Ottawa, Ont. - Softball Canada is committed to ensuring a safe and supportive environment where players can thrive, have fun, build skills and enjoy all the positive experiences that team sports provide. In our ongoing quest to ensure that the safety of our players is our top priority, Softball Canada is pleased to announce a new partnership with Respect in Sport.
 
Softball Canada has joined the many National Sport Organizations in Canada who are providing prevention education to their coaches and parents, through the online Respect in Sport programs. 
 
“We are committed to our players and to ensuring a safe and nurturing environment” said Kevin Quinn, President of Softball Canada. “Respect in Sport provides important education on critical issues which our coaches must be aware of on and off the diamond.”
 
Respect in Sport Programs are aimed at Prevention Education by focusing on awareness around bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination as core program elements. However, the content goes well beyond those core elements, and provides coaches and parents with an abundance of information all aimed at helping keep sport fun and safe for kids.
 
“Respect in Sport is a 2.5 hour online training program for coaches, and a 1 hour online program for Parents” says Kristin Noonan, Manager - Coaching Services for Softball Canada. “As leaders in our sport, it is our job to ensure a safe and positive environment for our players, and to create a culture in softball where kids want to keep coming back.”
 
The initial roll-out of Respect in Sport will be on a voluntary basis for coaches and parents, however Softball Canada has made this training mandatory for all National Team Staff starting in 2019.
 
“We are very pleased that Softball Canada has shown this leadership around the important issues of keeping sport fun and safe for kids” says Mark Allen, Safe Sport Director for Respect Group. “Softball Canada is demonstrating that they put the best interests of the kids first by providing this vital education to coaches and parents.”
 
To access Softball Canada’s Respect in Sport Training please visit https://softball.ca/coaching/respect.