In Thursday’s article on the local town hall meeting on child abuse the writer did not include the State University of New York Youth Sports Institute’s central proposal, a solutions-based recommendation made to 11,000 SUNY-trained youth coaches and the leaders of nearly 1,000 youth sports programs across New York state. Leaders of organized youth sports programs are being challenged by the institute to designate a new board position on their Board of Directors, coordinator of child protection standards and practices (see Child Protection at youthsportsny.org).

The SUNY Youth Sports Institute challenges coaches, parents, leaders and practitioners of all youth organizations to learn the best practices that increase discussion of and reduce the opportunities for child abuse in any form. The program in youth sports is called Fit-to-Coach.

The New York State Education Department has an exceptional program for teachers on child abuse awareness and prevention. Under our recommendation and guidance, the coordinator will acquire the same training required by NYSED of school teachers on identifying and reporting child abuse. They will also acquire other best practices and evidence-based tools. The coordinator will then annually instruct the youth program’s coaches, volunteers and parents.   Whether they are family members, teachers, coaches, ministers or youth leaders, the common denominator between abusers of children is that they seek to be involved with children. That’s where the light needs to be held highest by our better angels.