Coaches - What to do now

As a club coach you are responsible for creating a safe, fair and inclusive environment. This means ensuring you understand and uphold your club’s Member Protection Policy and that you’re aware of your obligations towards pregnant participants.

• Recognise that the decision to participate in sport during pregnancy needs to be made by the woman and her medical adviser.
• Encourage the woman to seek medical advice about her level of participation in sport if she hasn’t already done so. Do not try and give this advice to the player yourself.
• Take all reasonable steps to ensure pregnant women can participate safely and make modifications where necessary (e.g., in training routines).
• Inform your club President of the situation so they can check the club has the appropriate level of insurance and that it covers injuries incurred during pregnancy.
• Ask for support from your club President or state sporting organisation if you are unsure about what to do.
• Request the club’s committee or state sporting organisation provide guidelines for dealing with future enquiries about pregnancy and participation.