How to Run an Effective Youth Sports Safety Committee

Creating an effective safety committee made up of diverse stakeholders is a key characteristic of organizations that are executing best-in-class practices. This guide will help you establish and maintain an effective safety committee for your youth sports organization, ultimately creating a safer environment for the kids, your organization, and your staff.


Disclaimer: Not legal advice. Always seek professional guidance.

This guide is here to help. In it, we’ll cover:

Why Form a Safety Committee?

It’s important to remember that safety stems from culture, and making policies and procedures understandable and executable.
“Build a safety culture that's driven at the top of your organization down. The C-suite has to adopt the practices. Have the practices be able to be implemented. Do it in a way that is not overly time consuming and not egregious for process and procedure.” - Ryan Douglas, Vice President of Property & Casualty, USI Insurance Services.

A dedicated safety committee serves several critical functions:

  • Creates shared responsibility for risk management
  • Enables a quick response to incidents
  • Ensures diverse perspectives on safety issues
  • Establishes a regular cadence for reviewing and updating safety protocols
  • Provides expertise beyond what any single individual might possess
  • Demonstrates your organization's commitment to safety
  • Addresses emerging issues before they become problems

Committee Structure and Membership

Core Committee Size

  • 5-9 members is ideal (large enough for diverse perspectives, small enough to be efficient)

Member Composition

Your committee should include:

  1. Internal Stakeholders
    • 1-2 operations team members
    • 1-2 "boots on the ground" individuals (coaches, refs)
    • 1 board member or executive
    • 1 parent representative
  2. External Partners
    • Insurance broker or agent
    • Legal counsel (when needed)
    • Community safety representatives (e.g., police chief, EMT)
    • Subject matter experts (based on current focus areas)

Leadership Roles

  • Committee Chair: Oversees meetings and agenda
  • Secretary: Documents decisions and action items
  • Safety Officer: Implements committee decisions
  • Subject Matter Champions: Lead specific initiatives

Meeting Cadence and Structure

Frequency

  • Hold regular monthly or quarterly meetings
  • Schedule additional emergency meetings as needed

Standard Agenda Template

  1. Confirmation of Last Meeting's Minutes
  2. Review of Recent Incidents or Concerns
    • Discuss any incidents since the last meeting
    • Review incident reports and responses
    • Identify opportunities for improvement
  3. Policy and Procedure Review
    • Review one existing policy each meeting
    • Discuss any needed updates based on incidents or new information
    • Review current compliance rate and any associated challenges
  4. Current Focus Topic
    • Deep dive into a specific safety area
    • Invite subject matter experts as needed
    • Examples include: AED protocols, emergency response plans, transportation policies, changes in local, state, or federal legislation, or cybersecurity preparedness
  5. Emerging Issues Discussion
    • Conversations that are happening right now in your community
    • New laws or regulations
    • Incidents from peer organizations
    • Current events that might impact safety
  6. Action Items and Next Steps
    • Assign specific tasks with deadlines
    • Schedule subcommittee work if needed
    • Select next meeting's focus topic

Implementation Process

Step 1: Establish Committee Charter

  • Define the committee's purpose and authority
  • Outline reporting structure to the board/leadership
  • Establish terms for committee members
  • Define decision-making processes

Step 2: Recruit Committee Members

  • Identify internal stakeholders with genuine interest in safety
  • Reach out to external partners who can contribute expertise. These can include your insurance broker, insurance carrier, governing body, and/or legal experts.
  • Ensure diverse perspectives and expertise areas
  • Consider including someone with legal background related to what your organization does. A common mistake that many organizations make is bringing on legal experts who don’t have expertise in youth sports and/or insurance.

Step 3: Initial Meeting and Onboarding

  • Review organization's existing risk management landscape
  • Identify immediate priorities based on potential impact
  • Establish subcommittees for specific focus areas if needed
  • Set up communication channels for committee work

Step 4: Develop Initial Work Plan

  • Conduct a safety audit to identify gaps
  • Create a 12-month calendar of focus topics
  • Establish metrics for measuring safety improvement
  • Define emergency response protocol for committee members

Committee Responsibilities

The safety committee should take ownership of:

  1. Policy Development and Review
    • Create standard operating procedures for key risk areas
    • Review and update existing policies regularly
    • Ensure all policies are consistently implemented
  2. Training Oversight
    • Identify training needs for staff and volunteers
    • Review training completion rates
    • Evaluate effectiveness of training programs
  3. Incident Review
    • Review all incident reports
    • Identify trends and systemic issues
    • Recommend corrective actions
  4. Emerging Issue Management
    • Monitor changes in laws and regulations
    • Review incidents from peer organizations
    • Develop responses to new and emerging risks
  5. Communication
    • Ensure safety information reaches all stakeholders
    • Create regular safety communications
    • Develop educational materials

Documentation Practices

A committee should address these key areas:

  • Keep detailed minutes of all committee meetings
  • Document all policy reviews and updates
  • Maintain records of all committee recommendations
  • Track implementation of committee decisions
  • Create an audit trail showing committee oversight
  • Store records securely but accessibly

Topical Focus Areas

A committee should address these key areas:

Immediate Priorities
  1. Background Check Procedures
    1. Who needs them (all staff, volunteers, etc.)
    2. Frequency and renewal process
    3. Ongoing monitoring between formal checks
  2. Abuse Prevention
    1. Training requirements and tracking
    2. Reporting procedures
    3. One-on-one interaction policies
  3. Medical Emergency Responses
    1. AED policies and training (this is becoming more common as a legal requirement)
    2. First aid training requirements
    3. Emergency action plans for each venue
Additional Focus Areas
  1. Transportation Safety
    1. Vehicle and driver requirements
    2. Transportation policies
    3. Documentation of insurance and licenses
  2. Facility Safety
    1. Facility insurance coverage
    2. Regular facility inspections
    3. Maintenance schedules
    4. Hazard identification and mitigation
  3. Special Event Planning
    1. Tournament safety plans
    2. Travel policies
    3. Overnight stay protocols
  4. Communication Protocols
    1. Social media policies
    2. Electronic communication with minors
    3. Parent communication standards

Measuring Effectiveness

Track these metrics to evaluate your committee's impact:

  • Number of incidents year-over-year
  • Policy compliance rates
  • Training completion percentages
  • Time to resolve safety concerns
  • Number of proactive safety measures implemented
  • Stakeholder feedback on safety culture

Conclusion

A safety committee is not just a box to check—it's an essential component of a "safety culture that's driven at the top of your organization on down." By establishing a consistent, proactive approach to safety through your committee, you demonstrate that safety is a core value of your organization.


Consistency is the most critical element of your risk management efforts. Your safety committee should be the guardian of that consistency, ensuring that policies aren't just written but are understood, followed, and documented throughout your organization.

Special Mentions

Thank you to Ryan Douglas, Vice President of Property & Casualty at USI Insurance Services and Casey Stansbury, Counsel at Kinkead & Stilz for speaking on Risk Management Essentials for Youth Sports Organizations, which was used to create this guide.

Additional Resources

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