By Shelba Waldron - Director of Club Education and Outreach, USA Gymnastics
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a time to focus and raise awareness on bullying between athletes. Bullying is an intentional behavior that hurts, harms, or humiliates another person or a specific group of people either physically or emotionally, and can occur anywhere, including at the club, outside of the club, or online. This year's focus is on cyberbullying and how adults such as parents and coaches can help decrease cyberbullying among athletes. USA Gymnastics has created a new bullying guide to help you understand and work with your child's club to prevent bullying. To review the new Bullying Guide for Clubs, please click here.
Teens are constantly tethered to technology, which means they are susceptible to victimization, but also that they can be drawn into a bullying situation by simply sharing a negative post or text message. Cyberbullying is especially dangerous because of the instantaneous and often anonymous nature of sharing information. It can take place anywhere, anytime, and the bully does not need to be face-to-face with their target(s). Most cyberbullying occurs late at night and at times when the person or person's bullying aren't being watched. Parents can take steps to minimize cyberbullying by talking with their child about prosocial behaviors that discourage cyberbullying that includes:
Respect for teammates and coaches
Respect for athletes and coaches from other clubs
Developing an ethos, "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all."
Only posting photos or videos on social media with the permission of the other person
Never taking photos in bathrooms or locker rooms, even if just a selfie or mutually agreed upon shots
Not sharing, commenting, or liking a photo or social media post that degrades and humiliates another person
Protecting personal information
Setting guidelines for interaction on chat apps and social media apps
Encouraging reporting to a trusted adult such as a parent, coach, or teacher
Additionally, parents are encouraged to frequently talk with their child about the social media and gaming sites they utilize and ask to view their child's postings on a random basis. For more information, please visit the links below.
