COAST Health & Safety Procedures

1.  All coaches are interviewed and references are contacted.  Prospective coaches are provided with a copy of the club’s evaluation literature.  This literature is typically distributed to the players and parents twice a year, once at the mid-point and once at the end of the season.  The parent’s coach evaluation section lists health and safety as criteria number 1.

2.    All coaches consent to two background checks per the following organizations: 1) The Boys and Girls Club policy performed by an investigation agency named Lexis Nexis and 2) the SCVA policy performed by SCIC.    

3.    All COAST coaches must attend a preseason club meeting in which a whole segment is dedicated to defining coach misconduct (specifically inappropriate behaviors with players).  During this meeting each coach is provided with two case briefs and attendant news articles.  These materials reference two different club volleyball coaches, one from Orange County and the other from Chicago, that were sent to jail for misconduct with a minor.  I also distribute and discuss a redacted parent letter that was written ten years ago. The parent letter described a coach’s behavior that made her and her daughter feel uncomfortable.  Although this parent letter describes nothing illegal, all of these written materials are provided to demonstrate the continuum of inappropriate behavior that a coach with poor judgment may consider “grey”, but nonetheless IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED at COAST VBC.

Furthermore, activities such as the following are specifically discussed and are prohibited:

• One on one transportation   (If an emergency arises, there are exact instructions that must be followed),

• One on one conversations in private places,

• Discussions sensitive in nature (sex, alcohol, drugs).

Additionally, there are other activities that must remain heavily restricted such as:

          * Non-volleyball conversation-- face to face, in phone calls, emails or otherwise.                   

** Text messaging.

*** Phone calls and messaging made at inappropriate times.

**** Even when a coach adheres to this code of conduct perfectly, the COAST coach is still required to separate from an athlete when the coach suspects the player does not fully understand the boundaries and inform the director.

Finally, coaches are told that if there is misconduct with a minor, they will be fired and COAST will always fully cooperate with law enforcement to see that the child is protected and justice is served.  

4)  COAST travel teams that have overnight tournaments are assigned registered chaperones.  Chaperones are also background checked by the SCVA.  Coaches must leave their chaperones in charge of the athletes during the evening time when they are away from competition.

Please note the following: 

*COAST does not provide residence (overnight) camps.

5)  Every season players and parents receive separate anonymous coach evaluations in order to provide feedback to the club.  In most cases the players and parents receive an opportunity for a mid-season and end of season coaches’ evaluation.  Players and parents are free to schedule an appointment with the club director regarding coach feedback at any time.

6)  Twice a year our health and safety policy is reinforced in group correspondence and/or in individual meetings with the director of coaching.