Athlete Wellness & SafeSport
Athlete Wellness and SafeSport is a high priority for BJC.
We’re proud to have earned Gold Level Certification, the highest level available.
Here are some ways we help support a positive and healthy team environment.
A wide range of USA Cycling Member Well-Being Resources are here.
BJC ATHLETE WELLNESS PLAN BJC has implemented a plan that establishes best practices and guidelines to follow when addressing various athlete wellness issues that might include topics like Injury, Concussion, Mental Health, RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports), Disordered Eating, and SafeSport issues.
BJC ATHLETE WELLNESS ADVOCATE BJC has appointed Meredith Miller to serve the role of Athlete Wellness Advocate and SafeSport Champion. Meredith is a former pro racer and a member of our board of directors. The Athlete Wellness Advocate serves the BJC community as a confidential and neutral resource for athlete wellness concerns. This can include any athlete health issues, both physical and mental, any SafeSport issues, or whenever an independent and experienced resource is needed. Members of our community can contact Meredith at any time via email.
THE BJC CODE OF CONDUCT is here and the USA Cycling Code of Conduct is here.
SAFESPORT SafeSport is a set of resources and policies to safeguard athletes from bullying, harassment, hazing, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and sexual misconduct. BJC requires adults who have regular contact with or authority over minor athletes to follow the SafeSport policy. This includes coaches, board members, and chaperones.
BJC also provides age-appropriate SafeSport training to our members.
Read more details about the USA Cycling SafeSport program.
TO REPORT SAFESPORT CONCERNS: Contact the USA Center for SafeSport here. In addition, you can contact BJC’s Athlete Wellness Advocate and SafeSport Champion Meredith Miller via email
MINOR ATHLETE ABUSE PREVENTION POLICY Known as the MAAPP, it is a set of guidelines established by numerous sport organizations.The goal is to eliminate isolated, one-on-one interactions between children and adults. Establishing clear boundaries for one-on-one interactions reduces the risk of physical, sexual, and emotional misconduct as well as opportunities for bullying, harassment, and hazing. The majority of child sexual abuse is perpetrated in isolated, one-on-one situations. By reducing such interaction between children and adults, programs reduce the risk of child sexual abuse. However, one-on-one time with trusted adults is also healthy and valuable for a child. Policies concerning one-on-one interactions protect children while allowing for these beneficial relationships.
Read more details about the USA Cycling Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy
There are a host of guidelines, but the key ones cover: meetings, one-on-one coaching, car sharing, and electronic communications.
Meetings between adults and minor athletes: Must be observable and interruptible by another adult.
Individual training sessions: Must be observable and interruptible by another adult, unless agreed to in writing by the minor athlete’s parent/legal guardian in advance. Please follow this link to complete BJC’s online permission form for Individual Training Sessions
Car sharing: Adults shall not ride in a vehicle alone with an unrelated minor athlete, unless agreed to in writing by the minor athlete’s parent/legal guardian in advance. (Emergency circumstances excepted.) Transportation is allowed when at least two minor athletes or another adult are in the vehicle. Please follow this link to complete a BJC online permission form for minor athlete to ride in a vehicle alone with unrelated adult.
Electronic communications: one-on-one texting, email, and direct messaging between adults and minor athletes should be avoided. Electronic communications should include a 3rd party. When texting or messaging each other, athletes and coaches should copy another coach or parent. (A good example is for athletes to copy both Coach Pete and Coach Joe on text messages.)
Read more details about the USA Cycling Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy
TO REPORT MINOR ATHLETE ABUSE PREVENTION POLICY VIOLATIONS: Contact the USA Center for SafeSport here. In addition, you can contact BJC’s Athlete Wellness Advocate and SafeSport Champion Meredith Miller via email
