Workshop tries to kick abuse off field

Mathis Winkler

When Stephen Rasch played high school football in the 1960s, his

coaches would get in his face, yell at him and push him around.

“I didn’t feel it was abuse,” Rasch said. “I didn’t know any better.”

As commissioner for Newport Beach’s region of the American Youth

Soccer Organization, Rasch will now make sure that kids on the city’s

soccer teams won’t suffer from abuse.

The organization requires all of its coaches and referees to undergo a

training program called “Safe Haven” to qualify under the 1997 Volunteer

Protection Act. That law grants immunity from certain types of

prosecution, if volunteers have received adequate training.

The program -- three hours for coaches and one and a half hours for

referees -- wants to educate volunteers dealing with children.

While anyone in the past could sign up to become an AYSO coach or

referee, the organization has also started to screen candidates. They all

have to provide several forms of identification and give personal and

professional references before getting permission to work with kids.

In the “Safe Haven” workshops, trainers discuss emotional, sexual and

physical abuse, said Ellisa Hall, who coordinates the program for AYSO.

While it’s perfectly acceptable to give players high-fives, volunteers

are reminded that hugging children isn’t always appropriate.

“A 5-year-old might need a hug when they fall down,” she said. “But

not a 14-year-old.”

Rasch said the program is a no-brainer.

“It’s common sense kind of stuff,” he said.

However, he added that the workshops provide coaches and referees some

level of protection against abuse charges.

“AYSO’s idea is that it will scare away anyone that has a history of

abuse,” he said. “The ‘Safe Haven’ program is aimed at making us

liability-proof.”

Coaches and referees for Newport Beach’s Region 97 will be able to

take the “Safe Haven” classes in late August and September. With roughly

1,700 kids signed up for soccer teams this year, about 170 coaches and

200 referees will participate in the program, Rasch said.

Nearby regions have already offered the program to their volunteers.

“I couldn’t be more excited about supporting it,” said Mike Wade,

commissioner of Region 57, which covers parts of Newport Beach and Corona

del Mar and has about 400 coaches and assistants, and more than 300

referees, for its 1,750 soccer players. Costa Mesa’s Region 120 has

already held “Safe Haven” workshops as well.

“It can never hurt to remind all of our volunteers that we’re dealing

with children,” Wade said. “Sometimes the competitive spirit turns too

much toward winning and not [to] simply having a good time.”

FYI

For more information on the “Safe Haven” program, please call (949)

631-0559 for AYSO Region 97, (949) 721-9837 for AYSO Region 57, and (714)

549-5295 for AYSO Region 120.