Sexual Abuse Prevention Policy

Participation in City Athletics, Incorporated (“City Athletics”) facility rental requires acceptance of the following. Should you withdraw and return at a later date, the following waiver and releases remain applicable during your absence and continue upon your return. 

The purpose of the youth sports programs facilitated by City Athletics, Incorporated (“City Athletics”) is to teach fundamental skills, sportsmanship, and elements of team play in a fun, safe and positive environment. To that end, we have adopted the following policies designed to reduce the likelihood of inappropriate behavior toward our program participants:

Criminal Background Checks

All head coaches (volunteer and paid), as well as adults renting the facility for youth sports programming, will be subject to a child abuse clearance and sexual offender registry check prior to contact with any youth in the City Athletics facility. 

Coaches Code of Conduct

All coaches will sign and agree to abide by the tenets set forth in our coach’s code of conduct, specifically in regard to this policy:

• Timely communication with parents regarding practices and games.
• Refraining from abusive or disrespectful behavior of any kind.

Limited One on One Contact

It is our policy that no activities shall take place involving one on one contact between a coach and a child, if such activities can be practically avoided. 

Take Home/Pick Up

• Take home/pick-up of athletes by coaches is strongly discouraged because of the difficulty in limiting one on one contact between adult and child.
• Parents should provide transportation for their own children to and from scheduled events.
• City Athletics will clearly outline the expected start and end time for all events and communicate this with all parents.
• Parents should be instructed to make back-up plans in the event they are unable to provide transportation.

Touching

Coaches should avoid physical contact with players, the exception being emergency situations. 

Sleepovers

City Athletics will not organize, approve, or endorse any sleepover activities. Team activities that require an overnight stay are not considered sleepovers and will require parental consent. 

Reporting Child Abuse

Suspected child abuse can be reported 24 hours a day, seven days a week at (215) 683-6100. Teletypewriter (TTY) services are also available at this number. Note – as the facility is in the City of Philadelphia, this reporting line is for Philadelphia County.

Suspected child abuse can also be reported to the state of Pennsylvania hotline at (800) 932-0313.

In both cases, callers may choose whether or not to give their name when reporting. Regardless, your name will never be revealed to anyone else, per policy.