NorCal Youth Pickleball Association (NCYPA) is a youth pickleball program operated by Granite City Accelerator. This policy applies to administrators, employees, contractors, coaches, parent and grandparent volunteers, teen helpers, and anyone acting for NCYPA. Protecting children takes priority over convenience, staffing targets and competitive results.

Adults must meet NCYPA screening and training requirements before receiving an assignment involving children. This policy establishes required conduct; it is not a statement that any particular applicant has completed screening.

NCYPA requires at least two screened and trained adults, including two people whose actual roles qualify them as mandated reporters, in every active supervision area. Both must be positioned to observe and intervene. Adults elsewhere in the building, spectators and teen helpers do not count as assigned supervisors. Completing a training course alone does not make someone a statutory mandated reporter.

Court groups may share supervisors only when all children remain in one clearly visible, controllable area. Coverage must continue during bathroom trips, injuries, water breaks and pickup. If required coverage is unavailable, staff must pause play, keep children safely supervised and arrange qualified coverage or pickup. Immediate emergencies require prompt protective action and documentation of any unavoidable temporary departure.

Adult-child interactions must be observable and interruptible. Private one-to-one coaching, closed-room meetings, secret communications, favoritism designed to gain access, and gifts intended to create special relationships are prohibited.

Coaches demonstrate skills first and explain and request permission before brief, necessary, non-intimate instructional contact. A child may decline contact. Sexual contact, sexualized remarks or images, grooming, lap sitting, massages and contact with private body areas are prohibited. Emergency care follows the responder's training and must be documented.

Bullying, hazing, harassment, discrimination, humiliation, threats and physical punishment are prohibited. Coaches use calm redirection and supervised breaks, involve parents when needed, and never deny water or bathroom access or use forced exercise as punishment.

No one may supervise while impaired or use alcohol, cannabis, illegal drugs, tobacco or vaping products during youth duties. Serious or repeated misconduct may result in removal from an activity or assignment.

Children remain in the assigned program area and do not enter other courts or club spaces without staff direction. Unrelated club users are not NCYPA supervisors. Staff arrange bathroom coverage with two assigned adults while maintaining supervision of the group, wait outside restrooms and respect privacy. No adult may be alone with a child in a closed restroom or changing area.

A child needing personal assistance should have an agreed support plan involving their authorized caregiver. Recording or photography in restrooms or changing areas is prohibited.

A parent or authorized caregiver retains responsibility until an assigned NCYPA adult accepts the child at check-in. Staff record attendance, transfers and release. Children are released only to an authorized adult, with identity verification when needed. Children may not leave alone for parking lots, rideshares or unverified pickup.

For late pickup, two cleared adults remain with the child in a visible area while contacting the guardian and authorized emergency contacts. Staff never leave the child unattended or drive the child home. If a safe pickup cannot be arranged, staff contact the director and public authorities as appropriate; immediate danger requires 911. Families arrange transportation. NCYPA coaches do not transport unrelated participants.

Program messages go to the parent or guardian through NCYPA channels. Adults may not privately text, direct-message, friend or video-call a child. If a child must be included in a necessary program exchange, include the parent and another designated adult. Adults must never request secrecy, passwords or deletion of messages.

Promotional photography requires separate optional guardian permission. A child's objection is respected even when a guardian has consented. Staff may not publish children to personal accounts or publish full names, contact details, medical information or live locations with images. Families may decline promotional use without affecting participation.

Call 911 for immediate danger or a medical emergency. Report suspected child abuse or neglect directly to county Child Protective Services or an appropriate police or sheriff's department immediately or as soon as practicably possible. Proof is not required. Do not wait for NCYPA permission or an internal investigation.

Sacramento County CPS: 916-875-5437. Placer County CPS: 916-872-6549 or 866-293-1940. For another county, use the California Department of Social Services county reporting directory. Mandated reporters must also send the required written follow-up within 36 hours of receiving the information. Each mandated reporter remains responsible for ensuring their duty is fulfilled.

After external reporting, notify the onsite safeguarding lead or program director when safe. For non-emergency program questions, contact matt@ncypa.org. Email is not an emergency service and does not replace or delay an external abuse report. If a concern involves NCYPA leadership, contact public authorities directly and use the independent alternate identified in the season safety information.

Listen calmly to a child, avoid promising secrecy, and do not investigate, confront an accused person or ask leading questions. Record the child's words and factual observations and preserve relevant communications securely. Do not photograph intimate areas or copy suspected illegal sexual images; obtain instructions from authorities.

NCYPA must restrict the person of concern from child access while the concern is reviewed, without treating an allegation as a finding of guilt. Coordinate guardian notification with authorities when notification could increase risk. Retaliation or intimidation is prohibited. Information is shared only with people who need it for protection, reporting or lawful review.