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“Volunteer to coach? OK, I said ‘yes’ but now what? I played a little sport myself, but never coached before. What exactly am I supposed to do? What if I make a mistake? Could I be sued?” These thoughts and others like them cross the minds of potential youth-sports coaches every year. Some may not realize that many states have granted legal protections in an effort to protect one of the nation’s greatest resources—volunteers. Without volunteer coaches, many opportunities and community services would be unavailable or too expensive for deserving youngsters.
During the 1980s, many state legislatures responded to the liability crisis and soaring liability insurance costs by enacting civil-immunity legislation—laws that protect individuals and agencies from lawsuits. These individuals or agencies include volunteer coaches, general community volunteers, emergency-care providers, and volunteers for policy-making groups such as boards of directors. In this article, only legislation pertaining to volunteer coaches—either directly or indirectly—is discussed.
On May 12, 1986, New Jersey became the first state to enact civil-immunity legislation1 protecting volunteer athletic coaches, managers, and officials. This legislation, commonly referred to as the “Little League Law,” provides partial—but significant—protection from lawsuits for coaches who have attended a “safety orientation and training skills program.” The Youth Sports Research Council of Rutgers University and the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association have combined efforts to jointly offer The Rutgers SAFETY Clinic, which provides coaches with the necessary training required by the state to warrant civil immunity. Despite New Jersey serving as a model for developing protective liability legislation, other states have varied substantially in how they deliver civil immunity.