Safe Sport

Maltreatment

As the Provincial governing body, Softball New Brunswick is committed to providing safe, welcoming, and accessible sport environments, free from all forms of maltreatment.

Softball New Brunswick’s Safe Sport initiative emphasizes the importance of that commitment by educating individuals on the harmful effects associated with such behaviours, and outlining the preventative measures put in place to lower the probability of them occurring. 

Learn how to recognize and report psychological maltreatment here

Zero Tolerance Statement

Softball New Brunswick has zero tolerance for any type of abuse.

Individuals are required to report instances of abuse or suspected abuse to their local association or Softball New Brunswick to be immediately reviewed under the terms of the applicable policy.

Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion

Softball New Brunswick aims to create a welcoming environment that reflects the rich diversity of our membership. Softball New Brunswick’s Inclusion Policy outlines expectations for all athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and administrators in an effort to better engage under-represented populations in our membership.

Safe Sport Signage

Make your softball environment a safe place for everyone.  Order your Softball Canada Safe Sport Backstop Sign today by emailing executivedirector@softballnb.ca !  Everyone Deserves RESPECT in Softball.  

Concussion Protocol

Softball New Brunswick’s Concussion Education Document is designed as a guide to help the management of athletes who may have a suspected concussion as a result of participation in a Softball New Brunswick activity.

The protocol aims to ensure that athletes with a suspected concussion receive timely and appropriate care and proper management to allow them to return back to their sport safely.

To view our Concussion Policy click here.

Responsible Coaching Movement

The Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM) is coordinated by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC),  the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) and has the potential to influence all sport organizations and coaches.  To reduce risk in sport, the Responsible Coaching Movement focuses on three key areas: Rule of Two, Background Screening, and Ethics & Respect Training. 

By signing the pledge of the Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM), Softball New Brunswick is helping to ensure the protection of both Athletes and Coaches. Going forward, Softball New Brunswick pledges to implement policies and practices that focus on RCM’s Phase 1.

Risk Management

Softball New Brunswick makes every effort to ensure that the safety of members remains a high priority by continuing to support a variety of programs that are developed both strategically and ethically .

Rule Of Two

Softball New Brunswick enforces the ‘Rule of Two’ which is a part of the Responsible Coaching Movement - coordinated by the Coaching Association of Canada. The goal of the Rule of Two is to ensure all interactions and communications are open, observable and justifiable. Its purpose is to protect participants (especially minors) and coaches in potentially vulnerable situations by ensuring more than one adult is present. There may be exceptions for emergency situations. More information on the Rule of Two can be found here.

Good Rule of Two Implementation Practices:

• The coach is never alone and out of sight with a participant without another screened coach or screened adult (parent or volunteer) present.
• Allow training environment to be open to observation.
• Ensure a participant rides in a coach’s vehicle with another adult present.
• Consider the gender of the participant(s) when selecting the screened coaches and volunteers who are present.
• Eliminate one-to-one electronic messaging. Ensure that all communications are sent to the group and/or include parents.

As a better representation of this information, check out this great infographic below from Coach Association Canada or go to coach.ca

Screening

Individuals who coach, volunteer, officiate, deliver development programs, or who accompany a team to an event/ competition, who are paid staff, or otherwise engage with vulnerable individuals and who fall under Softball New Brunswick’s authority shall be screened according to the organizations Screening Policy. Softball New Brunswick expects that our local associations will screen such individuals according to their own applicable policies.

To access the full version of Softball New Brunswick’s Screening Policy, click here  (can be found in our Safe Sport Policy Document) 

Online Training

Creating a culture where everyone can thrive is a shared responsibility.  Safe, inclusive sport environments help make sport rewarding and enriching for all.  Safe Sport Training gives you the knowledge and skills to create those environments by recognizing, addressing and preventing maltreatment in sport. 

Together, we can make sport safe for everyone.  To access the Safe Sport Training, click here.

Respect In Sport

Softball New Brunswick, in partnership with the Respect Group, is proud to support Respect in Sport Training for Activity Leaders, as a part of the Responsible Coaching movement. The Respect in Sport training programs educate youth leaders, coaches, officials, employees and participants to recognize, understand and respond to issues of bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination.

Making Headway In Sport

The Making Head Way training is designed to help you gain the knowledge and skills required to ensure the safety of your athletes, these concussion focused NCCP modules are an excellent resource and will review:

1. What to do to prevent concussions 
2. How to recognize the signs and symptoms of a concussion
3. What to do when you suspect an athlete has a concussion
4. How to ensure athletes return to play safely

Foundations of Coaching Softball

Foundations of Coaching Softball is Softball Canada’s first online National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) module developed to introduce new and experienced coaches to the foundational skills of coaching and softball-specific coaching concepts, such as: developing a coaching philosophy, Long-Term Player Development, working with players and their parents, the coaching process, and player safety.

To register for Softball Canada’s Foundations of Coaching Softball E- learning module, click here.

Commit To Kids

Through the Canadian Centre for Child Protection (CCCP), the Commit to Kids (C2K) online Coaches module empowers Coaches with practical information to help them enhance child and youth safety in sport. It highlights the importance of understanding boundaries, sexual misconduct and reporting inappropriate behaviour.

Click here to access the C2K for Coaches online training.

Conflict Resolution

Softball New Brunswick believes everyone has the right to enjoy the sport despite their level of participation. As such, Softball New Brunswick encourages all individuals to communicate openly, collaboratively, and use problem solving techniques to resolve differences in opinion. Resolving a conflict at an early stage may prevent a situation from escalating and resulting in a formal complaint.

Safe Sport Reporting Process

Softball New Brunswick recognizes and respects that filing a report can be both a difficult and emotional process. To make the reporting process as simple, and as straight forward as possible, please refer to Softball New Brunswick’s reporting process to determine who to contact regarding your incident/ complaint. 

New Brunswick Safe Sport Complaint Mechanism (NBSSCM) 

Depending on the complaint/incident, members of Softball New Brunswick may be referred to the Sport New Brunswick Dispute Resolution Program. This is an independent 3rd party complaints management program. "Abuse does not belong in sport, and Sport NB is committed to offer this independent service to ensure a safety and quality sport experience for all".

Discipline & Complaints 

All Softball New Brunswick stakeholders are expected to fulfill responsibilities and obligations including, but not limited to, complying with Softball New Brunswick’s policys, bylaws, rules and regulations, code of conducts and ethics. Non-compliance may result in sanctions pursuant to the organizations Discipline and Complaints policy 

Softball New Brunswick's Discipline Guidelines

Support Services

• Contact the Canadian Centre for Child Protection for information or support if you have concerns about a child, or if you are a victim (survivor) or a family member of a victim.
• Hope for Wellness is a helpline dedicated to supporting First Nations and Inuit Peoples.