Adult Athlete SafeSport Information

Adult Athlete = Player 18+

Who is considered an adult athlete?  A player who is 18 years of age or older.

SafeSport and U.S. Soccer Adult Athlete Requirements

• Players who are currently 17 years old may get a head start on this requirement and take the training with parental consent prior to their 18th birthday. 
  • Players (adult athletes) must NOT register as adults with Mass Youth Soccer; Mass Youth Soccer will not process national or CORI background checks on adult athletes.
  • To avoid confusion, an adult athlete is not an under 18 coach/assistant coach; thus, the process is different.  For more information on the under 18 coach/assistant coach see the How to Credential an Under 18 webpage.

Player and Parent Responsibilities:

1. Contact your club's administrator to request the U.S. Soccer SafeSport Training Link and Enrollment Key.

• WHY?  For players to connect the training to U.S. Soccer, and access the required SafeSport Abuse Prevention 90-minute Core training for free, the club administrator will need to provide the player/parent with the U.S. Soccer SafeSport Training Link and Enrollment Key. 
• Players that are 17 years of age must have parental consent prior to taking the SafeSport Abuse Prevention training.

2. Players will create a SafeSport account and take the SafeSport Abuse Prevention 90-minute Core training.

• Instructions for this training are in the SafeSport Players 18+ (Adult Athlete) Abuse Prevention Help Guide.​

3. Upon completion of the training, the player will receive a certificate which needs to be sent to the organization’s registrar (see below for further instructions).

​​In addition, Adult Athletes are now considered Mandatory Reporters. If you know or suspect child abuse, you are required to report it to law enforcement and the Center for SafeSport, and to follow any additional state law requirements.

​How to Manage the Requirements as an Organization’s Risk Manager:​

1. Advise all players and their parents in this age range of the new requirement.
2. Provide the player/parent with:
   •  The the SafeSport Players 18+ (Adult Athlete) Abuse Prevention Help Guide; and
   • The U.S. Soccer SafeSport Training Link which includes the Enrollment Key needed to connect the athlete to U.S. Soccer and take the required training for free.
     • Email Mass Youth Soccer at AASafeSportInfo@mayouthsoccer.org to obtain the training link and enrollment key to forward to your players/parents.
       • ​You will receive an auto generated email reply.
       • The Enrollment Key must not be posted on any website. 
3. The organization will be responsible for ensuring players who are 18 years of age or older or will turn 18 during a current playing season while playing on a team with minor athletes, take the SafeSport Core Abuse Prevention training.

• Upon successful completion, the player will be issued a certificate.
• This certificate must be presented to the organization’s registrar or other person designated by the organization. This can be sent directly from the player, or through their coach, via hard copy paper or electronic (pdf) versions.
• The organization’s registrar or designate must maintain these certificates in a file subject to review by Massachusetts Youth Soccer.
  • Towns/Clubs using Sports Connect as their primary registration system can upload the SafeSport Certificate of Completion into the player’s registration account in U.S. Soccer Connect.

  • Organizations that upload the player’s certificate into U.S. Soccer Connect can use the Player Credential Dynamic report to monitor this requirement.  Click HERE for the report help guide.

• Any players who are or will turn 18 during the current playing season may not be rostered on a team unless they have provided this certificate.

3. All organizations will be required to acknowledge and attest to compliance with this requirement when completing their Mass Youth Soccer Annual Leadership report​.