The statistics are sobering and hard to digest. One in eight athletes will be sexually abused within their sport. One in 10 children are sexually abused before age 18.
The Lacrosse Athlete Development Model (LADM) offers a new framework for teaching and exposing the game to youth players. The goal is to keep more players engaged with the sport for a longer period of time.
With help from many within the lacrosse community who share the same dedication to youth athlete safety, US Lacrosse developed a video to raise public awareness about youth athlete safety and national background screening and online training.
Sports can often be a positive environment for youth, where they are able to develop physically, emotionally, and socially. Unfortunately, sports can also be an environment for sexual misconduct, including abuse.
Summertime has become a prime season for youth lacrosse, with many players heavily engaged with the sport during the hottest time of the year. The coupling of lacrosse activity with summer weather can lead to a greater risk of heat related illness.
An automated external defibrillator (AED) machine was used to revive a 52-year-old lacrosse player who collapsed during a pick-up game involving members of the Rochester Lacrosse Club.
Many leagues and teams are indeed doing a great job making sure safe, trusted coaches are on the field. But we cannot be sure that local checks include national databases that might help keep predators out of our sport.
Findings from a recent research study on the effects of head protection on player safety in girls’ high school lacrosse indicate that there may be an elevated risk of injury with the use of certain styles of headgear.
US Lacrosse is now offering all adult coach members the option to initiate a free background screening as part of their membership benefits. The no-cost offer comes as part of US Lacrosse’s expanded partnership agreement with the National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCSI), one of the nation’s leading providers of background screening services.
