AAU’s new rule is good for athletes, but it points to the responsibility of every parent

Parents are on the front line of protection for their children

Last week’s announcement by the AAU that they would do background checks on all coaches and volunteers was the right thing to do by the nation’s largest and most prestigious youth athletic organization. Children and parents deserve this comprehensive scrutiny of those people coming into contact with them.

With the Jerry Sandusky child abuse trial currently looming so large in the public consciousness, the AAU’s action is timely. Those closely following the court case are justifiably shocked by the revelations and accusations of the victims’ testimony from last week. If they are to be believed, the alleged ongoing manipulation of vulnerable young boys by Sandusky casts a dark shadow over the youth athletic community. The AAU had to act and thankfully it did.

Nothing is more precious than our children and few things have more impact on a young person’s life than the interactions he or she has with a coach. During a child’s formative years, the relationships they form with coaches and the direct and ancillary lessons they learn from those interplays are often defining moments in their lives. But, they are truly vulnerable mentally as well as physically, and adults that take advantage of their innocence do not belong in the locker rooms, on the fields and courts of our children. These adults should be held to the loftiest of expectations in terms of character and behavior. Anything less is unacceptable.

While the AAU’s actions are laudable and regrettably necessary, it remains the responsibility of every parent to keep a watchful eye on anyone outside the family unit that has the opportunity to influence their children, particularly adults in positions of authority over the children. Doing the right thing is not always an easy undertaking, but when it comes to the welfare of our children there is nothing more important than insuring their safety. Any child that falls victim to the sinister and twisted minds and actions of deviants is forever changed by the experiences.

Keep close tabs on your children and their activities with others. Trust has to be earned, yes, but it is never smart to turn a complete blind eye to the goings on between your children and outsiders. Children are usually not mature enough to communicate their pain and suffering. They are not clear headed enough following unseemly incidents to adequately understand how to respond and protect themselves. That is on parents, plain and simple.