SafeSport | La Jolla FSC

SkateSafe at La Jolla FSC

U.S. Figure Skating and La Jolla Figure Skating Club, a U.S. Figure Skating member club, strive to provide a safe environment for their members that is free of misconduct and harassment. To stay in compliance with US Figure Skating's SkateSafe regulations, La Jolla FSC has established a SkateSafe Compliance Officer and a SafeSport program as described the current edition of the U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport Program Handbook.

U.S. Figure Skating and La Jolla FSC will not tolerate or condone any form of harassment or misconduct 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 misconduct are unacceptable and in direct conflict with U.S. Figure Skating rules.

The U.S. Figure Skating SkateSafe Program addresses the following types of misconduct:

Sexual misconduct
Physical misconduct
Emotional misconduct
Bullying, threats and harassment
Hazing
Willfully tolerating misconduct

All individuals, regardless of membership with U.S. Figure Skating, are encouraged to report suspected violations.

To report a suspected violation of the policy that does not involve sexual misconduct, click here.
Allegations of sexual misconduct should be reported directly to the U.S. Center for Safe Sport. To report suspected sexual misconduct, click here.

If you have questions about the SkateSafe program, talk to our club SkateSafe chair Ivonne Pearson (email below,) email skatesafe@usfigureskating.org or call (719) 635-5200. Reports of suspected violation should be filed on the form above.

The La Jolla FSC SkateSafe Compliance Chair is Ivonne Pearson.

The La Jolla FSC Club President is Anthony Kudrna.

Summary of U.S. Figure Skating’s SkateSafe Policy

Even before the origin of the words "SkateSafe" and “SafeSport,” U.S. Figure Skating was working diligently to provide a safe environment that is free of harassment, misconduct and abusive practices. While a summary of the SafeSport Handbook is below, all members are strongly encouraged to read the entire handbook.

‘See Something, Say Something’

In May 2000, the U.S. Figure Skating Governing Council approved General Rule 1:03, which not only mandates a member’s responsibility to report suspected child abuse to law enforcement, it also has the authority to discipline a member who does not report such an incident.

GR 1.03 U.S. Figure Skating will not tolerate or condone any form of harassment (including sexual harassment), mis- conduct, (including sexual, physical and emotional misconduct), bullying or hazing 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 usfig- ureskating.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 rules ECR 2.00 and GCR 2.00. A. If any form of child abuse is observed or suspected, the observer should immediately contact either local law enforce- ment or a public child welfare agency and make a report. B. Any person who violates this rule, who fails to appropri- ately 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 XXV, Section 3, of the U.S. Figure Skating bylaws.

SkateSafe: Key Elements

U.S. Figure Skating has long maintained and enforced rules and policies that help ensure the safety and well-being of its members. U.S. Figure Skating’s program is comprised of these key components:

Policies prohibiting abuse and misconduct
Monitoring and supervision of the program
Education and awareness training
Mandatory background checks
Responding to reports of abuse
Reporting concerns of abuse

Other Misconduct

All individuals, regardless of membership with U.S. Figure Skating, are encouraged to report suspected violations of SafeSkate by a U.S. Figure Skating member, such as emotional or physical misconduct, bullying, hazing or harassment.

Education and Awareness Training

Education is a key component to preventing abuse and misconduct. And while sexual abuse can be a difficult topic for young children, all people involved in youth sports – participants, rink employees, coaches, officials, parents – should report suspected abuse or misconduct.

Who is Required to Take SkateSafe Training?

Those required to complete an approved training course include the following members and individuals:

All member coaches
U.S. Figure Skating team leaders
Team managers for synchronized skating and Theatre on Ice teams
Team physicians
Team support staff selected by U.S. Figure Skating
U.S. Figure Skating staff and S.T.A.R.S. anchors (instructors)
U.S. Figure Skating-hired independent contractors and/or vendors who come into contact with athletes
U.S. Figure Skating board members and committee chairs
Registered Learn to Skate USA instructors
U.S. Figure Skating-appointed staff or chaperones at U.S. Figure Skating camps
Effective July 1, 2018, the following members and individuals will also be required to complete an approved SafeS- port Training course:
Registered Learn to Skate USA instructors
Club SafeSport Compliance Chairs
U.S. Figure Skating officials

Supervision of Minor Athletes

Keeping a minor athlete safe means not putting her or him in a situation where misconduct may occur.
Two-Deep Leadership: At least two individuals, preferably adults (i.e. “rule of three”) should be present at all times with individual minors when off the ice.
Public individual meetings: Make sure others are present and in a location where interactions can be easily ob- served.
Locker Rooms and Changing Areas: ALL locker rooms and changing areas must be monitored. Clubs must promi- nently post the SafeSport policy near each locker room or changing area.
Travel policy: Regardless of gender, a coach shall not share a hotel room or other sleeping arrangements with a minor athlete. (Exception: The coach is the parent, legal guardian, or sibling of the athlete).

Criminal Background Checks

U.S. Figure Skating requires the successful completion of criminal background checks on individuals who come into contact with athletes. Using two independent national databases, these checks are performed by the National Center for Safety Initiatives, which adheres to the Recommended Guidelines established by the National Council on Youth Sports.

What Information is Checked?

Sex-offender registries of all available states
Social Security number and address verification
Federal terrorist database search
Non-database (county courthouse runner) search of county criminal records in the jurisdiction of longest and most recent residence in the past five years
International background checks for countries where the individual has lived, worked, or studied for three or more consecutive months during the past five years

Who is Required to Have a Background Check?

All member coaches
U.S. Figure Skating team leaders
Team managers for synchronized skating and Theatre on Ice teams
Team physicians
Team support staff selected by U.S. Figure Skating
U.S. Figure Skating staff and S.T.A.R.S. anchors (instructors)
U.S. Figure Skating-hired independent contractors and/or vendors who come into contact with athletes
U.S. Figure Skating board members and committee chairs
Registered Learn to Skate USA instructors
U.S. Figure Skating-appointed staff or chaperones at U.S. Figure Skating camps
Club SafeSport Compliance Chairs
U.S. Figure Skating officials

Suspended and Banned List

U.S. Figure Skating publicly posts the names of members who have been suspended or banned from the organi- zation by the Grievance Committee and/or Ethics Committee and/or the U.S. Center for SafeSport. This is a useful resource for parents, clubs and rink management.

• To view the suspended/banned list, click here.

SkateSafe: It’s Everyone’s Responsibility

U.S. Figure Skating has ZERO TOLERANCE for sexual misconduct. Members of U.S. Figure Skating are required to report suspected or alleged sexual misconduct.

“SafeSport is not just the responsibility of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the SafeSport Committee and/or the hundreds of SafeSport Compliance Chairs across the organization. This responsibility lies with every member and participant in the sport of figure skating. It is the commitment we make to our sport, to our community and to each other.”
-- Kris Arneson Cutler, Chair, U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport Committee

How to File a Report

Sexual misconduct: If you have a reasonable suspicion of sexual misconduct, such as child sex abuse, non-consensual sexual conduct, sexual harassment or intimate relationships involving an imbalance of power, you must contact local law enforcement and make a report to the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Reports to the U.S. Center for SafeSport are made online or on the phone and may be made anonymously. The Center will share the report with U.S. Figure Skating.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport

Online: uscenterforsafesport.org
Phone: (720) 524-5640

U.S. Figure Skating Skatesafe

Email: safesport@usfigureskating.org
Phone: 719.635.5200