1. Why
As a member club of USA Gymnastics (USAG), GCGT is legally and contractually required to follow the U.S. Center for SafeSport Code and the sport-specific abuse-prevention policies built on it. This isn’t optional or a “nice to have” — it stems from federal law: the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017. Every USAG, U.S.T.A., and USASF member club must adopt these policies as a condition of membership.
Our gym is also members of the United States Trampoline & Tumbling Association (U.S.T.A.) and the US All Star Federation (USASF). Neither of these organizations are legally required to follow Safe Sport regulations but rather have their own similar framework as industry best practices.
Below is a plain-language summary of the policies that affect you and your athlete, links to the full official documents, and a description of how GCGT complies with each one.
2. The Governing Bodies & Where Their Policies Can Be Located
| Organization | Governs | Full Policy Document |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Center for SafeSport | The baseline Code that ALL Olympic/Paralympic-movement sports (including USAG and USASF) must follow | 2026 SafeSport Code |
| U.S. Center for SafeSport | Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies (MAAPP) — the specific prevention rules (one-on-one contact, travel, electronic comms, etc.) | MAAPP overview · Full MAAPP PDF |
| USA Gymnastics (USAG) | Gymnastics-specific adoption of the Code/MAAPP, plus gymnastics-only rules like Parental Access to Practice | USAG Safe Sport Policy · Full PDF |
| USA Gymnastics (USAG) | Parents’ landing page / reporting info | usagym.org/safety/parents |
| USASF | All Star Cheer/Dance member club and coach requirements (background screening, training, code of conduct) | Conduct & Compliance · Background Screening · 2025-26 Code of Conduct PDF |
| United States Trampoline & Tumbling Association (U.S.T.A.) | Trampoline/tumbling/double-mini coach certification, Safe Sport certification, and background check requirements | usta1.org · Rules & Policies Library (PDF) · Registration/Background Check portal |
| U.S. Center for SafeSport | Report misconduct directly | Report a Concern or call 833-587-7233 |
3. Policies Every Parent Should Know
A. Background Checks & Training Are Mandatory for Every Adult Who Has Contact With Your Child
USAG requires that every adult with regular contact with or authority over minor athletes — coaches, staff, and volunteers alike — pass a background check and complete the U110: U.S. Center for SafeSport Core Course on an annual basis, as part of USAG’s Safety Champion and club-compliance requirements.
USASF requires the same for its member gyms: coaches, club owners, non-coaching representatives, and adult athletes must complete a nationally standardized background screening through USASF’s screening partner (JDP) and an abuse-prevention training course, both renewed each membership term (June 1–May 31). USASF also maintains a public Member Directory where anyone can verify a coach’s current screening/training status.
U.S.T.A. requires all coach members to be Safe Sport Certified (through the Armatus system, linked from usta1.org, renewed annually), to complete a criminal background check, and to hold a separate U.S.T.A. Safety Certification covering sport-specific safety practices (renewed every four years). Judges must likewise complete a background check and abuse-prevention training before working a sanctioned meet.
How GCGT complies: Every adult staff member’s background check and Safe Sport certification (or equivalent vis USASF or USTA) is verified. Safe Sport (or the equivalent course via USASF and USTA) are re-verified each membership season.
B. One-on-One Interactions Must Be “Observable and Interruptible”
Per the MAAPP framework that both USAG and USASF have adopted, adults are not permitted to have closed-door, one-on-one interactions with a minor athlete. Any individual training, meeting, or treatment must happen where it can be seen and interrupted by another adult (or take place with a third adult present).
How GCGT complies: Our gym has an open floor plan layout and parents can view practices and lessons by sitting in the viewing area. Private lessons can never take place with just a coach and an athlete; there must be someone else present in the building – this can be a parent, sibling, staff member, or guardian. In the event that a minor on staff needs to meet with an adult, they can meet in our front office or back office where it is also open to any other staff to enter and observe; no meetings are behind locked areas one-on-one.
C. Electronic Communication & Social Media
Prevention policies under the MAAPP restrict private, one-on-one electronic communication (texts, DMs, social media messages) between an adult staff member and a minor athlete unless a parent/guardian is copied or included. Coaches are also expected to follow club guidelines on what can be posted or filmed of athletes.
How GCGT complies: We have parents sign photo release waivers annually for social media and images to be used digitally or for print ads coming from our gym. Staff members under the age of 18 get written permission from their parents to text gym owners/managers in regards to work, scheduling, substitutes, etc. However, coaches will not have electronic communication with athletes.
D. Locker Rooms, Changing Areas & Massage/Manual Therapy
The MAAPP sets rules for supervision of locker rooms/changing areas and requires that any manual therapy or medical treatment of a minor athlete by an adult be observable/interruptible and, in most cases, only performed by an appropriately credentialed provider.
How GCGT complies: Our locker room is for girls only and this room does not have a changing room inside of it nor is there a lock on the door. Our athletes are encouraged to change in the restroom behind a locked stall door. We perform no physical therapy, massage, or medical treatments inside our facility.
E. Transportation & Travel
Adult Participants generally may not transport a minor athlete alone without prior, specific parental consent, and parents must give written consent annually for any travel sponsored by USAG or the club (competitions, overnight trips, etc.).
How GCGT complies: Our coaches will not travel, car pool, or otherwise transport minor athletes unless related to them. If a coach is a personal friend of a family and that family allows the coach to transport their child to practices or competitions, a power of attorney must be signed by the parent in order for this to take place. (This is very rare but has occurred in our gym’s history.)
F. Parental Access to Practice (USAG-specific — gymnastics only)
This is a policy specific to USA Gymnastics, found on page 19 of the USAG Safe Sport Policy. In USAG’s own words: “Member Clubs must permit parents and guardians access to practice and training sessions.” In practical terms:
Every training session must be accessible to at least a portion of parents, for both recreational and team programs, subject to space/safety limits — via in-person viewing or closed-circuit video.
A club may set reasonable rules (e.g., asking a parent not to coach from the viewing area, limiting personal video/social-media posting of other people’s kids, or rotating viewing access to manage space).
A club may not eliminate viewing entirely, restrict it to only 15 minutes per practice, use broken/inadequate video feed as a substitute, or let some parents view a competition while barring others.
How GCGT complies: We have a viewing area for all parents/guardians. We do not limit the amount of time a parent can stay. If a parent does become a problem during a practice they will be asked to leave and wait in the lobby.
G. Mandatory Reporting
Every adult connected to the club (coaches, staff, and often parents/volunteers with regular contact) has a duty to report suspected misconduct or child abuse — both to law enforcement/the U.S. Center for SafeSport for sexual misconduct, and to USAG or USASF directly for other policy violations. This duty exists regardless of your role and cannot be delegated away.
Where to report:
- U.S. Center for SafeSport: Report a Concern or 833-587-7233
- USA Gymnastics: usagymsafesport@usagym.org
- USASF: Reporting Abuse & Misconduct
How GCGT complies: All of our coaches aged 18 and older have taken either the USAG Safe Sport course or the equivalent course through USASF or USTA. Our coaches are made aware of their duty to report. Also, we have owners and coaches that are mandated reporters and take continuing education to maintain this status.
H. Safety Champion
USAG requires every member club to appoint a Safety Champion — a designated point person responsible for the club’s Safe Sport compliance — and to publish, on the club’s website, links to the SafeSport and USAG reporting portals plus the Center’s “Parent’s Guide to Misconduct in Sport” which can be found here: Courses to Get You SafeSport® Trained | U.S. Center for SafeSport
GCGT’s Safety Champion: Katie Cernea & Jacob Huff
4. Quick-Reference Link List
- U.S. Center for SafeSport — Report a Concern: https://uscenterforsafesport.org/report-a-concern/
- U.S. Center for SafeSport — 2026 Code: https://uscenterforsafesport.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2026-Safesport-Code_1225.pdf
- U.S. Center for SafeSport — MAAPP: https://maapp.uscenterforsafesport.org/
- U.S. Center for SafeSport — Parent’s Guide to Misconduct in Sport: https://uscenterforsafesport.org/resources/(search “Parent’s Guide” — USAG’s policy directs clubs to link this specific resource)
- USA Gymnastics — Safe Sport Policy: https://members.usagym.org/pages/membership/pages/scresources/safesportpolicy.html
- USA Gymnastics — For Parents: https://usagym.org/safety/parents/
- USA Gymnastics — U110 Course info: https://members.usagym.org/pages/education/courses/U110/
- USASF — Conduct & Compliance: https://www.usasf.net/conduct-compliance
- USASF — Background Screening: https://www.usasf.net/background-screening
- USASF — Member Directory (verify any coach’s status): https://www.usasf.net/member-directory
- USASF — 2025-26 Code of Conduct (PDF): https://www.usasf.net/files/2025-2026_CodeOfConduct.pdf
- USTA — Home / Safe Sport Certification (Armatus link): https://usta1.org/
- USTA — Rules & Policies Library (coach certification requirements, PDF): https://usta1.org/portals/0/pdf/Rules/FRONTALL.pdf
- USTA — Coach/Athlete/Judge Registration & Background Check: https://usta1.org/Registration/tabid/106/Default.aspx
- Parent’s Guide to Misconduct in Sport – Courses to Get You SafeSport® Trained | U.S. Center for SafeSport
This document summarizes official USAG, USASF, U.S.T.A., and U.S. Center for SafeSport policy language for parent communication purposes. It is not a substitute for the full policy texts linked above, which should be reviewed directly and updated whenever the governing bodies revise their policies — USAG explicitly states its Safe Sport Policy may be updated at any time, effective immediately upon publication.