Above: Photo credit Getty Images
U.S. Figure Skating is committed to creating a welcoming environment for all skaters. Minor athletes throughout their development in the figure skating world may come across situations that are new to them and have a hard time working through their experiences. In collaboration with Mental Health America, below are resources to help spread the word that empowering young people is key to improving their mental health.
Trusted Adults: Addressing Bullying and Emotional Misconduct
Mental Health America's 2024 Supporting Young Minds Guides have been created to empower parents, caregivers and other adults in positions of leadership and influence to provide support by fostering nonjudgmental environments where young people feel safe expressing themselves. In them, you will find information about facilitating conversations and validating feelings, creating safe spaces and supportive culture in the classroom, and ways to promote peer support.
Read more about how to be a trusted adult here: Supporting young minds | Mental Health America (mhanational.org).
Key components to implementing a trusted adult relationship include:
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Building authentic relationships with your skaters
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Creating opportunities for your skaters to connect with you
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Showing empathy
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Being consistent and staying true to your word
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Explaining that you are there to keep them safe
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Advocating for your skaters when they need it
Bullying
Bullying involves an intentional, persistent or repeated pattern of committing or willfully tolerating physical and non-physical behaviors that are intended to cause fear, humiliation or physical harm in an attempt to socially exclude, diminish or isolate another person emotionally, physically or sexually.
U.S. Figure Skating’s SkateSafe® Handbook outlines the components of bullying and requires Adult Participants to report any instances of bullying to U.S. Figure Skating here:
Some examples of bullying include:
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Verbal acts: Teasing, ridiculing, taunting, name-calling, intimidating or threatening to cause someone harm.
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Physical acts: Hitting, pushing, punching, beating, biting, striking, kicking, choking, spitting, slapping or throwing objects such as sporting equipment at another participant.
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Cyberbullying: Using digital communications, social media or other technology to harass, frighten, intimidate, humiliate or socially exclude someone
If you see something, say something. U.S. Figure Skating is committed to fostering an environment free from bullying in order to give our members the best footing to success. Bullying can cause changes to an athlete's performance, mental health, and personality. Staying versed in how to support young athletes will help keep skating a safe, and fun, environment for all!
Asking for Help
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
Teens looking for mental health support can reach out to Teen Line, a hotline of professionally trained teen counselors. Call 800-852-8336 or text TEEN to 839863 (6-10 pm PST).
