Snake River Swimming - The MAAPP Policy

The Policy:
The Policy covers five (5) areas:
1. One-on-One Interactions
2. Travel: Local & Team
3. Social Media & Electronic Communication
4. Locker Rooms & Changing Areas
5. Massages & Rubdowns

For several years, USA Swimming has either required club policies, enacted national rules or recommended best practices in most of these areas. This means that MAAPP requirements should be familiar to USA Swimming members. MAAPP will apply to all adults who interact with and have direct and frequent contact with minor athletes, including adult athletes. The language used in the policy is Applicable Adult. All Applicable Adults will be required to follow MAAPP.

Education and Training Changes
Second, the Center requires regular and consistent training for all adults who interact with and have direct and frequent contact with minor athletes, including adult athletes. All USA Swimming non-athlete members regularly complete Safe Sport training, known as Athlete Protection Training. Now, all adult athlete members will also be required to complete Athlete Protection Training. All adult members—athlete and non-athlete—will be required to complete the training annually.

At its April 26, 2019 meeting, the USA Swimming Board of Directors reviewed and approved interim changes to USA Swimming rules related to MAAPP. Those same changes will be presented to the House of Delegates in September for permanent implementation. Accordingly, by June 23, 2019, every USA Swimming member organization is required to update its policies to reflect MAAPP. Over the next two months, leading up to the June 23 compliance date, USA Swimming will share the policy and education changes across multiple channels and our Safe Sport staff members are prepared to answer any questions you have.

What Is MAAPP?

Congressional Mandate by Center for Safe Sport
Must be in place by June 23, 2019
USA Swimming Member clubs are required to implement the USA Swimming Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) in full by June 23, 2019. MAAPP contains five sections: one-on-one interactions, travel, social media and electronic communications, locker rooms and changing areas and massage, rubdowns and athletic training modalities.
Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) applies to all National Governing Bodies (NGB)
Can be easily found at www.usaswimming.org/MAAPP
Center for Safe Sport will do compliancy checks and can impose sanctions if not followed
The policy can not be changed, you can add further Club or LSC recommendations if you wish
The policy will be voted in at House of Delegates in September for permanent implementation.
The MAAPP will replace Article 305 Swimming Code of Conduct
All 18 year old athletes or “adult athlete members” must take Athlete Protection Training (APT).

If you have questions about these changes, please contact USA Swimming staff at safesport@usaswimming.org or April Walkley Western Zone Safe Sport Chair email: IESSAFESPORT@GMAIL.COM

WHAT IS IN THE POLICY?
You can find the complete policy on the USA Swimming Website. Click HERE to view the full policy.

WHAT DO THE LSC AND CLUBS NEED TO DO TO COMPLY TO THE NEW POLICY?

Clubs

Create a Safe Sport link on your website explaining the new policy.
Make sure all of your 18 year old athletes or soon to be 18 year olds understand the class is mandatory
Do whatever needs to be done to comply with the locker room, social media, travel, and ahtletic training requirements of the policy.

Athletes

All athletes who will be 18 years of age by June 23 must complete the Athlete Protection Training in order to compete. Go to www.usaswimming.org/learn and complete the 3 required courses.
Impacts all current athlete members who will be turning 18, or are already 18 or older
June 23, 2019 program goes live
Athlete Protection Training (APT) must be completed to be in good standing
30 days prior to turning 18, athlete member will receive an email notification to complete APT
On 18^th birthday, athlete member will receive an email notification to complete APT
30 days after turning 18, athlete member will receive email notification to complete APT
A grace period of 30 days after the athlete member turns 18 will be in place to complete the requirement
Athlete member’s record will be flagged if not completed (the same as it currently does with non-athletes)
Error messages will appear on meet recon reports if athlete member has not completed APT (something like “Athlete has not completed APT”)
Deck Pass member card will not be available if athlete has not completed APT (the same as it currently works with all other member types who are not in good standing)
If an athlete’s Deck Pass and/or member record are flagged for not completing APT, they will NOT be able to compete; however, it won’t prevent them from entering a meet
A link to www.usaswimming.org/learn and www.usaswimming.org/apt will be available on USA Swimming’s website under FOR YOU > Athlete

WHAT DO NON-ATHLETE USA SWIMMING MEMBERS NEED TO DO TO COMPLY WITH THE POLICY? (Non-Athlete members include coaches, officials, chaperons, etc.)

All non-athlete USA Swimming Members will be required to take the APT class designed for them when they renew their certifications.

WHAT DO NON-MEMBERS NEED TO DO TO COMPLY WITH THE POLICY? (Non-members are meet marshals, meet computer operators, timers, LSC & Club adult staff and board members and any other adult authorized to have regular contact with or authority over minor athletes.)