SafeSport
U.S. Figure Skating strives to provide a safe environment for its members that is free of abuse and harassment. The association will not tolerate or condone any form of harassment or abuse of any of its members including athletes, coaches, officials, directors, employees, parents, 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. All forms of abuse and harassment are unacceptable and in direct conflict with U.S. Figure Skating rules.
The U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport Program addresses the following types of abuse, harassment and misconduct:
- Sexual abuse and misconduct
- Physical abuse and misconduct
- Emotional abuse and misconduct
- Bullying, threats and harassment
- Hazing
- Willfully tolerating misconduct
USFSA strongly recommends that all adult members, as well as parents and guardians of FFSC junior members (under 18), take the Parent’s Guide to Misconduct in Sport course, which is free and available from AthleteSafety.org: https://www.athletesafety.org/training/index.
Starting with the 2018-19 skating season, all FFSC board members and volunteers who need access to the protected areas of the rink (normally the locker rooms) at our USFSA sanctioned events, including our exhibitions and Ice in the Pines, will have to undergo a background check and complete SafeSport training. To do this, sign into the USFSA members-only website, https://www.usfsaonline.org/Account/InitialLogOn and sign in. (To sign in, you'll need your USFSA membership number. Refer to your membership card or contact the membership chair for your number.) Then, click on your name at the upper right corner to access your member profile. Then click on the Compliance tab.
The background check costs $20 and the online form only takes a few minutes. The background check itself takes up to 10 days, so make sure you submit it well in advance of taking office as a board member, or volunteering at any sanctioned event.
Safesport training on the Web takes a couple of hours. It may seem like an inconvenience, but it's worth that much of our time to keep our skaters safe.
If you have any questions, ask our SafeSport Chair (see the Board page.) For more information on SafeSport, see the following links: