The American Swimming Coaches Association (ASCA) announced it has established an important new benefit for its members that provides initial legal consultations for any SafeSport matter.
ASCA has retained Global Sports Advocates (GSA), a sports law firm with broad experience handling SafeSport issues, to provide its members with this legal consultation benefit. GSA’s Founding Partner Paul Greene was recognized in 2022 as one of the world’s leading sports lawyers by Chambers and Partners and Who’s Who Legal, and GSA attorney Matthew Kaiser was recognized in 2022 as an “Associate to Watch” for Sports Law by Chambers and Partners.
“Education and access to a resource that can apprise each member of their rights is a critical step forward,” said ASCA CEO Jennifer LaMont. “We are proud to be supporting our member coaches by providing this benefit.”
“The landscape for coaches today, including new mandatory SafeSport reporting requirements, is fast-changing and can be daunting”, said Paul J. Greene, Founding Partner of Global Sports Advocates, “we hope to help coaches navigate the SafeSport landscape.”
This member benefit will provide a coach with an initial legal consultation regarding a SafeSport matter. If a coach then decides it is necessary to engage their own attorney, they would engage an attorney of their choosing at their own expense.
“ASCA continues to improve and enhance our offerings to support coaches. We constantly are asking what else we can do to provide real value to professional coaches. This is a big one!” said ASCA Board President Mike Koleber, Owner and Head Coach at Nitro Swimming. “Our member coaches are part of our ASCA family, and it’s reassuring to know they won’t be stranded alone on an island if they need help. The ASCA is getting stronger every day and we invite all professional Coaches to join.”
“Paul Greene will bring clarity, integrity and expertise to ASCA swimming coaches during a SafeSport process,” said Nancy Hogshead-Makar, J.D., Olympic Champion, CEO, Champion Women. “I’ve worked with Paul Greene for over twenty years; I’ve recommended his legal services to both coaches and athletes in SafeSport disputes. Our coaches are in good hands with Paul Greene.”
To access the ASCA coach consulting service, coaches can call Global Sports Advocates at 207-747-5899 or visit the firm’s website at www.globalsportsadvocates.com.
ONGOING COACH TRAINING
ASCA is committed to providing members with ongoing training to assist in proactively setting up practices and procedures that will help them work within the rules established for our sport.
Global Sports Advocates attorney Matthew Kaiser will be in Las Vegas in-person to provide legal insights during his presentation “Understand Your Obligations and Rights Under the SafeSport Code & Title IX” at the 2022 ASCA World Clinic in Las Vegas on September 8, 2022.
Here’s what coaches are saying about this new benefit:
“Finally, finally, finally coaches have an institution to help us when help is warranted. I cannot tell you how appreciative I am that ASCA is launching this unprecedented endeavor to allow coaches an affordable professional outlet. You can count SwimAtlanta in for signing up our entire coaching staff to become ASCA members. I would strongly encourage everyone to realize and support an institution that is truly helping clubs and club coaches.”
- Chris Davis, Owner and Head Coach of SwimAtlanta
“Thank you ASCA! The coach assistance hotline sounds like a great benefit for the coaching community. This is exactly the type of program that our coaches association should provide. I am so happy to see an advocate for the coaches.”
- John Morse, Head Coach, Nashville Aquatic Club
“Most coaches, with limited financial resources, simply cannot afford the costs for an attorney to defend themselves. It’s a great help that ASCA is putting a support system in place to aid a swim coach in defending against allegations.”
- Randy Reese, Head Coach, Clearwater Aquatic Team
“I am both excited and relieved this benefit is now provided for swim coaches across the country as it is absolutely long overdue. For any coach this benefit has to be comforting in this day and age”.
- Jack Bauerle, Retired Head Coach, University of Georgia
“This is a monumental effort by ASCA in looking out for the rights of all swim coaches and club teams. To have ASCA looking out for the well-being of coaches and making them feel that someone is out their willing to support them is a positive step forward. Thank you ASCA and keep working to be at the forefront of protecting all coaches and their clubs.”
- Brent Mitchell, Head Coach, Metroplex Aquatics
“I have been a member of ASCA for over 20 years, and once again they show me why it is such a valuable professional membership. With the recent developments in the swimming world, it is comforting to know there is an organization that supports the swim coaches in an unprecedented way. All MSA coaches will be encouraged to be a member of ASCA.”
- Peter Perers, Owner and Head Coach, Mecklenburg Swim Association
