SAFE SPORT OVERVIEW

Softball Canada recognizes its responsibility to foster environments that ensure positive, healthy, and fulfilling experiences. By prioritizing the welfare, safety, and rights of our members, Softball Canada is able to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to address the needs of the softball community in relation to safety in sport.

SOFTBALL CANADA COMMITMENT

Softball Canada is committed to practicing Safe Sport and ensuring all participants are provided with safe, welcoming, and accessible sport environments, free from all forms of maltreatment. Softball Canada also commits to the following True Sport Principles:

Go for It – Rise to the challenge – always strive for excellence. Discover how good you can be.
Play Fair – Play honestly – obey both the letter and spirit of the rules. Winning is only meaningful when competition is fair.
Respect Others – Show respect for everyone involved in creating your sporting experience, both on and off the field. Win with dignity and lose with grace.
Keep it Fun – Find the joy of sport. Keep a positive attitude both on and off the field.
Stay Healthy – Place physical and mental health above all other considerations – avoid unsafe activities. Respect your body and keep in shape.
Include Everyone – Share sport with others. Ensure everyone has a place to play.
Give Back – Find ways to show your appreciation for the community that supports your sport and helps make it possible.

OPERATIONAL STATEMENT

Softball Canada’s Safe Sport framework will focus on three key elements: Awareness, Prevention and Action - all of which are strongly supported by governance, policies and procedures. The objective of this framework is to ensure all Softball Canada members have access to the resources and support services they need to safely facilitate and participate in softball specific programming.

SS Framework EN

SAFE SPORT POLICY SUITE

Softball Canada has a fundamental obligation and responsibility to protect the health, safety and physical and mental well-being of every individual that is involved in the Canadian softball community. Softball Canada takes any situation involving misconduct or maltreatment very seriously. For this reason, Softball Canada is committed to enacting and enforcing strong, clear, and effective policies and processes for preventing and addressing all forms of misconduct or maltreatment.

The policies are intended to promote a Safe Sport environment in a manner that allows for consistent, immediate, appropriate, and meaningful action should any issues arise. The policies are also intended to prevent issues from arising in the first place by communicating expected standards of behaviour.

Softball Canada has joined Abuse-Free Sport, the new independent program to prevent and address maltreatment in sport. Softball Canada, and its stakeholders at the national level, will have access to the services of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commission (OSIC), which serves as the central hub of Abuse-Free Sport.

Softball Canada, in partnership with Sport Law and Strategy Group (SLSG) has conducted an independent review. As a result of this review, Softball Canada has adopted an updated suite of Safe Sport policies. For any questions regarding this process please contact: safesport@softball.ca.