Newstars Futbol Academy (NFA) has adopted the Rule of Two Policy to ensure the highest standards of safety and protection for all players and staff, in alignment with Canada Soccer’s Guide to Safety.
General Principle
Whenever a Coach, Assistant Coach, Manager, or Club Volunteer is in a situation where a player may be vulnerable, two Persons of Authority must be present. According to the Coaching Association of Canada and Canada Soccer’s Rule of Two Guidelines, two screened and NCCP-trained or certified coaches should always be present with an athlete in potentially vulnerable situations.
If two NCCP-trained or certified coaches are not available, the second Person of Authority may be:
- A screened coach or volunteer
- A team official or staff member
- The player’s parent or guardian
One-on-One Interactions
One-on-one interactions between a coach and athlete must be avoided, except in cases of medical emergency.
If one-on-one communication is unavoidable:
- A Coach, Assistant Coach, or Manager of the same gender must be present, or
- The athlete’s parent/guardian must be present.
Standards
1. Travel
- A Person of Authority may not be alone in a vehicle with an athlete unless they are the athlete’s parent/guardian.
- A Person of Authority may not share a hotel room with an athlete unless they are the athlete’s parent/guardian.
- Room or bed checks during overnight trips must be done by two Persons of Authority.
2. Locker Rooms / Changing Areas / Meeting Rooms
- Interactions should not occur in areas where privacy is expected (locker rooms, washrooms, changing areas, meeting rooms) unless a second Person of Authority is present.
- If Persons of Authority cannot be physically present inside these areas, they must remain immediately outside, available to enter if required.
3. Training / Competition Environments
- A Person of Authority must never be alone with an athlete before or after training or games unless they are the athlete’s parent/guardian.
- If a player arrives early, their parent/guardian must remain until another athlete or Person of Authority arrives.
- After training or games, if only one athlete remains, another Person of Authority—or another athlete if no adult is available—must stay until the athlete has been picked up.
- Individual instruction or demonstrations must always occur within visible and audible range of another Person of Authority.
4. Gender Identity
- For single-gender teams: At least one Person of Authority of the same gender identity must be available for all interactions.
- For mixed-gender teams: A Person of Authority of each gender identity must be available.
This policy is based on Canada Soccer’s Guide to Safety and Rule of Two Policy Guidelines and will be updated as new guidance becomes available.