Laserfiche WebLink
RM <br /> • <br /> Parents, coaches, officials, fans, players and administrators must be drug, tobacco, alcohol and <br /> performance enhancer free at youth sports activities. <br /> Background: <br /> Sports participation has long been characterized as a means of developing character and positive <br /> values. Information indicates that peer pressure, negative peer group associations and unhealthy adult <br /> role models may actually increase the use of drug, tobacco and alcohol use among youth participants as <br /> well as lead to the use of performance-enhancing drugs. <br /> Rationale: <br /> Adults involved in youth sports must be educated about all drugs, including performance enhancing <br /> drugs. Leagues should have policies to deal with the use of drugs, tobacco and alcohol, emphasizing <br /> prevention through education. Parents, league administrators and coaches should be trained to identify <br /> signs of usage and know how to access community resources. Healthful role modeling should lead the <br /> way for influencing youth participants to avoid drug, tobacco and alcohol use and to promote seeking <br /> safe and healthy improvements through proper training methods that don't involve the use of <br /> performance-enhancing drugs to gain an unfair advantage. <br /> Implementation: <br /> 1. Leagues should adopt rules prohibiting the use of performance enhancing drugs, alcohol, illegal <br /> substances and/or tobacco at all youth sports events. <br /> 2. Leagues should provide coaches and parents educational information on identifying signs and <br /> symptoms of substance use. <br /> 3. Leagues should establish written policies and implementation procedures for immediately dealing <br /> with substance use by coaches and players and communicate this information to coaches, players, <br /> and parents. <br /> 4. Leagues should continually encourage dialogue between coaches, players and parents about the <br /> need for an alcohol, tobacco and drug-free environment for children. <br /> 5. Leagues must ban all forms of tobacco use during any youth sports related activity. <br /> 6. Leagues should discourage participants from using caffeine products (pills, gum and drinks). <br /> 7. Leagues must not allow alcohol to be sold or allowed to be brought into youth sports games, <br /> practices or related events. <br /> 8. Leagues should develop an enforcement plan for removing adults and players who appear to be <br /> under the influence of drugs, alcohol or any illegal substances. <br /> National Standards for Youth Sports Copyright©2008 by NAYS <br />