Responsible Coaching Movement
The Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM) is a call to action for sport organizations, coaches, parents, and participants to create safer, healthier, and more positive sport experiences across Canada. The movement promotes consistent standards for coaching practices, participant protection, and ethical decision-making both in and out of sport. It is built around three key pillars: the Rule of Two, background screening, and ethics training.
By embracing the Responsible Coaching Movement, Dive Ontario supports safe, respectful, and athlete-centred environments where participants can thrive.
The Rule of Two
The Rule of Two is a leading practice within the Responsible Coaching Movement and helps ensure that interactions between athletes and persons in authority occur in open, observable, and justifiable environments. The goal is to protect participants and coaches while promoting transparency, accountability, and trust.
Whenever possible:
- Two screened and responsible adults should be present during interactions with athletes.
- Individual meetings should occur in observable and interruptible environments.
- Communication with athletes should be transparent and include parents or guardians when appropriate.
- Travel and accommodation arrangements should follow Safe Sport best practices.
Education & Training
Education is an important part of creating safe sport environments. Coaches and sport leaders are encouraged to participate in training that helps them recognize, prevent, and appropriately respond to issues such as abuse, harassment, bullying, discrimination, and ethical dilemmas in sport.
Recommended resources include:
- Responsible Coaching Movement Overview
- Rule of Two
- Empowering Coaches: Ethics Training
- Concussion Awareness and Rowan’s Law Resources
These educational opportunities help coaches build the knowledge and skills necessary to foster both physically and psychologically safe sport environments.
Screening & Background Checks
Screening is a key component of participant protection and helps ensure individuals in positions of trust meet appropriate standards for working with athletes.
Dive Ontario’s screening practices are guided by the Dive Ontario Screening Policy, which outlines screening requirements for coaches, officials, board members, volunteers, and other individuals who interact with participants.
Depending on the role, screening requirements may include:
- Criminal Record Checks
- Vulnerable Sector Checks
- Screening Declarations
- Reference Verification
- Ongoing screening compliance
Resources
- Dive Ontario Screening Policy
- Protecting People: Background Screening
- Sterling BackCheck Information
Screening helps create a culture of accountability while ensuring the safety and well-being of participants throughout the diving community.