MAAPP: Recruitment Not Considered a USA Swimming-Related Activity

USA Swimming has released an update to the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) that will provide a collective sigh of relief for college coaches getting ready to begin recruiting tomorrow, June 15th. The Center’s new guidelines specify that MAAPP applies to Applicable Adults and their interactions with minor athletes solely in conjunction with USA Swimming activities and specifies that MAAPP does not apply to a USA Swimming coach communicating electronically with a minor athlete for the purposes of collegiate recruitment.

The USA Center for SafeSport has determined that MAAPP applies to Applicable Adults and their interactions with minor athletes solely in conjunction with USA Swimming activities. 

MAAPP was created as the baseline for acceptable safety standards limit one-on-one interactions between adults and minor athletes.. USA Swimming initially understood MAAPP to apply to all Applicable Adults and their interactions with minor athletes, whether or not the interaction stems from USA Swimming activities. Following feedback from member coaches, USA Swimming sought additional clarification on from the Center.

The interpretation has been met with widespread support from college coaches. “Our membership supports both the Center for SafeSport and USA Swimming’s efforts to protect minors, but MAAPP caused a great deal of alarm among our USA Swimming-member coaches,” commented CSCAA Executive Director Greg Earhart. “We appreciate USA Swimming and Associate Counsel & Director of Safe Sport Abigail Howard understanding college coaches’ concerns and bringing them forward to the Center.”

The interpretation comes less than two days before college coaches can begin contacting rising Juniors. In April, despite overwhelming opposition from Division I head swimming and diving coaches, the NCAA passed proposal 2018-93. The proposal effectively accelerated the recruiting timeline for prospective swimmers and divers.

Full information on MAAPP can be found at https://usaswimming.org/maapp