Risk Management for Youth Athletic Programs: 4 Steps to Protect Your Organization

A practical guide for league presidents, coaches, and program directors

Every youth athletic program carries risk. Kids run, jump, throw, and sometimes collide. Equipment breaks. Weather changes plans. Parents have concerns. As a program leader, your job is to create an environment where young athletes can grow, compete, and have fun while staying as safe as possible.

Risk management sounds complicated, but it comes down to four simple steps. Here is how to protect your organization, your volunteers, and the families who trust you with their children.

Step 1: Know your risks

Every sport has different risks. Tackle football has contact injuries. Baseball has thrown balls and swinging bats. Basketball has rolled ankles and gym floor collisions. Before you can manage risk, you need to understand what you are dealing with.

Walk through a typical practice or game in your mind. Where could someone get hurt? What equipment could fail? What happens if a storm rolls in? Make a list. This is your starting point.

At Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance, we have spent 53 years learning the risks of youth athletics. Our team has over 150 years of combined insurance experience. We have seen what can go wrong, and more importantly, we know how to help you prepare.

Step 2: Put the right coverage in place

Insurance is the foundation of risk management. Without it, one accident could shut down your program for good. But choosing the right coverage can feel overwhelming.

Carol Cristiani, who works with youth organizations, shared her experience with Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance: “One of the greatest benefits we’ve found is how they take the time to educate organizations that deal with the young and vulnerable. They are aware of the necessity of going further than a background check and suggested child abuse awareness training with a recommendation.”

The right insurance partner does more than sell you a policy. They help you understand what coverage you actually need, whether that is general liability, excess accident medical, sexual abuse and molestation coverage, or directors and officers insurance. They point you toward best practices that reduce risk in the first place.

Step 3: Build relationships with people who understand your world

Risk management is not a one-time task. It is ongoing. You need partners who know your organization and respond quickly when situations change.

Michael Ricci has worked with the same agent at Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance for over fifteen years. He shared, “The service she provides is outstanding. She makes the process of renewing my insurance easy and simple… thank you for all you do to help make my leagues run smooth!”

That kind of long-term relationship matters. When your agent knows your program, they can spot gaps in coverage before they become problems. They understand your specific needs and can move fast when you need help.

Step 4: Focus on what you do best

You got into youth sports to help kids, not to become an insurance expert. The goal of good risk management is to give you peace of mind so you can focus on coaching, mentoring, and building your program.

Ronnie Crowley, who has worked with multiple insurance providers over the years, put it simply: “In all my dealings with insurance companies I have not found anyone close to Bene-Marc in their knowledge of sports insurance. You won’t go wrong selecting them for any of your sport insurance needs.”

When your insurance is handled by people who specialize in youth sports, you can stop worrying about liability and start focusing on the kids.

Protecting players while they do what they love

Risk will always be part of youth athletics. That is the nature of sports. But with the right approach, you can manage that risk responsibly and keep your program running strong for years to come.

Bene-Marc Youth Sports Insurance has been protecting youth athletic programs across all 50 states for over five decades. We work with leagues, camps, tournaments, and special events. We answer the phone when you call. And we are committed to doing the right thing for every organization we serve.

Ready to talk about your program’s coverage? Call us at 800-247-1734 or click here for a free risk assessment.

Play hard, rest easy, knowing you are covered.