Home » Health & Safety Channel » General Safety Center » Program Safety » Legal Duties Owed Participants In Youth Sports Programs

Legal Duties Owed Participants In Youth Sports Programs

James C. Koslowski of the National Recreation and Parks Association believes that participants in youth programs are owed the following legal duties:

  1. To be given adequate instruction in the activity

  2. To be supplied with proper and necessary protective equipment

  3. To a reasonable selection of match participants

  4. To be provided non-negligent supervision

  5. That, in the event of injury, proper post-injury procedures will be taken to protect against aggravation of the injury.

These duties are not mutually exclusive," asserts Koslowski. "They tend to be interrelated. A safe program requires a responsible director or supervisor to provide safety instructions regarding necessary protective equipment and the risks associated with a particular activity. In addition, those responsible for the activity must supervise the activity to ensure that the program participants follow safety rules and instructions. The degree of supervision and instruction will vary according to the age and awareness of the program participants."