USASF Professional Responsibility Code 2019-2020 9.0 | Page 37

HOW WE HANDLE BULLYING
If bullying is occurring during team-related activities, we STOP
BULLYING ON THE SPOT using the following steps:
1. Intervene immediately. It is ok to get another adult to help.
2. Separate the kids involved.
3. Make sure everyone is safe.
4. Meet any immediate medical or mental health needs.
5. Stay calm. Reassure the kids involved, including bystanders.
6. Model respectful behavior when you intervene.
If bullying is occurring at our program or is reported to be occurring
at our program, we address the bullying by FINDING OUT WHAT
HAPPENED and SUPPORTING THE KIDS INVOLVED using
the following approach:
1. First, get the facts.
a. Keep all the involved children separate.
b. Get the story from several sources, both adults and kids.
c. Listen without blaming.
d. Don’t call the act “bullying” while you are trying to
understand what happened.
e. It may be difficult to get the whole story, especially if
multiple athletes are involved or the bullying involves
social bullying or cyberbullying. Collect all available
information.
2. Then, determine if it’s bullying. There are many behaviors
that look like bullying but require different approaches. It is
important to determine whether the situation is bullying or
something else.
a. Review the U.S. All Star Federation definition of bullying;
b. To determine if the behavior is bullying or something
else, consider the following questions:
• What is the history between the kids involved?
• Have there been past conflicts?
• Is there a power imbalance? Remember that a power
imbalance is not limited to physical strength. It is
sometimes not easily recognized. If the targeted child
feels like there is a power imbalance, there probably is.
• Has this happened before? Is the child worried it will
happen again?
c. Remember that it may not matter “who started it.”
Some kids who are bullied may be seen as annoying or
provoking, but this does not excuse the bullying behavior.
d. Once you have determined if the situation is bullying,
support all of the kids involved.
SUPPORTING THE KIDS INVOLVED
3. Support the kids who are being bullied.
a. Listen and focus on the child. Learn what’s been going on
and show you want to help. Assure the child that bullying
is not their fault.
b. Work together to resolve the situation and protect
the bullied child. The child, parents, and fellow team
members and coaches may all have valuable input. It may
help to:
i. Ask the child what can be done to make him or
her feel safe. Remember that changes to routine
should be minimized. He or she is not at fault and
should not be singled out. For example, consider
rearranging formations for everyone. If bigger
moves are necessary, such as switching practice
groups, the child who is bullied should not be
forced to change.
ii. Develop a game plan. Maintain open
communication between the Program and parents.
Discuss the steps that will be taken and how
bullying will be addressed going forward.
c. Be persistent. Bullying may not end overnight. Commit to
making it stop and consistently support the bullied child.
to the attention of the appropriate program leadership as soon as
possible to make sure that memories are fresh and behavior can be
accurately recalled and the bullying behavior can be stopped as soon
as possible.
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