FME Safe Sport Policy
The Fox Mill Foxes Swim Team believes that the experience of children and young athletes in all organized sports should be guided by what is best for the safe and healthy development of the young person. FME has adopted best practices and guidance from the NVSL’s SafeSport Presenation for 2026 season in the FME Safe Sport Policy as set forth herein.
Young athletes who participate in organized sports activities have a unique opportunity for learning. In working with children, it is essential that we are mindful of their physical, emotional, and developmental needs. We must also be particularly diligent in recognizing the unique vulnerabilities that are an inherent part of childhood. It is the responsibility of all adults to not only recognizes these vulnerabilities, but to develop the knowledge and skills needed to create and maintain a safe and child-centered sports environment.
We recognize the important role that the Foxes swim team plays in providing leadership and creating an organizational culture that is focused on the safety and wellbeing of young people. The protection of children requires that all adults work together to support young athletes. As the child’s first and enduring resource for safety, parents and guardians play a critical role in athlete protection. When parents participate they are able to help educate other adults about the needs of the child, and help prepare the child to participate in sports programs in a way that promotes safety, enjoyment, and learning.
Adults, including coaches, officials, staff, facility workers, volunteers, chaperones, and others who interact with children, are in also positions of great trust and influence. The ability to use this position of trust to support the well-being of children is critical. The overwhelming majority of these adults fulfill their roles in a positive and responsible manner.
The FME strives to continually improve the programs and services it offers to its members and among these some of the most important relate to the safeguards for protecting young athletes. Because we aspire to foster safe and positive environments, we believe it is especially important to provide our member adult leaders with policies and best practice guidelines that help define elements of appropriate behavior and conduct.
To this end, FME has the following policies to promote and protect the swimmers of the FME Team:
- All swimming practices are open to observation by parents.
- An open and observable environmental will be maintained for all interactions between adults and athletes. Private or one-on-one situations will be avoided unless they are open and observable. To this end, all coach meetings with an individual athlete will also be attended by another coach of the same gender as the swimmer or a parent/guardian of the swimmer and such meetings will be held on the pool deck, a coach’s office or wet classroom.location agreed upon by all parties.
- In accordance with USA Swimming Best Practice Guidelines, FME will make an effort to have at least one other adult present with a coach at all practices and other sanctioned club activities whenever at least one athlete is present.
- Coaches will not invite or have an athlete(s) to their home without the permission of the athletes’ parents (or legal guardian). In the event of this situation occurring, another adult will also be present.
- Athletes are not allowed to ride in a coach’s vehicle without another adult present, unless prior parental permission is obtained, and only as a last resort.
- Communications between non-athlete adult members and athletes cannot include any topic or language that is sexual or inappropriate in nature.
- Non-athlete adult members will respect the privacy of athletes in situations such as changing of clothes, showering, etc. Non-athlete adult members should protect their own privacy in similar situations.
- Coaches will not initiate contact with or accept supervisory responsibility for athletes outside club programs and activities.Parents will not ask coaches to remain at practice or a meet to watch their child if they are running late for pick up.
