Contact your local authorities if you have a reasonable suspicion that child sexual misconduct, abuse or neglect has occurred. All reports of sexual assault, sexual misconduct or abuse of a minor must FIRST be reported to local authorities. Reports of abuse not involving a minor may also be reported to local authorities.
Until the legal process has been concluded, it will take precedence over the membership ineligibility process whenever criminal activity may have occurred.
When making your report to the USASF, please have the following information available:
The U.S. All Star Federation (USASF) recognizes that a key element to preventing abuse and misconduct is the implementation of an effective reporting policy that:
Potential abusers will avoid involvement in a program where there is a likelihood that suspected abuse will be reported.
When sport stakeholders are untrained about how and when to report suspected abuse, they may feel ill-prepared, powerless and lost when it comes to responding to, and reporting, misconduct. By providing guidance on when and how to report suspected misconduct, the U.S. All Star Federation seeks to remove barriers to disclosing misconduct, including child physical or sexual abuse and misconduct.
REPORTING CHILD PHYSICAL OR SEXUAL ABUSE AND MISCONDUCT STEP 1: Reports to Law Enforcement and/or Child Protective Services and Mandatory Reporting All states have mandatory reporting laws requiring persons holding certain positions to report suspicions of sexual or physical abuse of a minor. Members of the USASF who suspect sexual or physical abuse or misconduct involving a minor are required to report the allegations to law enforcement before they report it to the USASF. Persons who wish to report suspicions or allegations of child physical or sexaul abuse must make a report to the appropriate law enforcement authorities before reporting to the USASF. A compilation of information related to when and how to make a report to law enforcement authorities can be found at:
In some cases an employee or volunteer may be hesitant about reporting suspected abuse because they are unsure about the credibility of the person making the allegation or the facts on which the allegations are based. They may also be concerned about the potential consequences of a false report. It is critical that employees and/or volunteers not attempt to evaluate the credibility or validity of child physical or sexual abuse allegations as a condition for, or prior to, reporting their concerns. An independent investigation can harm youth and/or interfere with the legal investigative process. Accordingly, the U.S. All Star Federation, its Member Programs and their administrators, employees and/or volunteers shall not attempt to evaluate the credibility or validity of allegations of child physical or sexual abuse as a condition for, or prior to, reporting to appropriate law enforcement authorities. As necessary, however, a person receiving a report may ask a few clarifying questions of the minor or person making the report to adequately report the suspicion or allegation to law enforcement authorities. Step 2: Report the violation to a member of the organization's management staff or other official representative that has been designated to receive reports of abuse or other inappropriate conduct. Example: Parents of athletes must first report the violation or misconduct of a coach to the owner. STEP 3: Reporting to the U.S. All Star Federation If you suspect or have knowledge of sexual abuse or misconduct please make a report to the U.S. All Star Federation. We prefer all reports to be made using an online form. This will provide the reporter with a format that is consistent and thorough and will speed up the process for action as the report will answer most of the questions the case manager will need. Follow this link to make a report: The USASF will also receive reports by email to SafeSport@USASF.net or by calling (901) 290-8891. REPORTING ALL OTHER AREAS OF ABUSE OR MISCONDUCT Areas of misconduct outlined in the both the USASF SafeSport Code and the U.S. Center for SafeSport Policies:
When a covered member violates one or more of the proactive Minor Abuse Prevention Policies:
When a covered member violates:
Step 1: If applicable, report any illegal or criminal activity to local law enforcement. Step 2: Report the violation to a member of the organization's management staff or other official representative that has been designated to receive reports of abuse or other inappropriate conduct. Example: Parents of athletes must first report the violation or misconduct of a coach to the owner. Step 3: Report to the U.S. All Star Federation We prefer reports to be made using an online form. This will provide the reporter with a format that is consistent and thorough and will speed up the process for action as the report will answer most of the questions the case manager will need. Follow this link to make a report: The USASF will also receive reports by email to SafeSport@USASF.net or by calling (901) 290-8891. |
Who may report The U.S. All Star Federation strongly encourages parents, participants and other persons affiliated with All Star to communicate violations of the U.S. All Star Federation SafeSport Code, allegations and suspicions of child physical and sexual abuse and other conduct inconsistent with the policies set forth to protect athletes to the All Star program’s owner or program administrator immediately, and if appropriate or required, to local law enforcement and the U.S. All Star Federation. Who and What is REQUIRED to Report
Failure to report suspicions or allegations of child physical or sexual abuse to the appropriate law enforcement authorities is a violation of this policy, the USASF SafeSport Code, the USASF Sexual Abuse and Prevention Policy, and the Professional Responsibility Code (hereby referred to as PRC) and is grounds for disciplinary action. In addition to any legal obligation to report sexual abuse or misconduct to law enforcement authorities, all covered individuals are required to and shall promptly report any alleged misconduct and/or policy violations of to the U.S. All Star Federation. A covered individual’s failure to report may subject said person to disciplinary action. Confidentiality Anonymous Reports Anonymous reports may be made:
Protecting those who made reports (“whistleblower” protection) Prohibiting Reports made in Bad Faith |
The U.S. All Star Federation and its Member Program owners and administrators will take a report in the way that is most comfortable for the person initiating a report, including an anonymous, in-person, verbal or written report via email or utilizing the online reporting form. (Please note: The USASF prefers to receive reports using the online reporting form. It provides the reporter with a format that is consistent and thorough and speeds up the process for action as the report will answer most of the questions the case manager will need. To make a report, follow the steps outlined in the section entitled INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILING REPORTS. When reporting, it is essential for the reporting party to provide as much detail as possible. The report should include:
Who Receives the Report Determining if the USASF has jurisdiction Reports of Alleged Child Abuse and Misconduct or Sexual Abuse and Misconduct Once the report has been made to law enforcement, the USASF offers their assistance and cooperation to the agency and allows them to conduct their investigation. At the conclusion of the investigation, law enforcement will determine if there is enough evidence to proceed with criminal charges. If the investigation leads to charges and/or a warrant that is publicly available, the USASF will suspend the member and add their name to the Suspended and Ineligible Members List on usasf.net. The accused party will remain on the list and ineligible pending resolution of the charges. If the accused party is found guilty, the accused party will be deemed Permanently Ineligible for membership and will be listed as such at USASF.net. If the outcome is anything other than guilty, the USASF will assign an internal investigator to conduct interviews, gather all relevant information and evidence to determine if a member policy has been violated. If there is sufficient evidence to move forward, the internal investigation findings will be presented to the Response and Resolution Committee to review the report and supporting information. They will determine if the accused party violated one or more policies that are in place to protect minor athletes from abuse and/or misconduct. The committee will either assign a sanction or close the case with no sanctions. If there is insufficient evidence to move forward, the case will be closed and the member’s privileges will be reinstated. Report of Other Misconduct and Policy Violations Program Owners are REQUIRED to report to the USASF when any person within their program violates one or more of the following:
The USASF will assign the report to an internal investigator who will conduct interviews, gather all relevant information and evidence in order to determine if a member policy has been violated. If there is sufficient evidence to move forward, the internal investigation findings will be presented to the Response and Resolution Committee to review the report and supporting information. They will determine if the accused party violated one or more policies that are in place to protect minor athletes from abuse and/or misconduct. The committee will either assign a sanction or close the case with no sanctions. If there is insufficient evidence to move forward, the case will be closed and, if applicable, the member’s privileges will be reinstated. |
Interim Membership Restrictions
When a policy violation that does not involve sexual abuse and misconduct is reported to the U.S. All Star Federation, the immediate action will be to review the evidence and determine if it supports revoking the eligibility status of the accused until the allegation has been investigated. The decision to remove eligibility and add the individuals name to a public list on usasf.net is determined by the severity of the actions, the sufficiency of evidence and risk posed to the All Star community and its participants. The USASF will notify the program owner when a member associated with their program has had their eligibility removed or reinstated. Notification to Parents and Other Participants (by the Local All Star Program) The Member Program may notify its staff members, volunteers, parents and/or participants of any allegation of child physical or sexual abuse or other criminal behavior that:
Advising others of an allegation may lead to additional reports of child physical or sexual abuse and other misconduct. The member program is advised to seek guidance from law enforcement and legal counsel on their ability to share information that may be considered confidential with other participants or their parents. Notification to USASF Members or Specific Membership Categories Follow Up Reports to the U.S. All Star Federation Follow Up Reports to the All Star Program Follow Up Reports to the Complainant |
Can I get an update on an investigation into a specific individual? Why doesn’t the USASF publicly release information about the results of its investigations or its decisions for closing investigations? What happens when the USASF receives a report? Is the USASF a mandatory reporter? Is there a statute of limitations to make a report to the USASF? Who is responsible for enforcing the USASF’s actions? What burden of proof does the USASF use in its investigations and decisions? Are individuals automatically added to the Ineligible List once a report is made? How do I report a concern? Can I stay anonymous? Who is covered by the USASF Codes and Policies? Does the USASF have authority over other organizations like vendors or suppliers who are not members? What is the difference between the U.S. Center for SafeSport and the USASF’S SafeSport program? Why doesn’t the U.S. Center for SafeSport investigate reports on behalf of the USASF? What is the relationship between the U.S. Center for SafeSport and the U.S. All Star Federation? As the recognized governing authority for All Star Cheer and Dance, the USASF will perform the duties of an NGB for cheer and dance clubs that are members of the Federation. The USASF will follow the same standard of care as established by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for NGBs and will operate under the same policies and practices set forth by the Center. And, until such time as the USASF is fully onboarded with the Center for response and resolution, the U.S. All Star Federation will assume all responsibility for receiving reports and duties associated with response and resolution of SafeSport Code violations. When reports are made to the US Center for SafeSport that are not covered by their jurisdiction, the Center will make a referral of the report to the USASF so that we are made aware of the allegations and can enter into our established Response and Resolution process. |
The U.S. All Star Federation (USASF) has a mission to support and enrich the lives of our All Star athletes and members. We strive to provide consistent rules and safety guidelines, drive competitive excellence and promote a positive image for the sport. The USASF credentials coaches, certifies legality officials and sanctions events - all with the goal to provide the safest possible environment in which athletes may train and compete. Founded in 2003, we are a not-for-profit corporation established in Tennessee and governed by bylaws, officers, a board of directors and fifteen standing committees.