A new program has joined Boulder Junior Cycling on the top step as another Safe Sport Gold Level Program. Boulder Juniors and now Thaden School continue to set the standard for athlete safety and development while making our sport a welcoming environment for all. For the first time, USA Cycling is excited to award Safe Sport Gold level to Thaden School, based out of Bentonville, Ark. Additionally, Boulder Junior Cycling has also been awarded Safe Sport Gold level for a 4th year in a row.
The Thaden School prides itself on creating a welcoming environment for all students, being inclusive and preventing bullying, and putting a major focus on athlete wellness with students and their families.
Nick Stevens, Cycling Head Coach and Competitive Cycling Coordinator at the Thaden School, said “Understanding mental health issues and how to support students with anxiety, depression or other issues is key in building a safe environment for our students to develop and thrive. Our coaches are better educated on all aspects of athlete wellness, and we’re able to provide much better coaching and care. Their training includes best practices for concussion with all students receiving baseline concussion testing. Our on-staff Athletic Trainer is able to work with our coaches to support students who might have an injury and implement a stepped return-to-play progression.”
USA Cycling would also like to award Safe Sport Bronze level to New England Devo and Texas Devo and recognize their commitment to creating a safer environment for their members.
2024 Club Safe Sport Recognition:
Thaden School – Gold
Boulder Junior Cycling – Gold
New England Devo – Bronze
Texas Devo – Bronze
The Safe Sport Club program was introduced in September 2020 allowing clubs to demonstrate their commitment to creating a safe and enjoyable environment for all club members through implementing, enforcing and monitoring USA Cycling’s Club Safe Sport Program guiding criteria. Clubs are being encouraged to join the program and work their way towards Gold status, representing the most significant measures taken to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for club members.
USA Cycling encourages parents to look for the Safe Sport level badge and consider the measures of protection that clubs have implemented when determining where to embed their minor athlete in the cycling community.
If your club is interested in becoming a part of the Club Safe Sport Program, applications are accepted year-round. This is a completely voluntary and no-cost program for all USA Cycling clubs aimed at showcasing a club’s commitment to creating a safe and positive environment for club members.
