The distinction that an administrator's actions influence a safer game cannot be underestimated.

The third article for The Coaches Site in the ‘Safe Behaviour Series’ featured advice and recommendation for the prevention of serious injury in our game. It was targeted at parents’/guardians’ actions. This article you’re reading is the last in this series and is intended to guide administrators towards a better and safer game.

This is the fourth entry into the safety series.

• Part 1 – Coach behaviours for a safer game
• Part 2 – Player behaviours for a safer game
• Part 3 – Parent/guardian behaviours for a safer game
• Part 4 – Administrators and Leaders behaviours for a safer game

The distinction that an administrator’s actions influence a safer game cannot be underestimated. Here is how progressive and modern managers, executives, board members and administrators make a difference:

1.  Safe administrators design, create and endorse sports policies, procedures and plans that establish physically safe and socially inclusive sport environments. Verify that risk management programs are in place with all facilities, leagues and teams. Establish workable emergency procedures and verify that emergent response procedures are practical, effective and that appropriate and qualified individuals understand them. Emergency response planning is a priority because it is only in safe sports environments where athletes can learn, practice, compete and develop as people. Guidelines and directives from sport governance (as well as other health directives) recommendations from sports federations and/or national sport organizations should also be checked. Align regional and local sports expectations with national standards.
2. As sports administrators employ established sport policy, defined standard procedures, guidelines and best practices in safety. Likewise, seek out preventative practices that proactively eliminate hazards and risks from play. Apply and refer to recommended standards when recruiting and retaining qualified and trained sports leaders. These would include coaches and instructors, managers, officials, trainers and all others directly involved with players. This can be done by establishing coach credentialing and by allocating funds for coach/instructor’s and team staff continuing education, training and development.
3. Because administrators belong and contribute to the greater community of sport, they must continually evaluate, monitor and establish safe sport procedures. As an administrator, seek to understand and endorse acceptable sport development and competition models. Through these actions, the promotion of safe play will occur. Additionally, a look at safe sport procedures that are in place and functioning or others that need to be installed should be expected. Things like the establishment of codes of conduct and sports values programs, for example, shape a proactive safe play culture.
4. Team administrators and managers should ensure player equipment and facility benchmarks are in place at the team/athlete level. Structural safety hazards and defective equipment create unnecessary risks. Seek methods that address concerns, identify issues and eliminate or upgrade known deficits.
5. Administrators who endorse and create balanced competition standards and evaluate and monitor signs of over-competition and overzealous training are taking steps to install safe play as a priority. They check on their programs by establishing policy, procedures, guidelines and methods that include evaluation, audits and checklists. For example, the establishment and/or evaluation and monitoring of serious injury procedures. These include removal from play and return to play guidelines. Furthermore, reporting to national governance on injury frequency and/or contributing to national injury surveillance programs is also possible.
6. Program administrators that reinforce the importance of athlete-centred sports programs are linked to a long-term athlete development approach. Allowing for such things as multi-sport participation or “sport sampling” in the early stages of development is vital. Another example is the creation and provision of respect in sport rewards, regardless of the competitive situation. Progressive teams deliver sportsmanship and ethics recognition honours, which serve to motivate team values but these examples also act to build intangibles and ancillary capacities in athletes. Other examples include organizational statements, value approaches and at the team level, rules or rites that demonstrate respect in sport. Behaviours like respect for the game, its rules, respect for on and off ice officials, and even event/facility personnel facilitate a pervasive culture of safety. One that is needed to make the game safe and address serious injury in our game.