Leagues with underage bowlers need to be Safesport compliant or you get DQ'd

[bowl1820]

Ok something new for leagues to worry about,underage bowlers.

Here's the TL;DR version.

If a adult league let's a under 18 player join the league (which maybe unlikely to happen, but it could), everyone on that league would be required to take a 2 hour class on how to not molest the underage players and report if they are being molested etc. and have background checks.

If a players fails to complete the training, they are considered an ineligible bowler. Their games could be subjected to forfeiture.

So your league needs to have your rules state no one under 18 years old is allowed to bowl if you don't want to have to do this.

Safesport
https://www.bowl.com/safesport/

Safesport-PracticesProcedures.pdf
http://usbcongress.http.internapcdn.net/usbcongress/bowl/usbc/SafeSport/Safesport-PracticesProcedures.pdf

Safesport Code
http://usbcongress.http.internapcdn.net/usbcongress/bowl/usbc/SafeSport/Safesport-code.pdf

I wrote the USBC rules dept. about this here's their reply.

Question:

Is it true that if a adult league allows individuals 17 or younger to bowl, That every adult bowler on the league would have to take a two hour online Safesport class to be allowed to bowl in the league and if they Fail to take the course it result in termination/DQ of bowlers in said league?

Example: A league of 32 teams (A 128 bowlers) has member that wants their 17 yearold son to be a sub on the league, The league approves it. So now 128 bowlers have to take a class or else be kicked off the league.

If true is the best option so that the league doesn't fold up or decide not to certify because of this, to have the league rules state no one under 17 is allowed to bowl under any conditions.

ANSWER:

Good Morning,

This is in regards to your email below.

All of the adults (18 years of age and older) who compete in a league that also has participants who are 17 years of age or younger, must be SafeSport trained effective immediately. Attached is the SafeSport policy that states the requirement. This can also be accessed through the RVP Handbook (pg. 13) which takes you to the SafeSport website where the policy is located.

Additionally, all of the officers of a league that has participants under the age of 18, will need to be RVP compliant (SafeSport trained and background screening with the NCSI).

If a participant fails to complete the training, they are considered an ineligible bowler. Their games could be subjected to forfeiture.

Please let me know if you have further questions or concerns.

Jennifer Land
Rules Counselor

[Amyers]

Sounds like this will put an end to youth adult bowling leagues. That's a shame I've bowled one with my kids every summer for years

[J Anderson]

When did this go into effect, and Where in the USBC rule book does it say this?

[bowl1820]

When did this go into effect, and Where in the USBC rule book does it say this?

We had our league meeting tonight and the local assoc. brought this up.

According to them if I follow it right, this isn't USBC rules it's Gov.legislation (federal law) that they have to follow.

I looked it up I believe it is this:

https://www.congress.gov/115/plaws/publ126/PLAW-115publ126.pdf

Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA] (Introduced 03/06/2017)
Committees: Senate - Judiciary
Latest Action: 02/14/2018 Became Public Law No: 115-126.

According to the Safesport website it started In 2012, by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement.

This is whats in the rule book:
USBC PLAYING RULES
Chapter 2 - 17g. USBC SafeSport Code Violations
An individual can charge a USBC member who is a Covered Individual with violating USBC’s SafeSport Code by following the procedures outlined on BOWL.com. Matters involving allegations or reports of sexual abuse or misconduct or other violations of USBC SafeSport Code will be processed in accordance with USBC’s SafeSport Procedures.


To read more see the links I posted above.

https://www.bowl.com/SafeSport/SafeSport_Home/USBC_and_SafeSport.aspx

Our league voted in having all bowlers be 18 or over, so it won't be a issue.


From what I heard the local assoc. actually had some members quit because they didn't want to do it.

[bowl1820]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL7B87TVqSI
Safe Sport Training Video

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) implemented SafeSport as a way to protect athletes competing under the Olympic umbrella from misconduct. Since its initial implementation by the USOC in late 2012, a US Center for SafeSport has been created with an independent advisory council and a new USOC Director of Ethics and SafeSport.