I don't have any kids ... I don't think I'm a track guy... But I am neither a felon nor a pervert...…

[Mister_Voice]

I don't have any kids ... I don't think I'm a track guy... But I am neither a felon nor a pervert...

I have a card that proves I mean your family no harm. I printed it out and signed it myself!

Go ahead and laugh. But I dare you to find any youth sports volunteer who can offer you better evidence that he doesn't intend to hurt your children or rip off your family. No, there aren't all that many bad guys in youth sports: One sports administrator crowed that only one per cent of his adult members are convicted felons. But that's not much better than the national incarceration rate for adults.

Along with my "I am not a felon" card I offer as reference our hostess Lorraine Williams, who has held my attention with her hospitality, curiosity, common sense and optimism as I've lurked around her site in recent months. Rain has become a great friend and confidante as I"ve tried to sort out my thoughts about my involvement with youth track and field.

Thanks to supporters of "Track Mom" for your concern about the future of track and field and its role in the development of "our" kids. Congratulations to the Track Mom community for your interest in "Everything Youth Track and Field." Literally anything you read in "Track Mom" can make a difference in your child's performance in a sport measured by blinks of an eye and lengths of an eyelash.

My experience of youth track has been occasional and somewhat accidental, but I've seen some things, both good and bad, that have impressed me deeply. I've become aware that this is a critical moment both for American youth sports and for all levels of American track and field. It's a moment when concerned, informed parents like yourselves can make a difference not only for your kids, but for your neighbors' kids...and their kids as well.

The mushrooming youth sports "industry" is finally receiving some well-deserved analysis, and I have to admit that I'm sympathetic with the muckrakers. I don't have an agenda, but I do find myself developing a few themes:

1. Youth sports should be tailored to the needs of kids, not the dreams of adults.

2. Youth sports have rapidly become a highly competitive, lightly regulated market. You are your child's only protection from businesses that want primarily to exploit your children for short -term profit. To be a good parent, you must be an informed, vigilant consumer, no less than when you accompany your child down the snack food aisle at the grocery store...

3. Some very dubious characters are operating at every level of youth sports, from lone predators to organized crime syndicates. Be on the lookout for the shady characters, and do everything you can to protect your children from them.

As Rain knows all too well, my interest in youth track has recently tilted towards consumerism and governance. I'm proud of her for addressing some unpleasant issues like the AAU Dump of Athlete Records and complex issues like the agenda of USATF chief Doug Logan.

Rain has already gotten some important local stories into national circulation, proving to me that blogging is essential to circulating news that falls between the traditional categories of "Business" and "Sports". or between "Family" and "Olympic sports". I hope to follow Rain's lead and explore more of these "hard news" topics with you in the weeks to come. And if I make you laugh from time to time, that's OK to.

Feel free to send me your comments or questions.

"Mr Voice"

[Mister_Voice]

Ian:

Thank you for expanding on my point by adding the undesirable practice "visitor" or meet "spectator" to the predators that parents need to beware of.
I'm sure there are some informal safety tips and practices that different meets and clubs have developed, as well as tips that parents can offer. If folks will send those to me I'll develop a list and post it.
Meanwhile, I'll do dome research to see if there are any published standards for protecting youth athletes from malignant "strangers."

One thing is certain: The constant circulation of people inherent to a track and field meet presents unique security challenges.

While I agree with Ian that parents need to be watchful, a parent who has several children in different age groups and events at a large track meet simply cannot monitor ecah ofthem continuouiosly as as they move from the bleachers to warm-up to check-in to competition to awards and back to the bleachers. Like it or not, parents and coaches must depend on total strangers to keep your children safe at a big track meet. That doesn't mean you are helpless. You can ask what procedures are in place to protect the kids and whether event staff have been screened. When your own child predictably disappears into the clerking tent for half an hour, scan the venue for safety and security risks, and report them to meet management or to uniformed police officers. (better yet to both, which provides a check-and -balance). When your child is beyond eye-shot, you should feel re-assured if you see other people's children receiving age-appropriate supervision.

It might also be interesting to develop a list of safety and security risks that parents and coaches have observed at track meets.

A nationally recognized set of standards for screening youth athletics employees and volunteers has been developed by the National Center for Youth Sports (NCYS). I'll have details soon. Several yout sports organizations have subscribed to it. I'll have details for you soon.

"Mr Voice"

[Ian Dieudonne]

I agree with your comments about keping a close eye on your children at all times. There must be plenty of undesirable people both men and women who go to track meets and competitions and training sites for the purpose of preying on or soliciting children. It is both parental and coaches responsibility to keep these young athletes safe. How do we do this? Has anyone got any good safety tips?.....