Athlete Safety

Our Commitment · How We Protect · Gymnast Safety · How to Report · Our Duty to Report

Our Commitment to You

Gymnastics is one of the most demanding and rewarding sports there is — physically, mentally, and emotionally — and the athletes who walk through our doors bring courage and discipline with them every day. Protecting them is our foremost responsibility.

We believe everyone performs their best when they feel safe. That means more than clean mats and well-maintained equipment. It means a culture where boundaries are honored and concerns are heard, so every athlete can reach his or her full potential.

At Brown's Gymnastics, know that every member of our team:

• Completes regular criminal background screening and current SafeSport training before working with athletes
• Undergoes additional periodic training to stay current on best practices
• Has no one-on-one interaction with your child unless it is observable and interruptible
• Ensures that any direct electronic communication between a coach and your child includes at least one other adult
• Never provides transportation to athletes

Athlete safety is governed by comprehensive federal, state, and local laws, as well as the policies of national governing bodies such as USA Gymnastics (USAG), the U.S. Center for SafeSport, and others. Together, these frameworks set the standards for how athletes must be protected, how misconduct is defined and investigated, and what obligations coaches, clubs, and administrators carry.

We are committed to full compliance with every applicable law and policy — and to going further wherever we can. If you would like to understand the rules that govern our sport, both organizations make their policies publicly available:

You are one of the most important protective factors in your child's life. The more you know about what your child is entitled to, what to watch for, and how to respond, the safer they are.

Your Child's Rights as an Athlete

Every athlete has the right:

• To be treated with dignity and respect by every coach, staff member, and teammate
• To train in an environment free from sexual, physical, and emotional abuse
• To say no to any physical contact that makes them uncomfortable — regardless of the reason given — without fear of consequence
• To raise a concern or report misconduct without retaliation
• To have any concern taken seriously and addressed promptly

Warning Signs to Watch For

The overwhelming majority of coaches build trust with athletes in healthy, appropriate ways. But certain behaviors by an adult toward your child in any environment are worth paying attention to:

• Seeking private, one-on-one time with your child — in person, online, or by phone
• Giving your child special gifts, attention, or privileges not extended to others
• Encouraging your child to keep secrets from you or other adults
• Making comments about your child's body that feel inappropriate
• Trying to come between your child and their teammates, friends, or family
• Touching your child in ways that seem unnecessary, even if described as coaching or therapy
• Messaging your child privately on personal devices or social media

If Something Doesn't Feel Right

Do not hesitate to talk to us. You can let your concern be known to the General Manager — or, if you would rather not do that in person, email us at safety@brownslv.com. We are here to help.

If you ever have a concern — whether it involves a coach, staff member, another athlete, or any other person connected to a Brown's Gymnastics facility — please do not wait. Every concern is received, reviewed, and addressed. There is no threshold a concern must meet before it is worth raising.

Reporting to us does not replace the separate reporting obligations our staff carry to law enforcement, CPS, and the governing bodies. You are always free to contact those authorities directly as well — and for any emergency or immediate danger, call 911 first.

Report to USA Gymnastics

For non-sexual misconduct, policy violations, retaliation, or other conduct that implicates the USAG Safety & Response Policy, reports can be made directly to USA Gymnastics:

Report to the U.S. Center for SafeSport

For sexual misconduct, child abuse, or any other conduct within the Center's jurisdiction — including conduct by any participant in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement — reports go to the Center:

Everyone at Brown's Gymnastics is a mandatory reporter. Whenever a coach, staff member, or administrator reasonably suspects that a child is being abused — whether in our gym or elsewhere — they are legally and personally required to report it to the proper authorities.

Reporting Is Not Optional

For our staff, reporting suspected child abuse is a legal duty, not a judgment call. It is not passed up to a supervisor or handled quietly within the gym. The person who has the concern reports it — personally and promptly.

The Standard Is Suspicion, Not Proof

The obligation to report arises from reasonable suspicion. If something a child says, shows, or does raises a reasonable concern of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse, that is enough — and the appropriate authorities take it from there. This same standard is available to you: you never need proof to raise a concern.

Where Reports Go

Depending on the nature of a concern, a report may go to one or more of the following authorities: