Safe Sport for Volleyball Parents
How we keep athletes safe, the questions to ask any program, and where to get help right away.
Safe sport and child safety in youth volleyball
Every child deserves to play in a safe, respectful environment. Manitoba's Protecting Youth in Sports Act came into force on April 1, 2026, and Canadian sport follows the Rule of Two: every interaction and message between a coach and an athlete is open, observable and justifiable.
The Rule of Two
- A coach is never alone with an athlete
- Meetings happen in the open
- Parents can be copied on messages
- Team channels, not private social media chats
Who coaches your child
- Criminal record and child abuse registry checks
- Safe sport training such as Respect in Sport
- Coaching certification (NCCP)
Four questions for any program
- Are coaches and volunteers screened?
- Have they completed safe sport training?
- Do you follow the Rule of Two, for messages and rides too?
- Who do I report a concern to, and are they independent of the coach?
If you need help now: how to report a concern
- A child is in immediate danger: call 911.
- A child needs protection: in Manitoba, anyone who believes a child is being abused must report it to a child and family services agency or the police.
- Abuse, harassment or bullying in sport: use our Complaint Protocol or contact your provincial association. Athletes in national programs can report to the Canadian Safe Sport Program (Sport Integrity Canada).
- Sextortion or online exploitation: report at Cybertip.ca. Young people can get help removing images at NeedHelpNow.ca.
- Kids and teens who need to talk: Kids Help Phone, 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868.
Read more: grooming, online safety and photos
Grooming starts small
Harm to children in sport usually begins with small steps: extra attention, gifts, private messages, rides home and "our little secret". Expect to be copied on coach messages, and tell your child that no adult should ask them to keep a secret.
Online safety and sextortion
Team rosters, tagged photos and public profiles make young athletes easy to find. Tell your kids, more than once, that if someone threatens them online they will not be in trouble: stop contact, do not pay, keep the messages and report it.
Photos of your child
Ask any club how it uses photos of athletes and whether you can opt out. Check the privacy settings on your child's accounts.
Read our full article: Keeping Kids Safe in Sport: 5 Issues Every Winnipeg Parent and Coach Should Know.
Ready to find the right program?
Search programs in Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Fraser Valley and Montréal, or ask a coach.