Risk Management Program for Local Sports Organizations

Redacted Sample Edition, For Promotional Use

Running an amateur sports program involves more than just organizing practices and games – it requires the practice of simple but effective risk management to a) comply with federal, state, and local laws, b) comply with insurance carrier and govering body requirements, and c) to reduce the risk of liability for the organization and its directors, officers, employees, and volunteers. These individuals may have their personal assets on the chopping block in the event of injury to a spectator or participant.

Risk management done the wrong way can be too time-consuming and can actually set up your organization and its staff for more liability than they would otherwise have. Our risk management plan is designed in an attempt to mitigate such risk. We avoid guarantees of safety and mandatory lists of “to-dos” by providing educational awareness training, recommendations, and guidelines.

In addition, we realize that many organizations are run by volunteers who have limited time and resources. Our plan recognizes that effective risk management can be as simple as raising the awareness of your coaches and staff to risk and training them on how to respond to risk.

And we have found that organizations don’t want to have a number of different risk management plans, such as sex abuse, concussion, sudden cardiac arrest, etc. They prefer to have all risk management contained in a single document, which is easier to update, post, and distribute.

The outline below is a glimpse into our strategy at Sadler Sports & Recreation Insurance, which is trusted by thousands of sports organizations nationwide. Our full plan is a template that is 25 pages long. However, most organizations choose to omit sections which don’t apply to their operations, which greatly reduces the size of the program.

Risk Management Program for Local Sports Organizations

Purpose and Scope

Establish a designated risk role and season-over-season oversight
Define authority to act in real time for safety decisions

Risk Management Officer (RMO)

Role, authority, visibility, and reporting expectations

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[REDACTED — RMO decision authority, notification triggers, and examples]

Risk Committee (optional)

Pre-season, mid-season, and post-season review cadence

[REDACTED — agenda, quorum, voting, corrective action log format]

2) High-Risk Activity Controls

Event screening and approvals

Identify activities that elevate injury, abuse, or liability exposure
Require pre-approval and documented controls

[REDACTED — allow/avoid matrix, vendor insurance standards, sample clauses]

Examples:

Alcohol at functions
Youth fundraisers with attractions
Swimming activities and private-home exposures
Overnight events unrelated to sanctioned travel
Parade floats and public route controls

3) Abuse & Misconduct Prevention and Response

Zero-Tolerance Standard

Prohibits sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, harassment, bullying, and hazing
Immediate separation from duties pending review

Prevention Policies and Procedures (visible headlines)

Two-deep leadership at all activities
Observable and interruptible interactions only
Electronic communications boundaries and monitoring
Locker room, travel, and meeting controls
Annual abuse-prevention education for all youth-facing roles
Screening for every youth-access role by a third-party provider

[REDACTED — disqualification criteria, screening workflow, FCRA steps,

jurisdiction-specific screening notes, confidentiality handling]

Recognizing and Reporting

When in doubt, act and report; external report to authorities as required
Internal report to designated official; anti-retaliation protection

[REDACTED — decision tree, sample report form, communication scripts]

Post-Incident Response

Cooperation with authorities, suspension from youth contact, record control

[REDACTED — response team charter, documentation packets, media protocol]

Minor-Focused Training

Age-appropriate materials for recognizing and reporting concerns

[REDACTED — distribution plan, acknowledgment tracking]

4) Participant Supervision

Principles

Active presence, proximity, and control
Manage rowdiness; stop unsafe conduct promptly
Align size/age/skill in drills and scrimmages

[REDACTED — target ratios by setting, staffing contingency plan, escalation]

5) Participant Instruction

Coach Education & Technique Standards

Foundational safety content and sport-specific technique refreshers
Safety rule reviews and pre-season updates

[REDACTED — high-hazard drills list, instructor qualifications, tracking log]

6) Environmental Hazards

Lightning

Immediate suspension when conditions reach the decision trigger
Evacuate to the appropriate shelter; restart only after a safe interval

[REDACTED — exact decision rule wording, shelter list, restart window]

Severe Weather (e.g., tornado)

Suspend, shelter in place, account for participants, restart protocol

[REDACTED — facility-specific shelters, communication tree, role cards]

Heat Illness

Hydration, breaks, practice modification, and cooling capability
Environmental index used to inform decisions on modification, postponement, and cancellation

[REDACTED — WBGT thresholds, cold-water immersion steps, return criteria]

7) Concussion / Brain Injury

Recognition & Removal

Common signs and symptoms: when in doubt, hold out

[REDACTED — sideline checklist, parent notification template]

Evaluation & Return to Play

Requires written clearance and a stepwise progression when symptom-free

[REDACTED — clearance form language, progression stages, record retention]

8) Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)

Recognition & Risk Awareness

Warning signs and family risk indicators headline list

[REDACTED — screening questions, notification guidance]

Chain of Survival

Early recognition
Early CPR
Early AED
Early EMS

[REDACTED — AED placement awareness, inspection cadence, post-incident logs]

9) Sports Injury Care

What to treat vs. when to call EMS

First aid scope and stabilization; do not exceed training

[REDACTED — injury categories, on-field decision prompts, EMS handoff]

Preparation

Pre-participation options, flexibility, conditioning, aand ge-appropriate strength

[REDACTED — forms, progression outlines, contraindications]

10) Emergency Action Plan (EAP)

Pre-Injury Planning

Emergency numbers, role cards, site map elements, and first-aid/AED visibility
Coach CPR/first aid training tracking

[REDACTED — site map legend, kit contents, training roster template]

Post-Injury Actions

Stabilize, call EMS, provide medical consent info, notify parents and RMO
Control sthe cene and document

[REDACTED — incident report, return-to-play verification steps]

11) Facilities (if owned/leased)

Suitability, Access Control, and Inspections

Code alignment, fencing/signage, patrols and trespass deterrence
Daily/weekly/seasonal maintenance cycles

[REDACTED — detailed checklists, repair logs, seasonal project plan]

12) Equipment (sport-specific where applicable)

Purchase/Use/Modification

Use per manufacturer intent; no improper modifications
Comply with applicable standards

[REDACTED — fitting guides, reconditioning guidance, replacement cycle]

Inspection & Recordkeeping

Pre-season inventory/issue; pre-event coach checks; remove from service

[REDACTED — equipment ID log, repair documentation, audit trail]

13) Autos and Transportation

Group Travel

Approval, driver qualifications, seat belts, devices, vehicle types
Discourage 15-passenger vans

[REDACTED — MVR criteria, insurance requirements, van restrictions]

Individual Rides

Policy stance and permissions; clarify non-organizational rides vs. approved transport

[REDACTED — consent template, driver attestation, limits]

Charter Buses (optional)

Operator vetting, belt usage, supervision

[REDACTED — safety rating verification steps, certificate review]

14) Other Safety Modules (optional)

Anti-violence at venues
Bleacher and rail safety
Parade route and float controls

[REDACTED — module outlines and checklists]

15) Insurance Readiness (administrators)

Core Policies

Accident, General Liability, D&O, Crime, Equipment
Optional: Workers’ Comp, Auto, Property, based on operations

[REDACTED — limit guidance, exclusions to watch, evidence of coverage process]

16) Contractual Transfer (administrators)

Participant Packets

Waivers/releases, medical consent, image release
Retention timeframe and privacy

[REDACTED — sample language positions, tracking methods]

Facility Leases

Indemnity fairness, insurance compliance

[REDACTED — review checklist, clause library references]

Tournaments & Visiting Teams

Host agreement, Additional Insured, medical and liability minimums

[REDACTED — sample requirements page, certificate intake SOP]

Vendors & Service Providers

Hold harmless, COI collection, workers’ comp as applicable

[REDACTED — agreement checklist, renewal cadence, deficiency follow-up]

17) Distribution, Acknowledgment, and Retention

Annual rollout

Deliver plan to all administrators and staff pre-season; capture acknowledgments

[REDACTED — digital signature process, retention schedule, folder map]

🛡️ Unlock the Complete Sports Risk Management Framework

Access Sadler’s Industry-Leading Risk Management Solution

Our comprehensive framework transforms your outline into practical, step-by-step guidance and provides ready-to-use policies built specifically for volunteer-run sports and recreation organizations.

• Reduce claims exposure
• Demonstrate diligent oversight
• Operate with maximum confidence

This full, comprehensive framework is provided at no additional cost to active Sadler clients. To unlock full access, coverage through Sadler is required.

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