Should coaches text players? Yes, under one condition: a second adult is on every message. A coach has no program reason to hold a private, one-on-one conversation with a player on any app. Three criminal cases made public in August 2026 show why boards are asking. All three coaches are charged, and none has been convicted. In Iowa, police arrested a 56-year-old Cedar Rapids bowling coach on...
Are coaches mandated reporters? The answer depends on the state, and sometimes on the league. Mandated reporting law is state law, and each state writes its own list of who must report suspected child abuse. One federal law adds a reporting duty for adults in certain sports organizations, and that federal law doesn’t reach every youth league. This article isn’t legal advice, and the...
The SafeSport banned list is a free public database. Many youth sports programs that search the database check a coach’s name once, at signup. One check is the gap. In February 2026, the U.S. Center for SafeSport ruled a Texas club volleyball coach permanently ineligible. ProPublica and The Washington Post reported that he was training his club’s players again the next day. The...