Figure skating
coaches must dedicate themselves to building an athlete-centered climate characterized by
respect and growth. Coaches have both the privilege of helping young people grow
psychologically as well as physically. Coaches should never lose sight of their influence on young
skaters from early childhood through adolescence. To fulfill their role responsibly, coaches must
have expertise not only as teachers of skating, but also as developers of character. How coaches
coach is every bit as important as what coaches coach.
So, thank you for taking this course. In doing so, you are showing your commitment to our sport,
and your concern for your skaters. Your taking this course and others supports the development
of our coaching community.
5
PART 1: TYPES OF ABUSE

It is essential that coaches understand what constitutes abuse, including sexual abuse. Abuse
includes any act or failure to act that endangers a young person emotionally or physically.
There are four major types of abuse:
Physical Abuse
These are aggressive physical actions that can lead to harm, such as beating, slapping, hitting, or
severe punishment. Coaches should never touch a young athlete in anger. There is no place for
physical punishment in athletics. Physical punishment can lead to physical injury and emotional
harm. Threatening physical punishment is not an effective means of motivation and is
inconsistent with the goal component of GRO-W, which emphasizes motivating athletes from
within themselves.
Sexual Abuse
Any sexual act with a minor, such as a violation of a young person’s bodily privacy by
inappropriately touching or observing that young person, showing inappropriate visual material
to a minor, taking inappropriate photos or videos of the minor, making sexual comments, or
speaking about sexual matters to a minor. All sexual language or innuendo is out of place in
youth sports. Sexually suggestive choreography could also be considered sexual abuse as well.
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) published its current Coaching Code of Ethics in
2005.
3.4 Sexual Intimacies with Current Athletes
Coaches do not engage in sexual intimacies with current athletes.
3.5 Coaching Former Sexual Partners
Coaches do not coach athletes with whom they have engaged in sexual intimacies.
3.6 Sexual Intimacies with Former Athletes
(a) Coaches should not engage in sexual intimacies with a former athlete for at least two
years after cessation or termination of professional services.
(b) Because sexual intimacies with a former athlete are so frequently harmful to the
athlete, and because such intimacies undermine public confidence in the coaching
profession and thereby deter the public’s use of needed services, coaches do not engage in
sexual intimacies with former athletes even after a two-year interval except in the most
6
unusual circumstances. The coach who engages in such activity after the two years
following cessation or termination of the coach-athlete relationship bears the burden of
demonstrating that there has been no exploitation, considering all relevant factors,
including:
(1) The amount of time that has passed since the coach-athlete relationship terminated,
(2) The circumstances of termination,
(3) The athlete’s personal history,
(4) The athlete’s current mental status,
(5) The likelihood of adverse impact on the athlete and others, and
(6) Any statements or actions made by the coach during the course of the athlete-coach
relationship suggesting or inviting the possibility of a post-termination sexual or romantic
relationship with the athlete or coach.
Read more: The USOC Code of Ethics | eHow.com

http://www.ehow.com/about_6790985_usoc-code ethics.html#ixzz1V3Q1y8TM
Emotional Abuse
Any communication, act, or attitude that influences a young person’s psychological or social well-
being. Emotional abuse is often less easy to detect than physical or sexual abuse because it can
occur through words and non-verbal forms of communication. Emotional abuse can also be
rooted in what we have called a toxic team environment. Calling skaters names, kicking them off
the ice after a mistake, belittling them, placing blame, comparing skaters with others as a “put
down,” and humiliating them are forms of emotional abuse that are common examples. The
goals component of the GRO-W approach and the sections on communication give coaches
practical strategies for coaching in ways that build their skaters’ self-confidence and
psychological development.
7
Neglect
Failure to meet a skater’s basic physical, psychological, and social
needs. In sports, we rightly extol endurance and courage, the virtue
of fortitude. Sometimes, however, coaches mistake fortitude for a
“toughness” that ignores illnesses, injuries, and bullying. Abuse
frequently occurs in sports when coaches do not attend to athletes’
illnesses, injuries, and fatigue. Neglect can also occur when coaches
fail to respond to athletes’ emotional pain, for example, after making
an error or missing a key element in a program. Coaches are
neglectful when they allow their skaters to skate on poorly
maintained equipment or dangerous ice conditions. Finally, coaches
are neglectful when they observe or suspect abuse and fail to do anything about it.
When we think about abuse, we often immediately and only focus on sexual abuse from which
we must protect children. Coaches must also be alert to the fact that they can also physically
and psychologically abuse athletes by the kind of punishments they give (e.g. denying an
athlete water or rest or forcing multiple run-throughs of a program until an athlete vomits or
cramps). Psychological abuse would include any form of bullying, intimidation, or ridicule. All
these situations are considered abuse.
“Punishment” – Dr. Max Trenerry (Click here to start video)

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: “So, when we think about punishment in an athletic situation there are three
things that we want to keep in mind. One is that punishment is supposed to reduce the frequency
of some unwanted behavior. That’s what punishment does, by definition. The problem is that
when coaches punish an athlete, the behaviors associated with that punishment, in the athlete’s
mind, will be several. And so, the coach will be punishing multiple behaviors, including some that
were good, and you wanted to see again. Another factor with this is that athletes start to learn
that they are avoiding doing something, so they avoid getting punished, rather than working
toward improvement. And the last thing is that punishment typically damages the relationship
between the athlete and the coach. So that they are now not thinking of the relationship in a
positive way, but they are seeking to avoid something, avoid doing something so they aren’t
punished by the coach. And that relationship isn’t going to be the same and it’s going to take a
while to recover from that if at all.”
Dr. Max Trenerry is a Consultant in Psychology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and
Associate Professor of Psychology in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. He received his Ph.D.
in Psychology from the University of South Dakota and completed his postdoctoral fellowship
in Clinical Neuropsychology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He is a trainer for the
Parents and Coaches Together (PACT) program that is a joint collaboration between Notre Dame
University and Minnesota Youth Soccer Association and is the Sport Psychology Consultant for
US Youth Soccer’s Region II Girls Olympic Development Program.
8
PART 2: DEFINING PHYSICAL ABUSE

Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is physical contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other
physical suffering or bodily harm. Like most forms of abuse, poor interpersonal communication
skills and a need to be controlling are among the motivations of abusers. Unfortunately, within
sports culture, the belief often exists that such abuse toughens the athlete.
There are numerous stories retold by several skaters of the abuse they endured at the hands of
their coaches. Many of the stories are retold with a hint of humor, but the stories are not funny.
In the past, while the behavior was not condoned, it was not necessarily stopped either.
Many stories are like the following: In the 50’s and 60’s, a certain skater took from a prominent
coach. Prior to one competition, the coach struck the skater across the face with a skate guard.
The long red mark was still visible when the skater competed. This coach’s students often
displayed bruises as the coach “had very strong hands.” “No one could get away with that today,”
said another of the coach’s students. This student was so traumatized by the frequency and
intensity of the abuse, that she would often leave the ice in tears. Finally, she had to stop taking
lessons from that coach.
Today, many of those same skaters talk fondly of the above-described coach. The coach was
passionate, and more importantly to most, it seems the coach got results. Why do we justify
years of abuse?
Description of Behaviors
It is just as possible for physical abuse to come from the skater's own parent or family member
as it is from a coach. A physically abused skater will often have bruises or welts on the arms, legs
or face, especially in various states of healing, in unusual patterns or clusters which would reflect
an instrument like skate guards. Internal injuries are common as are lacerations and abrasions,
especially around the mouth, lip, or eye.
Skaters’ Behaviors
A physically abused skater may also demonstrate extremes in behavior - agitation, anger or rage
- kicking the ice or throwing things, to crying frequently and showing signs of sadness. A physically
abused skater may also exhibit symptoms of depression, including anxiety or fear, and can
become passive or withdrawn. Physically abused people often report that they are always tired,
9
sleep poorly and have nightmares. Abnormal eating behaviors are also reported in abused
people. The results of physical abuse manifest into the ultimate issue – poor performance.
Coach or Parent Behaviors

Frequently, a coach or parent has performance expectations which are beyond the capabilities
of the skater. This misjudgment can be an indication that a skater could become subject to
experiencing physical abuse. Another red flag is the coach or parent who uses harsh discipline
inappropriate to the child's age, wrongdoing and situation. Any kind of abuse is always the
responsibility of the person who commits it.
Myths
Myth: “If it was abuse, it would be obvious.” Not all forms of physical abuse are obvious.
Punishment in the form of skating excessive laps or disproportionate program run-throughs can
have long term health effects such as stress fractures.
Myth: “Someone who verbally assaults a person is not likely to lash out physically.” On the
contrary, a study in 1979 by Dr. Lenore Walker, a staff psychologist in the New York City school
system, says verbal intimidation and similar actions represent escalating attempts to control, and
ultimately will lead to physical violence.
Myth: “Emotional and physical abuse does not affect anyone but the skater.” There are many
studies available that show the harm done to those who are exposed to secondhand abuse or
background anger in various levels. Some of the obvious signs are skaters who refuse to skate on
sessions where abusive coaches teach or who quit skating altogether.
10
“Secondhand Abuse” – Dr. Max Trenerry (Click here to start video)

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: The issue of secondhand abuse or background anger or unresolved anger in
the coaching or training environment is important, especially for young athletes. It’s important
for the adults too. It affects the young athletes even more. And we know that when young
athletes, that are not even involved in the situation, witness and experience, an angry
conversation between two adults or between a coach and another athlete, that the athletes
around that are adversely affected.
What seems to happen is that if the situation is left unresolved so that the anger and the issue
surrounding it are not brought to some sort of resolution; there isn’t some sort of agreement and
the relationship is left hanging, hanging and angry. That adversely affects the athlete’s mood and
that will affect their performance. It will be diminished by that. So, in situations where a coach
has an angry interaction with an athlete, or for that matter a parent having an angry interaction
with a coach, another parent, their own child, or another athlete, that will affect everyone around
them. It affects the younger athletes more, of course, because they have less experience in life.
So, their sense of themselves isn’t as secure as an adult.
An adult might walk away from one of these things and may feel bad about it. But the child is left
in a situation where the authorities around them have been angry and they haven’t brought the
issue to any kind of focus or resolution that’s productive, and so it turns out to be harmful.
“Physical Abuse” – Dr. F. Clark Power (Click here to start video)

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: From there we could move on to forms of physical abuse. Again, there are
the more overt kinds of abuse in which a coach may strike an athlete. Obviously that kind of
behavior, there’s no place in athletics for that. But there are other forms of physical abuse that
coaches sometimes use, and we must be very careful about how they are done. So, if the coach
were to punish an athlete by having the athlete repeat a drill to the point of where the athlete
may cramp up, or the athlete may become nauseated or start to vomit, whatever. Those kinds of
punishing, and I say punishing, routines, they really have no place in a sport. And they’re not an
effective means of correcting mistakes either. There are better ways, much better ways, of
correcting the mistake. But when “they” get used it’s a form of abuse and it has no place in
skating.
Dr. F. Clark Power is a Professor in the Program of Liberal Studies, a Concurrent Professor in
the Department of Psychology, Director of the Play Like A Champion Program, and a member
of the graduate faculty of Teacher and Leadership Education Programs at the University of
Notre Dame. He received his Ed.D. in Human Development from Harvard University and his
M.A. in Systematic Theology from the Washington Theological Union.
11
The Cycle of Abuse
The cycle of abuse is a social cycle theory developed in the 1970s by Lenore Walker to explain
patterns of behavior in an abusive relationship.
1) Tension building phase:
This phase occurs prior to an overtly abusive act, and is characterized by poor
communication, passive aggression, rising interpersonal tension, and fear of causing
outbursts in one's partner. During this stage the victims may attempt to modify their
behavior to avoid triggering their partner's outburst.
2) Acting-out phase:
Characterized by outbursts of violent, abusive incidents.
3) Reconciliation/Honeymoon phase:
Characterized by affection, apology, emotional manipulation, victim-blaming (shifting the
responsibility of the incident to the victim), or alternately, ignoring the incident.
4) Calm phase:
During this phase (which is often considered an element of the honeymoon/reconciliation
phase), the relationship is relatively calm and peaceable. The calm phase may be followed
by another tension-building phase and ultimately another cycle of abuse.
An example of the cycle of abuse is unfortunately not hard to find. One example happened in the
late 1960’s. It was this skater's 12th birthday, and he was excited to be training away from home
for the summer with his coach. The rink where he lived shut down for the summer, so the skater
made the trip to another state to train with the rest of his coach's skaters. The morning started
out like most of the others with a patch session. The coach’s star pupil was preparing to take his
seventh figure test, and the coach was not happy with the skater’s state of readiness.
In interviewing the skater for this course, the skater could not recall what he was hit with or for
how long. What he did remember was when he returned to the apartment where he was staying;
his coach had gained access and set up a “Hot Wheels” race track along with several cars in the
living room. For the next week or so, his coach was overly nice to him. This scenario played out
numerous times in his career with that coach. This form of abuse concluded when the skater was
16 years old, and the skater finally pushed back. He told his coach that the coach would never hit
him again. That incident earned him a hi-fi stereo system from the coach, and it was indeed the
final time the coach struck the skater.
12
Physical abuse almost always is associated with emotional abuse and in many cases is also
connected to sexual abuse. Many abuse victims are repeat victims; they experience several types
and/or incidents of abuse.
1) What are the risk factors that contribute to physical abuse?
2) How do we reduce the factors that put skaters at risk?
“Risk Factors” – Dr. Max Trenerry (Click here to start video)

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Well, the risk factors have to do with the characteristics of the coach, and
the expectations of the coach. We hope that the expectations of the coach fit the abilities of the
skater, and that the coach is looking to get that skater to improve as much as he or she can, and
also keeping in mind that we want the coach thinking of not just the skater’s performance now,
not just the skater’s skating career, but the rest of the skater’s life.
Because there will come a day when the skater isn’t skating competitively, and we want that
skater to look back fondly on their experience, fondly on their coaching experience and some day
we hope those skaters will become our coaches of today and tomorrow.
So, the coach’s expectations have to match what the skater can do. And when those expectations
begin to exceed that, and the coach’s reaction gets to be important at that point, and one of the
ways to reduce those factors that put skaters at risk is to not be alone with the skater, first of all.
So, if there are other people around, that changes the social expectation of the coach. It just
minimizes what can happen between the skater and the coach that we didn’t want to see.
Another factor that goes into this is having the coach anticipate that they’re going to add
something to the skater’s performance. We assume the skater is already doing many things very
well or they wouldn’t be there, and that they ‘re eager to learn.
So in looking at the coach’s expectations and the coach’s characteristics, if the coach can be
thinking of it in terms of “What can I have this skater add to what they’re already doing well?”
that changes the demand characteristics of the setting so that the coach can be thinking about
what the skater can add positively, as opposed to pointing out mistakes. And that helps keep the
coaching environment from becoming, shall we say, adversarial.
13
“Anger Management” – Dr. F. Clark Power

(Click here to start video)
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: It struck me that the context here is largely one of anger, and that the
dynamic that we want to explore is something like this, that as coaches we have to have goals for
the athlete. So, we want, really, to give them practice or a range within weeks or months or years.
We have goals that we think athletes should be able to meet, these expectations. And what
happens when the athlete doesn’t meet them?
One of the issues that can occur, I think as far as abuse goes; when our expectations are not met,
we can become angered. And I think people vary in terms of how they are experiencing anger. But
a number of us just experience it more acutely. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. But the anger
can translate into some of the things we talked about. It could translate into physical abuse that
is we become punitive when we get crossed. It could translate into saying things that undermine
the athlete’s self-esteem. “You’re nothing. You’re worthless. Where do you think you’re going?”
Can often issue threats. “So, do you want me to continue to be your coach? I don’t want to be
your coach anymore. I don’t want to work with you. You’re not worth working for.”
So, one of the things we need to become aware of is that if anger is our issue, what are the
warning signs of that anger and how can we recognize when the anger is beginning to build. So
that it doesn’t issue forth in some behavior that we’re going to regret or that is going to harm the
athlete. We’re going to drive the athlete out of the sport actually. Sometimes it becomes cyclic
because coaches who do this a lot, they’ll apologize, they’ll promise it won’t happen again, and
then when the factors reoccur the same things happen.
So at least the way I would recommend approaching this is to not just take the anger and the
punitive part away but say “What am I going to do? What’s my program so that this doesn’t really
get started at all? That the cycle doesn’t get started. Because once it starts going, it’s going to
repeat itself. For many coaches it’s a habit and it’s very hard to break. I think it’s harder for
someone who’s been coaching for quite a while and this is the way do it and for these folks to
break it, they’re going to have to work as hard to get rid of that habit and cyclic behavior as hard
as they worked to kind of build that up. They’re going to have to be breaking it down by doing
another, taking another approach to their coaching.
14
PART 3: SEXUAL ABUSE

Coaches and athletes often develop close professional relationships. They spend a lot of time
together, and the coach-athlete relationship may develop into a friendship outside of the ice rink.
However, personal boundaries between coaches and athletes sometimes get blurred. The
affection the coach shows the athlete can be good, but these affectionate feelings may become
inappropriate over time or may be misinterpreted.
The coach may develop romantic and/or sexual feelings for the athlete and may try to act on
these feelings. The athlete may also develop romantic and/or sexual feelings for the coach and
may try to act on these feelings. However, it is wrong for the coach to develop any type of
romantic, sexual and/or physical relationship with the athlete, and vice-versa. Sexual activity with
minors is illegal and subject to criminal charges. The coach, as the teacher, is in a role of power
and authority over the athlete, and the coach and athlete never have equal roles in the
relationship.
"It is not professional. It is no longer love. It is exploitation. It is self-gratification and that is just
flat out wrong," says Dr. Power. "And it is doubly wrong because we are in a position of trust
because as a professional coach, we have asked an athlete, 'Trust me. Trust me. I know how to
skate. I know what I’m doing and I’m going to help you be a good skater, but I need your faith.
And sometimes you’re going to have to trust me because you may not even understand ‘How this
is going to help me?’ but it will. And trust our relationship and trust that I care for you.”
The love and importance of skating for the athlete gets transferred to the coach and his or her
influence becomes larger. Athletes (and coaches tend to be former athletes) also may express
themselves physically more than others, so what may start as a normal way of expression may
degenerate into inappropriate contact.
Since skaters place so much trust in their coaches, a breach of that trust is one of the worst things
a coach could do to a skater. A romantic, sexual and/or physical relationship between a coach
and an athlete is always a breach of trust and should never happen.
15
“Thoughts on Sexual Abuse” – Dr. F. Clark Power

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Maybe I can start with I think one of the more obvious forms of abuse. This
receives a lot of attention and that would be the sexual abuse of an athlete. We talk a little bit about
how this happens, and maybe what things to look for so that we can be aware of this. And maybe
even what to look for in ourselves if we feel we may be getting close in an inappropriate way.
With the sexual abuse we have a broad array of behavior in mind here. Sexual abuse can involve
sexual contact with young athletes. At one extreme could be inappropriate touching. There could be
inappropriate comments being made to the skater. I think when it gets to touching and comments,
coaches need to be more reflective of what’s going on. I think this is one area where we need to just
think move carefully. Often things get said or communicated that we did not intend to say or
communicate.
The problem with communication is we can intend one thing with our gestures and with our speech,
but we always have to be aware of the other party. What’s the other party hearing? What’s the other
party experiencing? And our goal in trying to think about, talk about abuse here, is to be as sensitive
as we can be to young people.
Sexual abuse would be anything that would be unwanted by them, that would make them feel
uncomfortable, or would compromise our relationship as a coach and young athlete and turn it into
something that it is not meant to be. One of the things that I think we need to especially be aware of
is sometimes a coach could be just a few years older than a young person. We like to use the term
boundaries. There have to be boundaries as a coach.
If you become a coach, you accept a role. It’s a role in which the athlete is going to look up to you,
plus the athlete is going to in some ways surrender herself or himself to us in some ways because we
have expertise and we have power. We can’t forget that. But also, they admire us because very often
the people who coach are people who have achieved something in the sport themselves, so the athlete
wants to emulate that person. The athlete cares very much what that person thinks of them, and we
have to be, again, very sensitive to the power we have over young people.
So, in the sexual abuse area the danger goes two ways. One, the athlete could become attracted to
us and that can become an inappropriate attraction on the athlete’s part. So, we have to be the adults
here, and we have to be the teachers, and we have to have the lines already in our minds so if the
athlete approaches us in ways that are sexual, that is not what this relationship is about. And again,
young people may find this very flattering, perhaps everyone does, and there has to be a clear
boundary. “No, that is not what this relationship is about” and that has to start from the beginning.
The other side of the coin is the coach recognizing he or she has power and they use that admiration
that the athlete has and turn that against the athlete or take advantage of that.
16
Defining Sexual Abuse

Of the many definitions of sexual abuse, the one described here by the Incest Survivors Resource
Network, is easy to understand. "The erotic use of a child, whether physically or emotionally, is
sexual exploitation in the fullest meaning of the term, even if no bodily contact is ever made."
The definition covers a wide variety of issues and most notably, “even if no bodily contact is ever
made.” This definition includes verbal abuse, taking inappropriate photos or videos of minors, or
showing inappropriate sexual images to minors. All these forms of sexual abuse or harassment
can be extremely damaging to a young psyche. Should the athlete form an attraction to the
coach, there is no question that the onus is on the coach to ensure that the coach/athlete
relationship stays within the coach/athlete boundaries.
A True Story…
In another sport for years there were whispers; everywhere that "Coach A" worked with athletes,
there were accusations of improper conduct with athletes that went unreported or ignored.
Finally, while employed as the sport program director, "Coach A" became the focus of a police
investigation. One major newspaper, which had obtained a copy of the police report, stated
scores of individuals were interviewed, many of them former athletes associated with "Coach A."
The story declared, "Coach A often behaved improperly with athletes." Referencing the police
summary, the paper also wrote, “a pattern of behavior by Coach A that police claim included
taking inappropriate photographs of athletes, buying intimate apparel for them and luring
athletes into relationships with promises of status and stardom."
What were the consequences of "Coach A's" improper actions with his/her athletes? For the
athletes, there were many. For the coach, one major consequence was expulsion from life from
the National Governing Body (NGB) and the coaching organization.
Some Statistics
Children and adolescents trust those who are placed in authority over them. Sadly, many young
people have suffered because adults have taken advantage of their trust. The Center for Disease
Control and Prevention reported in 2005 that in the general population, 1 in 6 boys and 1 in 4
girls are sexually assaulted before the age of 18. The vast majority of abusers (90%) are male, and
71% of the time, the abuser knows the victim.
It stands to reason that skating as an industry would be no different than the general population,
especially when there is ample opportunity for predators to assert authority over a victim.
Coaches and all those who assist them have a special obligation to protect children and
adolescents from any form of exploitation. Given that incidents of abuse have occurred in the
past, coaches, judges and club officials should make every effort to protect all young people from
potentially harmful situations.
17
Answering the Question: “Why didn’t the skaters report the coach’s
conduct to their parents?” – Dr. F. Clark (Click here to start video)
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Yeah, this is common in all forms of sexual abuse. Not in just a coach to a
skater, but it happens with teachers. It happens with clergy. And I think what’s common to all
groups: coaches, teachers, clergy, the athlete looks up to and respects the coach. And parents
look up to and respect the coach. The trust is going in both ways, and while it’s occurring, I think
athletes may be involved in some kind of a denial in some ways. “This can’t really be happening
to me” or “This coach is such a fine person or someone I respect and admire. There must be
something wrong with me. Maybe I’m the one who provoked this behavior in some way.”
The behavior itself is shameful. Very often athletes aren’t proud of it. They don’t want to talk
about it and admit to it. It’s very, very common and I think it points to the importance of coaches
being vigilant of their own behavior and looking after each other. Because it’s too much, I think,
to expect that young people are going to have the judgment and the courage to stand up to a
coach. And unfortunately, there are some cases in which parents don’t even believe their children,
in which the parent is more likely to believe the coach than the parents are likely to believe their
children.
Dr. F. Clark – “Consequences” After reviewing the “Coach A” case,

what are the short and long-term consequences of sexual abuse?
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Well, the short-term consequences… There are a lot of things that we might
notice about young people who are being abused. They may withdraw socially. They may become
quiet. They look like they are being moody. There could be loss of appetite. They could begin
performing poorly in school. They could make up excuses for not wanting to travel with a coach,
or be with a coach, or trying to get out of the coach’s presence a lot.
So those would be some short-term behaviors. They are experiencing anxiety, usually mixed
feelings and emotions, and very often fear. And again, if they are involved in this, they are likely
to feel this is really shameful behavior. The shame is… They don’t want others to know about it.
And they feel guilty. They may feel that in some way they’re responsible for the behavior.
Long term consequences can be devastating. Young people’s relationships, intimate relationships
with others can be compromised. It may be very difficult for a young person to enter into a mature
love relationship. We know lots of examples of that. We also have lots of examples of substance
abuse occurring down the line, lots of alcoholism and use of other drugs. Basically, these are forms
of self-medication to deal with the pain. We could get the reverse kinds of sexual behavior where
athletes become promiscuous…. again, actually using sexuality as a type of drug to numb the pain
they felt by being taken advantage of. So, the consequences could be irreparable if the athlete
doesn’t get really quality psychological care.
18
Description of Behaviors
Coaches, judges and club officials are duty bound to assure that the athletes under their care are
treated with dignity. One of the most common forms of abuse involves sexual exploitation. For
this reason, physical and emotional boundaries between coaches and adolescent athletes should
be strictly maintained. As we have explained, relationships are a key to the GRO-W approach.
The relationship between a coach and a skater involves the administration of education. The
coach should teach skaters the skills of the sport, teamwork involving (coach-skater-parent) pairs,
dance and synchronized teams, sportsmanship, and the principles of sound decision-making.
Although coaches and skaters are equal as members of the team, they are not peers. Coaches
can and should be kind to their skaters without acting like one of them.
Coaches must avoid actions or situations that could lead to relationships or behavior that might
be harmful to athletes. Coaches must not breach the appropriate coach-athlete boundaries and
let their mentoring relationship develop into a romantic, sexual and/or physical relationship.
Boundary-violating behaviors include the following:

 Touching an adolescent or adult in a sexual or overly affectionate manner
 Requesting sexual favors of any kind
 Making sexually explicit statements
 Showing sexual images or taking sexual photos or videos
 Dressing or acting in a sexually provocative way
 Sexually harassing others. According to guidelines issued by the U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission (EEOC), sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual behavior. The
most blatant type of harassment takes the form of a quid pro quo: explicitly or implicitly
offering a benefit in exchange for sex. But the EEOC guidelines also prohibit more subtle
sexual behavior that has the "purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an
individual's work performance or of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive
environment." This could include derogatory comments regarding sexual orientation.
 Placing oneself in a situation with an athlete that cannot be witnessed. For example,
coaches should not use athletes’ lavatories or locker rooms when alone with an
adolescent.
 Fraternizing with adolescents over the internet or on cell phones should also be
avoided. As a rule, all contact with adolescents over social media must adhere to strict
professional standards. (See PSA Guidelines for Social Media at
http://www.skatepsa.com/Ethics-Guidelines-for-Social-Media.htm )
19
NOTE: Not all forms of boundary-violating behaviors are obvious. “Accidental” touching
behavior may not be “accidental” at all. If a coach is intentionally touching private areas of the
athlete’s body while coaching or using sexually suggestive connotations when referring to the
minor, such as “stud”, it is inappropriate. While considering that statement, it is well-known
that in the pairs or dance disciplines, it is not unusual for an unintentional or accidental touch
to happen on a lift or catch. However, repeated “accidental” touches should be addressed.
Non-sexual boundary-violating behaviors must also be avoided. These behaviors are rooted in
categories of physical or emotional abuse. These behaviors may be particularly difficult to
identify because many coaches so commonly use them. These behaviors can include, but are not
limited to:
 Any unwelcome invasion of an athlete’s "body-space" or personal life. Note: In the case
of a need of physical contact to teach a skill, the coach should be careful where they place
their hands. Prior to contact the coach should preferably ask permission or at least
announce their intention.
 Unwelcome hugs or other signs of affection
 Physical aggression
 Verbal abuse (ridiculing, berating, and/or humiliating skaters)
Sexual Abuse Myths

According to The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, there are many myths
regarding sexual abuse.
Myth: “Men are always the abusers.”

In recent studies at least 5% of abusers are known to be women. In the skating field, while there
are no statistics regarding this ratio, there have been instances of sexual abuse and notably one
expulsion of a female coach.
Myth: “The abuser is usually a stranger.”

The U.S. Center for Disease Control states that more than 90% of abusers are in a position of
authority as that of a parent, caregiver, or another person in a custodial role (e.g., clergy, coach,
or teacher).
Myth: “The abuser is always hated.”
20
Often the victim loves and protects the perpetrator. Some children feel "special" about the
abuse. It may be the only attention or physical contact they're getting. Because of this, some
survivors even into adulthood will deal with the abuse by minimizing it. Thus, they make the
abuser and the events "OK," to make it feel like they're okay.
Myth: “Only females are sexually abused.”

In fact, 30% of all male children are molested in some way, compared to 40% of females.
“Common Symptoms” – Dr. Max Trenerry (Click here to start video)

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Stress manifests itself in many ways. What common symptoms and illnesses
manifests from sexual abuse. What signs would appear that might indicate that someone was
being victimized?
And the symptoms that come out from abuse many times are somatic. So, you’ll see increased
reports of headache, stomachache, sleep problems, just feeling unwell, fatigue perhaps. And
those symptoms sometimes serve a purpose because you have to look to see if the symptom
serves to get someone out of a situation that they don’t want to be in.
Or perhaps gets them some other type of attention that they need or desire. So once the symptom
starts it may actually serve some kind of purpose or be reinforced, so to speak, and the athlete
may get something out of it that way.
But any of these somatic symptoms may come up in an abusive situation. It’s the function that
they serve because the child has been in a problematic situation. Call it what you will. If it is abuse,
whatever kind of stress it is, they get a tummy ache. And perhaps they don’t have to go there that
day because of that. That could be a huge reinforcer.
And the next time the situation comes up maybe the tummy ache comes up. That doesn’t mean
that the child is malingering, that they’re consciously doing that. They might, sometimes. Some
kids. And people do this. Adults do this. But if it gets them away from the situation it is a
reinforcement, in this case a negative reinforcement because it gets them away from a negative
situation and they’re getting a reward by coming up with the symptom or the complaint.
21
Effects of Sexual Abuse:

Children may be psychologically traumatized by sexual abuse. How do you recognize children
who have been sexually abused? The child may exhibit some of the following signs:
1) Sleeping problems
2) Lack of attention, difficulty concentrating, and/or spacing out at odd times
3) Loss of appetite
4) Sudden mood swings (angry outbursts, sullenness, fearfulness, depression, or
withdrawal)
5) Unexplained frequent stomach aches
6) Extreme immaturity (acting like a much younger child)
7) Frequent accidents or self-injurious behaviors
8) Refusal to go to school, or to the doctor, or home
9) Fear of adults
10) References to an “older friend”
11) Sexual activity or making references to sex
12) Extreme fear of being touched
13) Unwillingness to submit to physical examination
Warning Signals That Might Lead to Abuse:

Sometimes we may observe adults interacting with adolescents in ways that strike us as odd or
inappropriate. Don’t ignore these feelings. Stay alert and be aware of such warning signs as:
1) Making frequent physical contact with an adolescent (hugging, wrestling, tickling,
or other kinds of touching)
2) Seeking alone time with an adolescent
3) Spending free time with adolescents and disinterest in spending time with same
age peers
4) Buying adolescents expensive gifts
5) Following adolescents into bathroom or locker room
6) Showing an interest in adolescent sexual development
7) Asking adolescents about their sexual experiences
8) Making references to athlete’s body parts
9) Calling athletes by sexual names (e.g., “stud,” “sexy,” “slut”)
10) Disrespecting adolescent’s expressions of choice and ownership
11) Not responding to or correcting athletes’ inappropriate behavior
12) “Stalking” behavior.
22
“Warning Signs” – Dr. F. Clark Power (Click here to start video)

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Some of the things to look out for… Almost any change, dramatic change in
behavior would be worth exploring. With younger athletes, they may even complain about
stomach pain, or different kinds of ailments but it’s not clear that there’s an underlying physical
cause. Once can also, of course. So, these are some of the signs in the athlete that something’s
occurring. One wants to look at the relationship that they have with their coach and see if there’s
anything inappropriate there in their behavior.
Do they seem overly affectionate or overly withdrawn, overly uncomfortable with the coach? And
of course, one also wants to begin looking at some of the signs with the coach. We didn’t talk
about that, but I think that at least one sure sign that we should at least have our antennae up is
if coaches seem to take an undue interest in a certain athlete, seems to be looking for ways to
spend a lot of time or be alone with the athlete or travel with the athlete.
See you notice more and more that a coach is spending usually alone time with the athlete that
may be a sign that something’s up. Or the athlete or the coach may talk about having a friendship
relationship with the athlete, one wants to be alert to signs that this is crossing the professional
boundary. Coaches shouldn’t be treating athletes as a peer and shouldn’t be having the kinds of
relationships that a peer would have with the young athlete. Coaches don’t need that and
certainly the young athlete doesn’t need another peer. I think that saying usually goes “Athletes
need good coaches. They don’t need another peer.” So, we need to be alert to that when it’s
happening.
Identifying Adults Abused as Children
While there is no shortage of statistics that support the theory that abuse is widespread, these
numbers represent much more than statistics. They represent shattered dreams and lost
childhood of so many individuals; the effects that may last a lifetime. We know from the history
of the skating community that physical and emotional abuse in many instances was ignored by
parents and officials. Many of those former skaters have carried this legacy into their adulthood;
many are coaches.
The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress states that specialists in the addiction
field (alcohol, drugs and eating disorders) estimate that up to 90 percent of their patients have a
known history of some form of abuse. A study that they refer to point out that substance abuse,
including “food abuse,” is a frequent aftermath of early sexual abuse. Many survivors fail to see
any correlation with later tendencies toward ongoing abusive relationships, feelings of self-
loathing, inability to trust, or problems with intimacy.
23
The effects of early sexual abuse last well into adulthood, affecting relationships, work, family,
and life in general. Individual symptomatology tends to fall into four areas:
1) Feeling like damaged goods:

Low self-esteem, depression, self-destructiveness (suicide and self-mutilation), guilt,
shame, self-blame, constant search for approval and nurturance.
2) Failed attachment, a sense of betrayal:

Impaired ability to trust, blurred boundaries and role confusion, rage and grief, difficulty
forming relationships.
3) Helplessness:
Anxiety, fear, tendency towards re-victimization, panic attacks.
4) Isolation:
Sense of being different, stigmatized, lack of support, poor peer relations.
Time after time, certain issues reappear. Victims often blame themselves for the abuse regardless
of their age. When abuse is committed by an individual of the same sex (i.e., a man abusing a
boy), questions regarding sexual orientation tend to arise in the patient. What victims do
sometimes learn is that sex can be a means of bartering for getting what they want or need, or
for survival. Survival can be “real” as is reported in prostitution and slavery, or sex might be used
as a means of survival within a relationship. In other instances, individuals will quit the sport and
turn toward extremely isolated lives.
The CDC reports that even when individuals have spoken of their abuse prior to group
treatment, any pleasurable aspects have typically been denied. The opportunity to relate to
others, who have shared these feelings, as well as the experience, is part of the healing power
of this form of therapy. The sense of isolation, of being "different from the whole world,"
quickly begins to subside. It is only in revealing the secrets and dealing with the pain those
survivors of sexual abuse can and do go on with their lives.
Reporting Sexual Abuse

In many states, adults are legally obligated to report suspected child abuse when there exists
reasonable cause to suspect. All suspected sexual abuse should be reported to the Center for
SafeSport. If you see anyone in a supervisory capacity treating a minor athlete in an inappropriate
or questionable manner, you are obligated to bring this matter to the attention of local law
enforcement or public welfare organization and make a report. In addition, you are obligated to
24
bring the matter to the U.S. Figure Skating Grievance Chair or U.S. Figure Skating Ethics Chair (see
U.S. Figure Skating Rule GR 1.03.)
U.S. Figure Skating Rule GR 1.03 states:

The United States Figure Skating Association will not tolerate or condone any form of
harassment or abuse of any of its members including coaches, officials, directors,
employees, parents, athletes and volunteers - or any other persons – while they are
participating in or preparing for a figure skating activity or event conducted under the
auspices of U.S. Figure Skating. The U.S. Figure Skating Policy Statement on Harassment
and Abuse may be found in its entirety online at usfigureskating.org. Harassment of such
nature between or among U.S. Figure Skating members shall be reported to the chair of
the Ethics or Grievance Committee as soon as is practicably possible, per ECR 2.00 and
GCR 2.00. If any form of child abuse is observed or suspected, the observer should
immediately contact either local law enforcement or a public child welfare agency and
make a report. Any person who violates this rule, who fails to appropriately report or
who makes a false report or otherwise violates U.S. Figure Skating’s policy on
Harassment and Abuse will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with Article
XXIV.
U.S. Figure Skating Sexual Harassment Policy states:

U.S. Figure Skating strives to provide a safe environment for its members and to
protect the opportunity of its members to participate in our sport in an atmosphere
that is free of harassment and abusive practices. The association will not tolerate or
condone any form of harassment or abuse of any of its members including coaches,
officials, directors, employees, parents, athletes, and volunteers - or any other
persons - while they are participating in or preparing for a figure skating activity or
event conducted under the auspices of U.S. Figure Skating.
If an inappropriate or overly affectionate relationship should develop between a coach and a

skater, that coach should remove himself or herself from any contact with the adolescent or be
removed. Remember that all reporting and advice-seeking will be treated with the strictest of
confidentiality, sensitivity, and fairness to all concerned. You are not “betraying” others when
you report your suspicions; you are protecting young people from possible abuse and potential
abusers from criminal prosecution.
In fact, not reporting incidents in some states is against the law and the coach or witness could
be liable. Certain states have the “Mandated Reporter Status.” Coaches are considered a
“Mandated Reporter” in those states. This means that coaches are required to report or cause a
25
report to be made to the appropriate authorities whenever they have reasonable cause to
believe that a child known to them in their coaching capacity may be abused or neglected. Be
aware of your state laws and specific reporting requirements
Reporting Process To make a report of abuse, call the National Domestic Violence / Abuse Hotline 1-800-
799-SAFE | 1-800-799-7233 | 1-800-787-3224 TDD. All calls to the hotline are confidential, and callers may
remain anonymous if they wish. You may also call Victims Assistance Ministry at (800) 355-2545 or seek
help directly by contacting one of the Child Protective Services or one of the Law Enforcement Agencies
in your area.
The obligation of U.S. Figure Skating on members and member clubs to report suspicions or
allegations of abuse or misconduct; The importance of maintaining confidentiality with respect
to the complaint, complainant, victim, accused and other information related to the report and
incident(s) until “notice” must be given about a suspension or the outcome of any proceedings;
The circumstances in which an immediate or “summary” suspension is appropriate and the
procedures following a summary suspension; A general summary of the procedures for a hearing
under Grievance Procedures outlined in the U.S. Figure Skating rulebook.
Upon a report or other notice of credible information or allegations that

a person who is subject to the jurisdiction of U.S. Figure Skating:
1. May have violated any of the provisions of the U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport Program Hand-
book
2. Violated any of the sexual misconduct, physical misconduct, emotional misconduct, bully-
ing, threats and harassment, hazing policies or willful tolerance policies
3. Is subject to allegations of actual or suspected child physical or sexual abuse
U.S. Figure Skating will conduct an inquiry and/or initiate a disciplinary proceeding pursuant to
Article XXV, section 3B, to determine the appropriate discipline that may be imposed.
To make a report:
Email safesport@usfigureskating.org or call 719-635-5200
To Report Sexual Misconduct Violations:

Individuals should report suspected sexual misconduct violations directly to the U.S. Center for
SafeSport. Online Reporting Form - https://www.safesport.org/response-resolution/report
Phone: 720-524-5640
26
PART 4: EMOTIONAL ABUSE

A production of Joy Ciarcia-Levy, Producer; Edited by Mark Tyler, Camera & Sound Pagano Productions VIDEO Transcript:
New York Tape: Coach on Skater

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
Coach: Let’s see the Axel… Oh my God, are you kidding me? All the hours you had to practice, and
that is what you gave me? Get over here. What was that?
Skater: An Axel.
Coach: An Axel that you landed on your butt.
Skater: Well… it, I tried, I thought that was…
Coach: You tried? Oh, that’s great, you’ve seen other girls do that in this rink and you call what
you just did an Axel? That was gross. You’re too fat to rotate, your legs are wild, your arms are
wild, you had no lift, you had no distance because you’re lazy.
Skater: It’s just I’m tired and I’m hungry. If I had some food maybe I could do it…
Coach: No, I don’t even want to hear you complain. I don’t want to hear what you have to say. I
don’t want to know that you’re tired. I don’t care that you’re hungry. You should be hungry. You
should be starving yourself to lose that weight. This is a lack of practice; it’s you being fat; it’s you
being lazy. Honestly... go out and do it again. Step up into the air and rotate.
Coach: What was that?
Skater: An Axel.
Coach: That was disgusting.
What is Emotional Abuse?

Abuse is behavior that controls and suppresses another person using aggressive dialogue, fear,
and humiliation. It can include anything from constant criticism to more subtle tactics, such as
intimidation and manipulation. Today, we call it “bullying.” "A person is bullied when he or she is
exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other
persons..." (Dan Olweus: Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do).
**Note: Emotional abuse involves a pattern of deliberate non-contact behavior that has the
potential to cause emotional or psychological harm to a participant. These behaviors may include
verbal acts, physical acts or acts that deny attention or support.
There are three important components to this behavior:

1) Aggressive behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions
2) A pattern of behavior repeated over time
3) An imbalance of power
27
Emotional abuse systematically wears away at the victim’s self-confidence, self-worth, and faith
in their own perceptions. Whether it is done by constant berating and belittling, by intimidation,
or under the guise of “guidance,” “teaching,” or “advice,” the results are similar. Emotional abuse
cuts to the very core of a person, creating scars that may be far deeper and more lasting than
physical ones. (Engle1992, p.10.)
Types of Emotional Abuse

According to the University of Illinois Counseling Center, while emotional abuse can take many
forms there are three common patterns of bullying which include aggressing, denying, and
minimizing.
1. Aggressing
Aggressive forms of abuse include name-calling, accusing, blaming, threatening, and ordering.
Aggressing behaviors are generally direct and obvious. The abuser is attempting to judge or
invalidate the recipient which undermines the equality and autonomy of a healthy coach/skater
relationship. This pattern of verbal abuse is most obvious when the coach takes an aggressive
stance.
An indirect form of aggressive abuse may be disguised as “helping.” Criticizing or offering

solutions with an underlying judgmental “I know best” tone may be an attempt to belittle,
control, or demean rather than help.
Hostile aggressive coaching or parental alienation is a group of behaviors, whether verbal or non-
verbal, that causes a skater to be mentally manipulated or bullied into believing that a loving
parent, official, or another coach is the cause of all their problems. Hostile aggressive coaching
teaches the skater that the competition should be feared, hated, disrespected and/or avoided.
The destructive actions of the coach can become abusive to the skater since the alienating
behaviors are disturbing, confusing and often frightening to the skater. Hostile aggressive
coaching can rob them of their sense of security leading to types of behaviors that hinder the
skater’s ability to perform under pressure and to adjust to situations.
2. Denying
Invalidating seeks to alter or undermine a skater’s perception of their world. Invalidating occurs
when the abuser refuses or fails to acknowledge reality. For example, if a parent confronts the
coach about an incident, the coach may insist, “I never said that,” “I don’t know what you’re
talking about," etc.
Withholding is another form of denying. Withholding includes refusing to listen, refusing to

communicate, and emotionally withdrawing as punishment. This is sometimes called the “silent
treatment.” In skating terms this could be a period where the skater receives no lessons.
Countering occurs when the coach denies any viewpoints or feelings which differ from their own.
28
3. Minimizing
Minimizing is a less extreme form of denial. When minimizing, the coach may not deny that an
event occurred, but they question the skater’s emotional experience or reaction to an event. This
is very common in coach-to-coach and coach to parent confrontations as well. Statements such
as “You’re too sensitive,” “You’re exaggerating,” or “You’re blowing this out of proportion” all
suggest that the recipient’s emotions and perceptions are faulty and not to be trusted. This is
also a form of victim-blaming, where the coach shifts the blame of this emotionally abusive
behavior to the skater.
Trivializing is a subtler form of minimizing and occurs when the abuser suggests that what you
have done or communicated is inconsequential or unimportant. Denying and minimizing can be
particularly damaging. In addition to lowering self-esteem and creating conflict, the invalidation
of reality, feelings, and experiences can eventually lead you to question and mistrust your own
perceptions and emotional experience.
Impact of Abuse
The impact of coaching abuse on skaters can last long into the future, often well past the
retirement from skating. Some of the signs that may develop over time are:
 Depression
 Low self-esteem
 Health problems
 Frequent injuries
 Poor performance during tests or competition
 Poor school grades
 Suicidal thoughts
 Irritability
 Eating disorders
29
“When a Parent Abuses a Coach”: (Click here to start video)

A production of Joy Ciarcia-Levy, Producer; Edited by Mark Tyler, Camera & Sound Pagano Productions
VIDEO Transcript – New York Tape: Parent on Coach
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
Coach: Hi Melinda!
Parent: Don’t give me that “hi” stuff and that little smile of yours Ellen, I am so pissed today. My
daughter lost at Regionals, and it is your fault because you are a lousy coach.
Coach: No, n…
Parent: She has no confidence on the ice!
Coach: No Melinda it’s not my fault she had a-
Parent: It is your fault, you’re the coach!
Coach: She had a bad skate and-
Parent: It is your lousy coaching, it’s you that suck, not my daughter.
Coach: Melinda… Melinda, your daughter got nervous, she had a bad day-
Parent: No…
Coach: She’s got the right technique, she really can do this. She just needs more time…
Parent: Why is she not doing any Level 4 footwork?
Coach: It’s not all about Level 4 footwork…
Parent: She didn’t even get on the podium! I’m ready to get a new coach.
Coach: Melinda, don’t give up on me…
Parent: I am giving up on you. My daughter has not improved!
Coach: I can’t believe you’re saying this to me.
Parent: Of course!
Coach: We’ve been working together so well, she’s improved so much, she has so much fun when
we’re out there.
Parent: She hasn’t done anything! She didn’t even get on the podium at Regionals, she fell down.
Coach: It was her first time…
Parent: It’s because you’re a lousy coach, not because of my daughter.
Coach: It was her first time at Regionals.
Parent: No… no, other kids do better at Regionals than my kid did, and it was their first time too.
And they have different coaches! I’m really starting to think that maybe I should get another
coach. You have got one more chance to get my kid up on the podium. If she doesn’t win at the
next competition, I am done with you. You got it?
Coach: Melinda…
30
“Impact of a Parent and Coach Confrontation” – Dr. Max Trenerry

Filmed on location at PSA; PS Media Production; VIDEO Transcript
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: So, the parent- coach interaction is obviously very intense. The parent is
obviously very angry at the coach. That’s the kind of interaction that if it occurs in public, it will
affect everyone else surrounding it. And so other adults, including other parents and coaches, and
certainly the athletes, and again the younger they are the more damaging it can be. Because this
is an example of background anger that is unresolved.
There’s no resolution between these two adults. And this concerns young children especially
because they don’t understand how this relationship is to go forward into the future. They don’t
understand how the anger and the emotion is resolved, and its left hanging for them and it causes
a lot of anxiety and discomfort for them. It’s not going to help their athletic performance. That
that kind of anger just hanging out there is going to weigh on the mind of the athlete, and so then
they’re going to take that into their training and into their program. It surely isn’t going to help
them and just raises more questions for them about what are these relationships supposed to be
like?
Some athletes may wonder “Does my mom talk to my coach that way?” You know, once they can
start thinking this way they start to wonder, “Well, does that ever happen?” I’ll guarantee that
there are a lot of coaches that are looking at that and saying to themselves, “This is my worst
fear, is being challenged like this by a parent, especially in public.” And then the skaters are
thinking of this, as of course they will. And you don’t need a psychologist or a sport psychologist
to realize this is not creating a happy environment at our rink.
And we don’t have to have our skaters be perfectly happy. Some days we want them to be really
focused and maybe a little tense, you know, demanding of themselves. But this kind of interaction
isn’t going to help them focus their attention on what they need to do. It’s going to distract them
and detract from their program.
Understanding Abusive Relationships

No one intends to hire an abusive coach for their child, but parents tend to minimize issues when
they feel there is a potential upside to the coaching relationship. Early successful results often
justify that in a parent's mind. But the long-term effects of constant berating and belittling may
affect the skater's performances in increased inconsistency.
Abused skaters often struggle with feelings of shame, hurt, apprehension, and anger. Ironically,
abusers tend to struggle with these same feelings. Coaches who have either grown up in an
31
abusive environment or had abusive coaches are also likely to be abusive to manage their own
negative feelings.
Understanding the pattern of your own relationships, especially those with family members,
current skaters, and former coaches is paramount to appreciating the influence you have on
those you mentor. For example, you may act as a “bully” in some instances and as a “sparring
partner” in others. Knowing yourself and understanding your past can prevent abuse from being
recreated in your life.
32
PART 5: NEGLECT
Neglect
Neglect is a passive form of abuse; Neglect is the lack of care of someone in need. A coach is
responsible to provide mental, emotional and physical care for a skater for as long as they are
asked to do so by the parent(s) or guardian(s). If a coach fails or refuses to provide these
necessities it could endanger the skater’s physical health, well-being, psychological growth and
development. Physical neglect can severely impact a child’s development by causing
malnutrition, serious illness, and/or permanent injury due to lack of medical care needed and a
lifetime of low self-esteem.
Signs from the athlete during lessons

 Listlessness
 Poor responsiveness
 Does not often smile, cry, laugh, play, relate to other skaters
 Lacks interest, curiosity
 Cries easily when hurt or falls, even slightly, on the ice

Physical neglect…a coach ignores signs of injury in a student pushing them to do more and
more while not reporting the problem. For example: A skater has a chronic injury, and the coach
tells them to “deal with it and skate” regardless of the injury. This minimizes the skater’s natural
warning signs of pain, and the skater is then taught to not trust these signs. The skater may or
may not tell the parent.
Failure to allow the athletes water breaks or not allowing them to refuel during long training
periods is also an example of possible neglect.
“Thoughts on Neglect” – Dr. Clark Power (Click here to start video)

Filmed on location at the University of Notre Dame Alumni Hall; PS Media Productions; VIDEO Transcript:
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: … form of abuse which is neglect is the subtlest of all. Because…To abuse
someone through neglect is to fail to meet obvious needs that athletes have. And all of us can
probably do a better job at trying to meet other people’s needs and respond to them. But some
things that are fairly obvious… One, if an athlete is injured. We have to respond to the injury right
away. To continue with practice with an injured athlete would be a form of abuse. That would be
irresponsible.
To be informed that an athlete has an issue or a problem but not to factor that in to the kid of
training that we’re going to have, that would be, that could constitute a form of abuse. To fail to
33
get an athlete water when an athlete needs it, or an inhaler if the athlete would have asthma,
these would all be forms of abuse through neglect, by failing to respond to an obvious need. I
would even say that psychologically if we were aware that the athlete was dealing with a
traumatic thing at home, we’ll respond to that and understand if the athlete doesn’t perform up
to his or her capacity on a given day. That it may be due to other factors.
Emotional/Psychological Neglect
Emotional/Psychological neglect includes actions such as engaging in chronic or extreme verbal
abuse towards another coach or competitor in the child’s presence, allowing or encouraging a
skater to use drugs or alcohol, refusing or failing to recommend needed psychological care,
constantly belittling the skater, and withholding attention. Coaching behaviors could be
emotional child maltreatment may include:
 Ignoring (consistent failure to respond to the skater’s need for nurturance,
encouragement and protection, or failure to acknowledge the skater’s presence)
 Rejecting (actively refusing to respond to the skater’s needs -e.g., refusing to
communicate with the child or favoring other skaters over the skater)
 Verbally assaulting (constant belittling, name calling or threatening)
 Isolating (preventing the skater from having normal social contacts with other
skaters)
 Terrorizing (threatening the skater with extreme punishment or creating a
climate of terror by playing on childhood fears)
 Corrupting or exploiting (encouraging the skater to engage in destructive, illegal
or antisocial behavior)
A pattern of this kind of coaching behavior can lead to the skater’s poor self-image, alcohol or
drug abuse, destructive behavior, and even suicide.
Emotional neglect is often the most difficult situation to substantiate in a legal context and is
often reported secondary to other abuse or neglect concerns.
Abuse and neglect behaviors from the coach may include:
 Anger: The coach has emotional outbursts mostly to other coaches or other
parents.
 Frustration: The coach mutters under her breath and complains about the skater
during lessons.
 Belittling comparisons: The coach tells other students they deserve more than
“Susie” and tells “Susie” the same thing.
 Sarcasm: The coach constantly feels the need to make digs whenever there is an
opportunity and will make a negative comment followed by "just kidding" and
then laugh.
34
This type of behavior is selfish and unprofessional. The coach is not considering the job he or she
is being paid to perform; the coach is not putting the needs of the skater first. In the beginning a
coach takes on a new young skater, and the family is willing to do whatever the coach asks them.
In time they settle in and as the skater develops emotionally and physically, things begin to
change; the honeymoon is over.
For a variety of reasons, the relationship that was once close begins to drift apart. A coach may
feel he or she has lost control of the skater’s life. Eventually the coach no longer invests an
emotional interest in the skater and falls into a “collect a paycheck” attitude. This is seen more
often as the skater is ending their career in their teens. No longer does the coach have control
over how many hours a skater is training, how many lessons they are taking or how hard they
feel they are working. The skater has bigger school and social commitments to prepare for their
future beyond skating. Perhaps skating is not the priority anymore; neither is the coach. The
coach feels rejected and blames either the skater or the parents, saying they are: not good
enough-not worthy of my time-doesn’t listen to me-why bother, there’s nothing in it for me
anymore. In turn the coach neglects the changing needs of the skater at this period of their life
together.
It is a coach’s duty to help a skater bow out of the sport of figure skating gracefully, with joy and
dignity. It is probably one of the most difficult times in a skater’s life, no matter the level of the
skater. They have lived their life as ‘Susie-the-Skater’ and need to learn how to let go and become
‘Susie-who-Skates,’ it is part of the developmental process, and it is a coach's responsibility to
help them through this difficult transition.
Medical Neglect – Is it Similar to Physical Abuse?

Medical neglect is the failure, knowing reluctance or refusal from a coach to make sure that a
skater is provided with appropriate health care. Even in non-emergency situations, medical
neglect can result in poor overall health and compounded medical problems for the skater.
35
Dr. F. Clark Power – “Transitioning from the Sport”

Filmed on location at the University of Notre Dame Alumni Hall; PS Media Productions VIDEO Transcript:
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: This is a terrific area. I think this is a scenario we need to explore. So, one
area of transition, and I actually experienced it as a college teacher with college athletes that
were leaving the sport. In fact, a young man came to me, he was leaving the sport of swimming
and he said, “What can I read? Because this is behind me now. But I still identify as a swimmer.”
And I have a young woman who was a skater. Skated all the time in high school but then as she
went into college she couldn’t compete and sort of stay at that level. I think from the coaches’
standpoint this is something we’re really vulnerable in, because while we’re working with the
athlete and developing the athlete, that’s really engrossing, and both the coach and the athlete
have a lot at stake in the process. Once the athlete begins to withdraw or doesn’t compete at the
same level, often the coach will not provide the psychological support to help the athlete I believe
still identifies as that skater but has to hold that identity in a different way because that person is
taking on other things. So, this would be an area where we could be really supportive as coaches
and talk about it, maybe talk about our own experience transitioning from performing and
competing to coaching, and what that was like for us. And try to help the athlete. Maybe this is a
time when we can get athletes to think about giving back to the sport through coaching.
One other aspect of when I think coaches tend to withdraw from athletes is often around an injury;
if the athlete is seriously injured and cannot compete. Many athletes have said, “I may as well
have been dead. Coach could have cared less. Because I don’t seem to have any value while I’m
injured because I can’t perform.” And this is something that, again, I think if coaches could find a
role. What can the athlete do while the athlete’s not performing? Are there contributions the
athlete can make? Are there things the athlete could be learning? So that we haven’t completely
abandoned the athlete. That’s a terrific issue and hardly ever talked about.
Dr. F. Clark Power – “Play Like a Champion –

Keeping ‘Play’ in Our Culture” (Click here to start video)
Filmed on location at the University of Notre Dame Alumni Hall; PS Media Productions; VIDEO Transcript:
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: I think we have kind of an open conversation going. This is true in education.
People say the way to really educate kids is to pretty much do it 24/7. That we should eliminate
recess and after school programs, run the school 12 hours, run it on Saturday, run it through the
summer. Culturally we’re not there and we value lots of parts to children’s experience. Yeah, I
hope we can all be a part of that. That’s why I also like Play Like a Champion. I like to say I think
we want to hold on to play in our culture. I think we want to make sure it happens with our
children. And in many ways, it doesn’t happen with adults and I think that’s also part of the
problem with not just coaching but almost any of our fields that we tend to get driven and we
don’t make a lot of time for anything. I think Americans; this is something Americans aren’t good
at, where we’ve bought into that.
36
PART 6: SOLUTIONS
Characteristics of Healthy Coach/Skater Relationship
The coach/skater relationship is a dynamic one that can result into a strong rapport with the
skater. Coaches and skaters see each other at their best, and in some cases, at their worst
behavior. It is important coaches recognize the responsibility they must act professionally and to
provide the students in their care with the following:
1. Safety: Safety refers to the extent that a skater is free from physical and/or emotional
harm.
2. Stability: Stability refers to the degree of predictability and consistency in a skater
environment. Skaters that have a stable home and arena environment and regular
routines have the consistency needed to lessen the impact of stressful experiences.
3. Nurture: Nurture refers to the extent to which a coach is available and able to respond to
the needs of their skater. A nurturing relationship reduces the amount of fear in a skater
and allows him or her to explore the environment with confidence.
Basic Rights in a Relationship:

In 1992, Patricia Evans, author and an expert in the field of verbal abuse, suggested the following
as basic rights in a healthy relationship. They are easily adapted to the skater- coach relationship:
The right to good will from the other.

The right to emotional support.
The right to be heard by the other and to be responded to with courtesy.
The right to have your own view, even if the other has a different view.
The right to have your feelings and experience acknowledged as real.
The right to clear, informative answers to questions that are legitimately your business.
The right to live free from accusation and blame.
The right to live free from “bullying”
The right to have your work and your interests spoken of with respect.
The right to encouragement.
The right to live free from emotional and physical threat.
The right to live free from angry outbursts and rage.
The right to be called by no name that devalues you.
The right to be respectfully asked rather than ordered.
37
Appropriate Means of Communication with Athletes

In our world of advanced technology, coaches must be especially cognizant of their
communication with athletes through electronic media including email, texting and social
marketing. There are appropriate precautions to take:
 Communications with minors (e.g., notes, email and internet exchanges, telephone calls)
must be transparent and should be for professional reasons only.
 Coaches should inform and gain permission from their supervisor and parents of their
athletes for the various ways they plan to communicate with youth: personal cell phone,
email, social networking tools, etc.
 Coaches should email athletes from a published and/or work email account and not from
a private or unpublished email account.
 Email address of minors should not be shared.
 If utilizing a social networking tool to communicate with athletes, coaches should create
a separate account for coaching interactions. (I.e., the account that is used for personal
interaction should not be used for interactions with their adolescent athletes.)
 Coaches should use language appropriate to an educator and avoid vulgarity, cursing and
swearing. Coaches often use “salty” speech to motivate and to reprimand their athletes.
 Although some may consider this as an acceptable part of the sports culture, PSA and U.S.
 Figure Skating believe that use of vulgarity, cursing, and swearing is unnecessary and
undermines the culture of respect that should be a part of any educational environment.
 At all times, coaches should, model civil, professional, and respectful ways to express
strong emotions.
Additional Precautions
There are some additional precautions that coaches should take with their athletes to ensure
the safest environment for both the coach and the athlete:
1) If a coach is left with no other option than to be alone in a room with a minor, i.e. locker
room, the door should be open.
2) Coaches who plan an event in their homes with minors present, should always have the
permission of the minor’s parent or guardian and have another adult present.
3) Coaches should not drive minors without a parent’s permission.
4) Coaches should not share hotel rooms with minors when traveling to or at competitions.
38
A Code of Conduct for Coaches:

As discussed earlier, the GRO-W approach provides coaches with an alternative to practices that
humiliate athletes and undermine their confidence. Giving credit to Notre Dame’s Play Like A
Champion Program, the PSA has adapted the following Coaches Code of Conduct that exemplifies
the GRO-W approach and the cardinal virtues of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance.
As authorities who have influence over skaters, coaches are to:
1) Respect young people always. Use language appropriate as an educator and avoid
vulgarity, cursing, and swearing.
2) Promote young people’s physical and emotional well-being.
3) Promote all athletes’ competence through positive strategies and refrain from practices
that belittle and humiliate young people.
4) Promote healthy relationships among skaters and a commitment to the values of the
team.
5) Foster in athletes a sense of ownership and autonomy proper to their age.
6) Avoid all forms of intimidation and exploitation of skaters.
7) Maintain a proper physical and emotional distance with athletes.
8) Communicate and contact athletes following express electronic guidelines.
9) Be aware of signs of abuse.
10) Report suspected abuse or improper behavior and attitudes by another coach.
Reporting Neglect - What Can You Do?

If you suspect child neglect is occurring, first report it to the local child protective services agency
(often called “social services” or “human services”) in your county or state.
Professionals who work with children are required by law to report reasonable suspicion of abuse
and neglect. “Reasonable suspicion” based on objective evidence, which could be firsthand
observation or statements made by a parent or child, is all that is needed to report.
Duty to Report
Know state and federal requirements regarding “Mandated Reporter Status”; the legal
responsibilities of coaches to report and the legal consequences of neglecting that
responsibility include:
1) Coaches have the duty and responsibility to establish and maintain a training
environment free of abuse of or between their athletes. (See U.S. Figure Skating Rule GR
1.03.)
2) Coaches have a duty and responsibility to take seriously and respond to all incidents or
complaints of abuse.
3) Coaches should be encouraged to keep written records of all complaints and know to
whom all complaints should be reported.
39
4) Coaches should be required to participate in training and educational experiences that

enhance coaches' understanding of issues surrounding verbal and psychological abuse.
If a coach becomes aware of a colleague engaging in what they believe to be abusive behavior,
the coach has a responsibility to report the incident. It is not acceptable to silently collude with
abuse by doing nothing.
False Accusations
Currently, not all accusations will be credible. In the public forum, U.S. Figure Skating Rule GR
1.03 and the PSA's Code of Ethics, false accusations are a serious offense and subject to serious
sanctions. The PSA has set its own precedent by expelling a member who was proven to have
made a false accusation of sexual misconduct. Accusations of sexual assault are very serious
and should never be taken lightly. There are serious consequences to false accusations of
sexual assault for both the person being accused and the accuser.
Consequences of False Accusations

The Accused: A coach who is falsely accused may never recover from the serious damage that is
done to his or her reputation. Even when the accusations are proven false, people often have the
thought of the accusation in the back of their minds. That means that the falsely accused person
will have lifetime repercussions because of a false report. There are further consequences for the
person that is falsely accused as well. Legal expenses, missed work, lost students, even a jail
sentence, are a few of those consequences.
The Accuser
For the accuser, there are also serious effects. When people find out that someone has lied about
a reporting abuse when it did not exist, it is not likely that they will believe that person about
anything again. A false accuser could be charged with the crime of filing a false complaint and
could end up with hefty fines for the false report.
Coaches or athletes cannot be denied their right to pursue legal redress in a court of law. Statutes
of Limitation vary state by state and are continually subject to revisions and interpretations by
legal authorities. For example, in the state of Massachusetts, a victim of child sexual abuse has
until the age of 21, or three years from the act, or from the time the victim discovered or
reasonably should have discovered that an emotional or psychological injury or condition was
caused by the act. (3 General Laws c. 260, § 4C, as inserted by St. 1993, c. 307)”.
Another example exists in Minnesota where victims of sexual abuse must report within six years
or six years from the act, or from the time the victim discovered or reasonably should have
discovered that an emotional or psychological injury or condition was caused by the act. If the
victim was a minor, the victim must report before attaining his or her 25 th birthday (Minn. Stat.
Ann. § 541.073 [2002]). Know the laws in your own state.
40
Retaliation
Retaliation generally is the act of seeking reprisal or revenge upon another and is considered a
breach of federal law. Federal law prohibits the accused from harassing or otherwise “retaliate”
against accusers because they filed a charge. Retaliatory behavior should be viewed as seriously
as abuse itself and can occur independently of whether a charge of abuse is substantiated. The
PSA’s own Tenets of Professionalism state,
“As professionals, and as members of the Professional Skaters Association, we will not
engage in any course of conduct designed to harass another coach, skating organization
official, another skater, or the parent of another skater.”
Just as noted in false accusations, an allegation of retaliatory behavior is a serious offense and
subject to serious sanctions though both civil law and the PSA’s grievance procedures. (Rule
15A) of PSA Code of Ethics states:
"It is a violation of the PSA Code of Ethics for any person against whom discipline has been
filed to take any action directly or through third parties against any other person who
participated in any official capacity especially in the determination of discipline
proceedings."
Seeking Help
If you recognize yourself or your relationships in this course, you may wish to seek assistance
from a psychologist. The American Psychological Association’s web site (www.apa.org) has
information on finding a psychologist (http://locator.apa.org/). In general, you will want to seek
out a psychologist who is licensed to practice in your state. They may have doctoral degrees that
include the Ph.D., Psy.D. or Ed.D.
Some psychologists have additional specialty board qualifications from The American Board of
Professional Psychology. The ABPP website (www.abpp.org), also has a locator system for
finding boarded psychologists
(http://www.abpp.org/i4a/member_directory/feSearchForm.cfm?directory_id=3&pageid=3292
&showTitle=1).
“Final Thoughts” - Dr. Max Trenerry

Filmed on location at PSA; PS Media Production
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: I’d be inclined to ask coaches “What’s more important? The athlete’s skating
career right now or the life they are going to be able to live in years to come? And it’s worth
thinking about how you want to be known as a coach, and your legacy, and the kind of
contribution you’re making now to the community of coaches, to the skaters, and to the sport
that we love.
41
PART 7: ATHLETE/ COACH PROTECTION – THE

U.S. FIGURE SKATING SAFESPORT HANDBOOK
With permission from U.S. Figure Skating the following is excerpted from the U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport Handbook (2018)
What is SafeSport?
SafeSport is the Olympic community’s initiative to recognize, reduce and respond to misconduct
in sport. The policies address the following types of abuse and misconduct:
 Sexual Abuse
 Physical Abuse
 Emotional Abuse
 Bullying, Threats and Harassment
 Hazing
 Willfully Tolerating Misconduct
Why SafeSport?
Sport provides athletes with an opportunity to perform – on and off the field. Unfortunately,
sport can also be a high-risk environment for misconduct and abuse. For example, studies
indicate that as many as 1 in 8 athletes will be sexually abused within their sport. Misconduct is
a critical issue in sport, and one which we all need a game plan to prevent.
Who is affected by SafeSport?

We all play a role in reducing misconduct and abuse in sport. SafeSport provides resources for all
members of the sport community – organizations, coaches, parents and athletes – to identify
misconduct, implement ways to reduce it and enact plans to respond to it.
What tools are available from SafeSport?

The SafeSport tools include written materials to help the community prevent misconduct in
sport. For example, this U. S. Figure Skating adapted SafeSport Handbook, provides a starting
place for all member clubs and programs to develop a SafeSport strategy and includes sample
guidelines, forms and documents. The tools also include the SafeSport Training, a video-based
online training for coaches, staff and volunteers that addresses the six types of misconduct and
provides an in-depth look at how to recognize, reduce and respond to child sexual abuse.
42
The U.S. Center for SafeSport

The U. S. Center for SafeSport, located in Denver, opened in March 2017.The Center’s Response
and Resolution Office will investigate and resolve alleged policy violations of the SafeSport Code
for the U. S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement’s 47-member National Governing Bodies, which
includes U. S. Figure Skating. The focus of the U. S. Center for SafeSport is to provide services in
two areas – (1) the administration of SafeSport Training, and (2) to act as an independent party
to investigate and resolve allegations of sexual misconduct against any person within the
jurisdiction of the national governing bodies, including U. S. Figure Skating.
Mandatory Reporting:
All individuals, regardless of membership with U.S. Figure Skating, are encouraged to report
suspected SafeSport violations to U.S. Figure Skating. Covered individuals are required to report
suspected child abuse and/or sexual misconduct to the U.S. Center for SafeSport (or to U.S.
Figure Skating) and local law enforcement.
How to Report Sexual Misconduct Violations

The U.S. Center for SafeSport handles ALL reports of sexual misconduct on behalf of U.S. Figure
Skating. Make a report to the Center if you have suspicions or have heard allegations of sexual
misconduct such as child sex abuse, non-consensual sexual conduct, sexual harassment or
intimate relationships involving an imbalance of power (i.e., an inappropriate relationship
between a Covered individual and an Athlete, regardless of age).
 Click here: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SafeSport&layout_id=0

(or go to safesport.org) to make an online report involving sexual abuse and misconduct
to the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
 You may also call the U.S. Center for SafeSport at: 720.524.5640.
Reports to the U.S. Center for SafeSport may be anonymously. Reports to the U.S. Center for
SafeSport involving U.S. Figure Skating members will be communicated to U.S. Figure Skating.
Upon receipt by U.S. Figure Skating of credible information or allegations of physical or sexual
misconduct involving a minor, U.S. Figure Skating will (unless it has already done so) immediately
report to the proper law enforcement authorities and to the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
Reporting Other SafeSport Violations

All questions or concerns regarding possible SafeSport violations other than sexual misconduct,
such as failure to comply with the policies set forth in the SafeSport Handbook and other
misconduct such as emotional or physical misconduct, bullying, hazing, or harassment should be
made directly to U.S. Figure Skating.
43
 Click here: https://fs12.formsite.com/USFSAIT/SSReport/index.html (or go to

USFigureSkating.org/SafeSport) to make an online report that does not involve sexual
misconduct or abuse.
 You may also call U.S. Figure Skating at 719.635.5200.
Reports to U.S. Figure Skating’s SafeSport Committee may also be made anonymously. U.S. Figure
Skating will use reasonable efforts to maintain anonymity but cannot guarantee that a report will
remain anonymous. Anonymous reporting may make it more challenging for U.S. Figure Skating
to investigate or properly address misconduct or abuse, but U.S. Figure Skating recognizes that it
may be difficult for a reporter to report an allegation otherwise. U.S. Figure Skating strives to
remove barriers to reporting.
Bad-faith Allegations
A report of abuse, misconduct or a policy violation that is malicious, frivolous or make in bad-
faith is prohibited. Such reports will be considered a violation of U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport
Policy and grounds for disciplinary action. Depending on the nature of the allegation, a person
making malicious, frivolous or bad-faith report may also be subject to civil and/or criminal
proceedings.
As a community, we have an opportunity to be part of the SafeSport solution. Start now by

visiting www.safesport.org
44
PART 8:
THE NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR SPORT COACHES
Role and Purpose of the National Standards
The National Standards for Sport Coaches (NSSC) provide direction for coach educators and
developers, sport administrators, coaches, athletes and their families, and the public regarding
the core responsibilities that coaches should possess along with the supporting task-related
competencies. The standards identify the knowledge and skills to support a quality amateur
sport experience for athletes and provide those working with sport coaches the resources to
develop their coaching staff.
Explanation of the National Standards

This revision of NSSC is organized into seven core responsibilities of coaching to more closely
align with the International Sport Coaching Framework (ICCE, ASOIF, and Leeds Metropolitan
University, 2013). Under each of the core responsibilities are corresponding standards that
identify task-related competencies. Each standard is briefly described providing insight into
knowledge and skills that could be developed to help coaches achieve the competency. Both the
core responsibilities and standards are based on the most recent scientific research in coaching
and the final revision will include a comprehensive list of references and resources.
CER ACP 300 specifically addresses the areas of core responsibilities #2, #4, #5:
Core Responsibilities Area #2:

Engage in and Support Ethical Practices
Sport coaches understand the importance of ethical behavior engage in ethical behavior, abide
by codes of conduct affiliated with their sport and coaching context, and teach ethical behavior
in their sport program. To meet this responsibility sport coaches:
Standard 6: Abide by the code of conduct within their coaching context
Standard 7: Model, teach, and reinforce ethical behavior with program participants
Standard 8: Develop an ethical decision-making process based on ethical standards
45

Safe Sport Environment
Sport coaches create an emotionally and physically safe sport environment by following the
practices outlined by sport organizations, coaching science, and state and federal laws. To meet
this responsibility sport coaches:
Standard 12: Create a respectful and safe environment which is free from harassment and
abuse
Standard 13: Collaborate with program directors to fulfill all legal responsibilities and risk
management procedures associated with coaching
Standard 14: Identify and mitigate physical, psychological, and sociocultural conditions that
predispose athletes to injuries
Standard 15: Monitor environmental conditions and modify participation as needed to ensure
the health and safety of participants

Create a Positive and Inclusive Sport Environment
Sport coaches develop practices to maximize positive outcomes for their athletes by building
season plans that promote physical, psychological, and social benefits for their athletes and
encourage participation in sport. Sport coaches implement strategies to promote participation
of all athletes. To meet this responsibility sport coaches:
Standard 21: Implement a positive and enjoyable sport climate based on best practices for
psychosocial and motivational principles to maximize athlete and team well-being and
performance.
Standard 22: Build inclusive practices into the program for all groups (e.g., race/ethnicity,
gender/gender identity/gender expression, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation,
nationality, etc.) which are aligned with current legal and ethical guidelines.
References
International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE), the Association of Summer Olympic
Federations (ASOIF) and Leeds Metropolitan University (2013). International sport coaching
framework. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
46
REFERENCES
Blume, E. Sue, (1989). Secret Survivors: Uncovering incest and its after effects. John Wiley & Sons, NJ.
Bushman, Patricia Shelly Indelible Tracings, 1961 U.S. World Figure Skating Team, page 28
Calam, R.M., (1989) Sexual experience and eating problems in female undergraduates. International
Journal of Eating Disorders, 8, 391-399.
Center for Disease Control. Strategic Direction for Child Maltreatment Prevention, Characteristics of
Healthy Relationships. http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/CM_Strategic_Direction--OnePager-
a.pdf (April 2011)
Child Maltreatment Prevention . September 1, 2009 - Content source: Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Violence Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/childmaltreatment/ (MAR 2011)
Emotional Abuse http://www.paawareness.org/ (April 2011)
Engle, Beverly, M.F.C.C. The Emotionally Abused Woman: Overcoming Destructive Patterns and
Reclaiming Yourself. New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1992.
Evans, Patricia. The Verbally Abusive Relationship: How to Recognize It and How to Respond.
Holbrook, Massachusetts: Bob Adams, Inc., 1992.
Giardino, Angelo P., Eileen R Giardino. Child Abuse & Neglect: Physical Abuse (12 December 2008.
eMedicine. WebMD)
Hartman, M., Finn, S.E., & Leon, G.R., (1987). Sexual abuse experiences in a clinical population:
Comparisons of familial and non-familial abuse. Psychotherapy, 24, 154-159.
Haugan and others. Norway: Treatment Program for Men Who Batter. (Norwegian University of Science
and Technology. Trondheim, Norway)
Incest Survivors' Resource Network, International. (1990). Manual. N.Y. Yearly Meeting, Hicksville, NY.
Olweus Bullying Prevention Program Clemson University, Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life
www.clemson.edu/ifnl (MAR 2011)
The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, Inc. http://www.aaets.org/ (April 2011)
Walker, Lenore E. (1979) The Battered Woman. New York: Harper and Row.
What is Emotional Abuse, Types of Emotional Abuse. Student Affairs Counseling Center.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. http://www.counselingcenter.illinois.edu/?page_id=168
(APR 2011)
© Play Like A Champion Today Sports as Ministry, University of Notre Dame
47
CREDITS AND OTHER CONTRIBUTORS:

Actors:
Jeanne Governale Cousineau
Tara Levy
Elizabeth Griffiths
Celeste Cote Estrada
Melinda Roberts
A production of Joy Ciarcia-Levy, Producer
Oversight by:
Dr. Gloria Balague
Contributions to the course content by:

Heidi DeLio Thibert Mitch Moyer
Dr. Karen Terry Perreault David Raith
Carol Rossignol David Shulman, J.D.
Patricia St. Peter, J.D. Kelly Vogtner
Susi Wehrli-McLaughlin
Reviewed by:
Alex Chang Ann Miksch
Jim Fox Elizabeth Thornton
48
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Dr. F. Clark Power is a Professor in the Program of Liberal Studies, a Concurrent Professor in the
Department of Psychology, Co-Director of the Play Like a Champion Program, and a member of
the graduate faculty of Teacher and Leadership Education Programs. He received his Ed.D. in
Human Development from Harvard University. He is a past President of the Association for Moral
Education and a recipient of the Kuhmerker Award for his contributions to the field of moral
education. His publications focus on moral development and education, civic engagement, and
sports psychology. He is a co-author of The Measurement of Moral Judgment, Vol. II: Standard
Issue Scoring Manual and a co-editor of Lawrence Kohlberg’s Approach to Moral Education; Self,
Ego and Identity: Integrative Approaches; The Challenge of Pluralism: Education, Politics and
Values; Character Psychology and Education; and The Handbook of Moral Education.
Dr. Max Trenerry is a Consultant in Psychology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and
Associate Professor of Psychology in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. He received his Ph.D.
in Psychology from the University of South Dakota and completed his postdoctoral fellowship in
Clinical Neuropsychology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He is a trainer for the Parents
and Coaches Together (PACT) program that is a collaboration between Notre Dame University
and Minnesota Youth Soccer Association and is the Sport Psychology Consultant for US Youth
Soccer’s Region II Girls Olympic Development Program.
As a competitive skater, Jimmie Santee competed nationally in both short-track speed skating
and figure skating, winning two U.S. titles and seven international medals. Following his amateur
career, Jimmie joined Disney on Ice where he was a principal performer for 11 years. He is an ex-
officio member of the Board of U.S. Figure Skating, and currently the Executive Director of the
Professional Skaters Association and holds a PSA Master Rating in Program Direction. As a former
figure skating, hockey power and short track speed skating coach, skating school director, and
ice arena manager, Jimmie brings a wealth of experience and perspective to his writing. Jimmie
and his wife, Jamie, reside in Rochester, Minnesota, and have three children; Ryan, Sarah, and
Jessica, all of whom skate.
49

Cer Acp 300 Course Content 2.0

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Cer Acp 300 Course Content 2.0

Uploaded by

Copyright:

CER ACP 300 COURSE CODE - “2GRO_W CHAMPIONS”

CER Topic Area: Athlete/ Coach Protection

© Copyright 2017 PSA

Part 1: Types of Abuse

Part 2: Physical Abuse

Part 3: Sexual Abuse

Part 4: Emotional Abuse

Part 7: Athlete/ Coach Protection:

About the Authors

COURSE PREFACE: INTRODUCTION TO THE

The GRO_W Approach

PART 1: TYPES OF ABUSE

Read more: The USOC Code of Ethics | eHow.com

“Punishment” – Dr. Max Trenerry (Click here to start video)

PART 2: DEFINING PHYSICAL ABUSE

Coach or Parent Behaviors

“Secondhand Abuse” – Dr. Max Trenerry (Click here to start video)

“Physical Abuse” – Dr. F. Clark Power (Click here to start video)

The Cycle of Abuse

“Risk Factors” – Dr. Max Trenerry (Click here to start video)

“Anger Management” – Dr. F. Clark Power

PART 3: SEXUAL ABUSE

“Thoughts on Sexual Abuse” – Dr. F. Clark Power

Defining Sexual Abuse

Dr. F. Clark – “Consequences” After reviewing the “Coach A” case,

Boundary-violating behaviors include the following:

Sexual Abuse Myths

Myth: “Men are always the abusers.”

Myth: “The abuser is usually a stranger.”

Myth: “The abuser is always hated.”

Myth: “Only females are sexually abused.”

“Common Symptoms” – Dr. Max Trenerry (Click here to start video)

Effects of Sexual Abuse:

Warning Signals That Might Lead to Abuse:

“Warning Signs” – Dr. F. Clark Power (Click here to start video)

Identifying Adults Abused as Children

1) Feeling like damaged goods:

2) Failed attachment, a sense of betrayal:

Reporting Sexual Abuse

U.S. Figure Skating Rule GR 1.03 states:

U.S. Figure Skating Sexual Harassment Policy states:

If an inappropriate or overly affectionate relationship should develop between a coach and a

Upon a report or other notice of credible information or allegations that

To Report Sexual Misconduct Violations:

PART 4: EMOTIONAL ABUSE

(Click here to start video)

What is Emotional Abuse?

There are three important components to this behavior:

Types of Emotional Abuse

An indirect form of aggressive abuse may be disguised as “helping.” Criticizing or offering

Withholding is another form of denying. Withholding includes refusing to listen, refusing to

“When a Parent Abuses a Coach”: (Click here to start video)

“Impact of a Parent and Coach Confrontation” – Dr. Max Trenerry

Understanding Abusive Relationships

Signs from the athlete during lessons

“Thoughts on Neglect” – Dr. Clark Power (Click here to start video)

Medical Neglect – Is it Similar to Physical Abuse?

Dr. F. Clark Power – “Transitioning from the Sport”

Dr. F. Clark Power – “Play Like a Champion –

Basic Rights in a Relationship:

The right to good will from the other.

Appropriate Means of Communication with Athletes

A Code of Conduct for Coaches:

Reporting Neglect - What Can You Do?

4) Coaches should be required to participate in training and educational experiences that

Consequences of False Accusations

“Final Thoughts” - Dr. Max Trenerry