Safe Sport Day: Creating Safe Sport for Everyone

August 8th is Safe Sport Day, an international day dedicated to raising awareness and encouraging action to make sport safer for everyone involved. Sport should be a place where people can participate, learn, compete, and grow while feeling respected and supported. Safe sport goes beyond physical safety, it also means creating environments where participants feel emotionally, psychologically, and culturally safe.

Whether you are an athlete, coach, parent, official, volunteer or sport organization; everyone has a role to play to create a positive sport experience. This year’s Safe Sport Day encourages the sport community to “Stand up. Speak out. Play your part”.  (safesportforlife.ca)

To recognize Safe Sport Day, we have gathered resources that can help members of the Lethbridge sport community continue to build meaningful environments where everyone can participate safely and feel like they belong.

Safe Sport Starts With All of Us

Creating safer environments is a shared responsibility. No matter your role in sport, there are tools and resources available to help recognize these concerns, encourage positive sport experiences, and create spaces where everyone feels both welcome and supported.

From educational and bullying prevention to policies and practical tools, the following resources are a great place to start.

1. Dare to Care is a Canadian bullying prevention and safe sport program that works with sport communities to create safer, more respectful environments. Through workshops and educational programming for athletes, coaches, parents/guardians, officials, and sport organizations; Dare to Care provides practical tools to help recognize and address bullying while encouraging positive relationships in sport. They have also made an impact right here in Lethbridge, with local workshops bringing safe sport education directly to members of our sport community. Their programming helps give participants the knowledge and tools to recognize harmful behaviours, respond appropriately, and contribute to sport environments where everyone feels respected and supported.

2. Sport for Life offers a collection of resources designed to help organizations and individuals create sport environments that are safe and inclusive. Their Safe Sport resources look beyond physical safety to consider the psychological, emotional, and cultural well-being of participants. The resources cover a range of safe sport topics and can be useful for all involved in sport. Whether you are reviewing your organization’s current practices or simply looking to learn more about creating positive sport experiences, Sport for Life is a helpful place to start.

3. The Coaching Association of Canada offers a collection of training and resources designed to help coaches and sport organizations create safe and positive sport environments. Their resources cover everything from recognizing and preventing maltreatment to ethical decision-making, concussion awareness, responsible coaching, and creating positive environments. One resource to explore is the Safe Sport Training module, which is designed to help anyone involved in sport recognize and prevent situations of maltreatment. Coaches can also find additional NCCP training and practical resources to support positive coaching practices.

Explore Safe Sport Resources from Lethbridge Sport Council

Lethbridge Sport Council has additional resources available from education and training opportunities to information on topics such as hazing prevention, responsible coaching, and safe sport policies. These resources can help our local sport community continue to learn and take action.

Explore Lethbridge Sport Council Safe Sport Resources HERE

Play Your Part This Safe Sport Day 

Safe Sport Day is an opportunity to learn, start conversations, and consider the role each of us play in creating safer sport. Safe Sport International has created a toolkit with resources to help individuals and organizations get involved and share this important message.

Safe sport is something we all have a role in creating. This Safe Sport Day, take some time to explore the resources available, start conversations within your sport community, and consider how you can help make sport safer, more welcoming, and positive for everyone involved.