Case category Sexual Assault & Abuse
Coach Sexual Abuse
If a coach or another adult in sports abused you or your child, you deserve to be believed and to understand your options.
If you were abused by a coach, trainer or other adult in sports, you can Tell Us Your Story whenever you are ready. A review is free and confidential. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship, and nothing happens without your say.
Coaches can play a large role in a young athlete's life. Most use that role well. When a coach uses it to abuse an athlete, the coach is responsible, and a club, school or sports organization may share responsibility if it failed to act as the law required.
What coaching sexual abuse can involve
A coach often has real power over an athlete. The coach decides who plays, who travels and who gets noticed. Athletes and parents may feel they cannot say no. Abusers can use that power, along with praise, gifts and private time, to build trust and then cross lines.
Survivors describe experiences such as:
- Unwanted touching during “stretching” or “treatment”
- Private lessons or rides with no other adult around
- Secret texts, social media messages or requests for photos
- Staying in the same hotel room on trips
- Threats to playing time, rankings or a scholarship
- Being told to keep things between the two of them
Abuse can happen at any level, from a local rec league to elite training centers. It can involve coaches, assistant coaches, athletic trainers, team doctors, volunteers and older athletes. You did nothing wrong, no matter how long you waited or how close you were to the coach.
Who may be responsible when a coach abuses an athlete
The coach who abused an athlete is responsible for that abuse. Others may share responsibility too, but never automatically. It depends on the facts, the relationships involved and the law of the state.
Depending on the case, parties that may be looked at include:
- The club, team or league that hired or approved the coach
- A school or school district, for school sports
- A camp, academy or private training facility
- A national governing body for the sport, in Olympic and Paralympic sports
- Other adults who knew about abuse and had a duty to act
Key questions often include whether the organization checked the coach's background, what complaints it received, whether it enforced its own rules, and whether it reported concerns as required. School sports cases may also involve school sexual abuse rules. Abuse inside a larger organization may also fit our page on institutional abuse.
The Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017
In February 2018, Congress enacted the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017.1 The law changed how Olympic and amateur sports must respond to abuse.
A federal duty to report
The law requires many adults in amateur sports to report suspected child abuse, including sexual abuse, within 24 hours. This covers adults authorized by a national governing body, its members, or an amateur sports organization in interstate or international competition to interact with minors or amateur athletes at a facility or at sanctioned events.2 Events include travel, lodging, practice, competition and medical treatment.2
Rules for sports organizations
The law also requires the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and each national governing body to follow certain safety rules. These include reporting to law enforcement and to the U.S. Center for SafeSport. They also include limits on one-on-one contact with minors unless another adult can observe and interrupt, a ban on retaliation, and a ban on helping a known abuser get a new job.4
Separately from the federal law, every state has its own child abuse reporting law. Many states name coaches or youth workers as mandated reporters.10
The U.S. Center for SafeSport and its rules
The U.S. Center for SafeSport is the independent national safe sport organization under federal law. It has authority over the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and each national governing body on protecting athletes from abuse.3 It opened in March 2017.5
The Center takes reports, investigates, and can issue sanctions ranging from warnings to permanent bans. It decides cases under a “preponderance of the evidence” standard, and a respondent can seek arbitration.5 It publishes a searchable list of people it has sanctioned or placed under temporary restrictions.7
The Center also sets the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies, known as MAAPP. The 2025 version took effect January 1, 2025. It sets rules on training, one-on-one contact, locker rooms, electronic messages and travel for organizations under the Center's authority.6
SafeSport has faced criticism. A commission created by Congress reported in 2024 on case backlogs and on how the Center is funded, and it recommended reforms.9 Its authority also does not reach every youth sport. Many local leagues, school teams and private clubs are outside its reach.
Warning signs and policy failures that can matter
In a civil case, the question is often not only what the coach did, but what the organization allowed. Failures that can matter include:
- No background check, or one that was never reviewed
- Letting a coach keep working after complaints
- Allowing closed-door lessons or one-on-one travel
- Ignoring private messages between a coach and a minor
- Failing to report suspected abuse to police or to SafeSport
- Moving a coach to another team or club instead of acting
- Discouraging athletes or parents from speaking up
Evidence that may matter
You do not need to collect evidence before you talk to a lawyer. It may help to know what can exist:
- Texts, emails, direct messages and call logs
- Team rosters, schedules and travel records
- Club policies and coach codes of conduct
- Background check and hiring records
- Earlier complaints or SafeSport reports
- Police reports and court records
- Medical and counseling records
- Names of teammates, parents or staff who saw something
Keep any messages or photos you still have. Do not delete accounts. Please do not confront the coach or the club to collect evidence yourself.
Deadlines, including federal claims
Deadlines depend on the state, the athlete's age, the type of defendant and when the harm was understood. There is no single national deadline. Many states have extended their time limits for child sexual abuse claims, and some opened revival windows. Claims against public schools or agencies may require an early notice of claim.
Federal law also offers a civil claim for people who were minors when they were victims of certain federal sex crimes. The claim is brought in federal court. It allows actual damages or a set amount of liquidated damages, plus attorney's fees.8 Since September 2022, there is no time limit to file that claim, but the change did not revive claims that had already expired.8 Whether it fits depends on the facts, such as whether a federal crime occurred.
Criminal cases, SafeSport cases and civil lawsuits
Three different processes may be involved. A criminal case is brought by prosecutors and can lead to prison. A SafeSport case is an administrative process that can bar someone from sport. A civil lawsuit is brought by a survivor to seek compensation and accountability, sometimes from an organization as well as the coach.
Each has its own rules and standards. A civil case can go forward even without criminal charges. In some courts and states, a survivor may ask to proceed under a pseudonym to protect their privacy. Courts decide that case by case, so it cannot be promised.
How CBW reviews coaching abuse claims
At CBW Law Firm, PLLC, we start by listening. We ask about the sport, the coach, the club or school, and who knew what. We look at the state law that may apply, any federal claims, and any deadlines.
What to expect
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A private conversation
Share what you are comfortable sharing. A parent can reach out for a child, and adults can reach out about abuse from years ago.
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A careful look at the law
We consider whether a club, school or sports organization may share responsibility and what deadlines may apply.
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An honest answer
We explain your options plainly. You decide whether to go forward.
A review is free and confidential. If we take your case, there are no attorney's fees unless we recover for you. We cannot promise an outcome. Our main sexual assault and abuse page has more about how we work.
Sport should be a place where young people grow. If that trust was broken, it was not your fault.
Questions
Questions about coaching abuse claims
Plain answers to common questions. Your facts may be different, and a lawyer can speak to them directly.
Can I sue a club or school, not just the coach?
Possibly. A club, school or sports organization may share responsibility if, for example, it ignored warning signs, failed to supervise, or did not report concerns as required. It is never automatic, and it depends on the facts and on state law.
Do I have to report to SafeSport before I can bring a lawsuit?
No. A SafeSport report and a civil lawsuit are separate. You may choose one, both or neither. A lawyer can help you think through how they relate.
Does SafeSport cover every youth sport?
No. The Center's authority runs through the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and national governing bodies. Many local leagues, school teams and private clubs are outside it. State laws and other rules may still apply.
The coach was never charged. Can I still bring a claim?
Yes, a civil claim does not require a criminal charge or conviction. Civil cases use a lower standard of proof.
The abuse happened when I was a teenager, years ago. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. Many states have extended their deadlines, and a federal civil claim with no time limit may apply in some cases. A lawyer can check what applies to you.
I am a parent. Can I reach out for my child?
Yes. Parents and guardians can contact us for a minor. If your child is in danger now, call 911 or your local police first.
Will my name become public?
It may not. Some courts allow survivors to proceed under a pseudonym. That depends on the court and the state, and we can talk about privacy before anything is filed.
What does a review cost?
Nothing. A review is free and confidential. If we take your case, there are no attorney's fees unless we recover for you.
Tell Us Your Story
Whether the abuse happened last season or many years ago, you deserve to be heard. You can share as much or as little as you want.
We will listen, look at the law that may apply, and explain your options honestly. The review is free, and contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Any allegations described are allegations unless a court or agency has found otherwise. No outcome can be promised in any case. Laws and deadlines vary by state and can change.
