Safety is imperative at swim meets! So how do you create a safer sports environment for swimmers and everyone else involved at meets? Here are some tips to help you get on the right track.
Do a Safety Inspection of the Venue
The more time you have before a swim meet, the more options you have to ensure things are safer for everyone involved. However, no matter how much time you have on your hands, you’ll want to inspect the venue for safety.
Examples include looking for locked exits, unsecured diving boards, protrusions or holes in the deck, slippery areas, and overloaded electrical sockets in the admin or hospitality areas. If you find areas of concern, you can then make a plan to correct or mitigate the problem. Mark or block hazards with cones or signs for items that cannot be removed.
Create Warm-Up Procedures and Safety Guidelines
Statistics demonstrate that a large percentage of meet accidents occur during warm-up sessions. To help avoid accidents and keep all swimmers safer, create a warm-up procedure as well as some safety guidelines.
These guidelines will establish safer conduct during the swim meet, with particular attention to warm-up sessions. Decide what the procedure will be, how it will be communicated to swimmers, coaches, and others, and who will enforce it. For example, copies of the procedures can be posted prominently within the swimming venue during the competitions, and officials and some volunteers will be the ones to enforce the procedures and guidelines.
Get Background Checks
When hiring volunteers and officials for the swim meet, consider setting up background checks for those you hire. For the sake of the swimmers, it’s better to take this seriously.
As much as it’s not fun to think about, swimming, like other youth sports, can attract dangerous individuals looking to groom young victims and cause harm. Because of the age and vulnerability of many swimmers, it’s essential that all swimmers are assured a safer and more secure environment with reduced risk of physical, emotional, mental, or sexual harm. Background checks for officials and volunteers at swimming events are also quickly becoming a requirement in many cities and states. If they’re not required where you are, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be proactive about getting them. Requiring a thorough background check for all people who will work at your meet can help lower the risk of injury to all parties involved and give you peace of mind knowing you’re doing what you can to facilitate a safer sports meet.
Sign Up for Insurance
For extra protection, sign up for swim insurance. With the right coverage, you can provide a safer sports environment for the swimmers as well as coaches and officials at your meet.
When you sign up for comprehensive insurance, you can get coverage for general liability and excess accident protection, sexual abuse and molestation coverage, and in some cases (like with SLS’s insurance coverage), defense against sexual abuse and molestation claims. While competitive swimming is fun and exciting, there are inherent risks involved, and accidents can happen. So it’s essential to have the proper coverage in place.
With SLS insurance, whether a swimmer gets injured at the meet you’re hosting, or a sexual abuse claim is brought up, it will be covered. You and anyone working through or for your will also be covered in the event of a false sexual abuse claim. This way, the personal liability of officials, volunteers, and staff are protected if an incident occurs so that only proven guilty perpetrators are rightfully subject to criminal or civil liabilities.
Be Proactive
During the meet, it’s important to be proactive. If you’re a coach and can’t step away from your responsibilities, then assign someone else to be the proactive frontrunner.
This person needs to be visible and monitoring the meet to make sure everyone is keeping safe. They should interact with athletes and coaches regarding the procedures and guidelines of the meet and make sure everyone is following them. They should also make sure the warm-up area is being used safely and appropriately. For example, if there is playing in the warm-up area, they need to inform swimmers there are other places for them to play, but the active warm-up area isn’t the right place for it.
SLS stays committed to protecting the integrity of the sport and supporting safer and healthy programs.
SLS Has Your Back
When it comes to creating safer sports environments, there are specific things leaders can do to increase the safety of those attending their swim meet. Identifying possible issues, addressing them, getting background checks for staff, and signing up for insurance coverage all help increase the odds of a safer meet. And a safer meet means everyone can focus more on the fun!
If you’re not sure where to go for background checks or insurance coverage, Summer League Swimming has your back. With our Safer Summer Program, you can breathe a sigh of relief. This program includes our comprehensive insurance coverage, background checks, as well as a certification course for coaches.
SLS stays committed to protecting the integrity of the sport and supporting safer and healthy programs. No matter where you are in the United States, we’re ready to lend a hand. Let us help you reach your full potential!
