Every adult has the responsibility to make sports a safe and enjoyable experience for children. Playing sports helps children work on sportsmanship, goal setting, personal responsibility, and emotional control. But sports also include some risks — the potential for physical injury, bullying, hazing, and even abuse. Because sports happen outside of “normal” school hours, there may be less safety checks than there are in school. Parents need to be vigilant in confirming that coaches and volunteers are vetted, and that their children are playing in safe environments. For more information, read the VIRTUS® article “Keeping Youth Safe in Sports” at lacatholics.org/did-you-know/.