The coach’s legal duties

By Thomas Hamilton

.Provide a safe environment

Facilities and equipment must be safe for all involved. All weather conditionsmust also be taken into account during all activities. approved safety equipmentshould be met. Participants, especially children, should be protected fromharassment, discrimination and abuse while involved in sport under the coach’scare.

Activities must be planned

Unplanned or poorly planned activity sessions can impair learning, cause injury.Using appropriate teaching of new skills, especially potentially dangerous skills,and providing activities that cater for the range of ability levels in your group isimportant. No participant should ever be forced to take part in any activity thatthey do not wish to. Individual difference must be accounted for.s requires carefulplanning.

Participants must be warned of the risks of the activities

The risks of any activity can only be legally accepted by the participants if they know,understand and appreciate those risks. For example, parents may need to be warned of car parking risks or other facility-related risks.

Participants must be evaluated for injury and incapacity.

Participants with an injury or incapacity should not be expected to perform anypotentially harmful activity. No participant should ever be forced to take part inany activity that they do not wish to. Individual difference must be

accountedfor.4.

Young participants should not be mismatched in activities (unless thecoach adapts and modifies the activity to safely include allparticipants

)

Young participants should be matched not only according to age,but also height, weight and maturity. activities should be modified so that thecoach can safely and effectively include all participants.