The Safe on Base Safeguarding Course will be run five times in 2026, and registration is now open.

“Safeguarding is a key part of ensuring the continuing safety of our sports, but Safe on Base is more than just a simple safeguarding course; It’s designed for British baseball and softball, with knowledge you will be able to use right away to make your club, league, or team better and safer,” said BaseballSoftballUK Safeguarding Lead Mark Caress. “After Safe on Base, you will have you the tools and resources to ensure your organisation can focus on what’s important: playing our sports!”

What is Safe on Base?

Safe on Base is BaseballSoftballUK's bespoke baseball and softball safeguarding training programme, specific to our sports, and counts as Level 2 Safeguarding training. Run by BaseballSoftballUK Safeguarding Lead Mark Caress and Marketing & Communications Manager Chris Knoblock, the course is aimed at Safeguarding Officers and Youth Team Coaches, and replaced the Time to Listen in 2023 course as a more relevant and practical option for British baseball and softball.

Who needs to have Safeguarding training in baseball/softball?

Safeguarding has become a focal point for all sports following several high-profile incidents over the past few years, and subsequent reports on their safeguarding failures. As such, BaseballSoftballUK, as the body responsible for safeguarding baseball and softball, and working with the Child Protection in Sport Unit of the NSPCC, have sought to proactively bolster the sports' safeguarding provisions. As such, the following participants in British baseball and softball must complete Level 2 Safeguarding training:

  • Coaches – recommended for all, but required for any coach working with any U18 players
  • Safeguarding/Welfare Officers (Club, League or Team level)
  • Federation Officials (Board members and national volunteers)
  • National Team Management (coaches, athlete support staff, officials, and managers)

New Safeguarding rules for baseball and softball will come into effect on 1 March 2026; this is your opportunity to get ahead of the game and sort your organisation’s safeguarding requirement early.

How much does it cost?

While other sports charge a nominal fee for safeguarding training, BaseballSoftballUK has always sought to eliminate cost as a barrier to a safer club, league, or team. As such, all courses are FREE for all registered Federation (BBF/BSF) Members. If you/your club are not a registered member, please get in touch before registering at welfare@bsuk.com.

When are the courses?

The virtual courses will be held online on the following dates: 

All session run from 6-9 PM. A link to the meeting will be provided one week prior to your course date, along with the course materials.

Space is limited for each of the sessions, so if you wish to attend please reserve your place quickly. We expect this year's courses to fill up faster than usual with the increased focus on safeguarding within baseball and softball.

We do ask that you please attend the session that you register for. Unfortunately, we have had a number of no-shows in previous years that impacted the quality of the training. If you are unable to make your session, please let us know at least 24 hours prior. 

Further dates will be added if interest or need requires. Please note that any additional courses will not be run between 1-17 March, due to staff availability during the World Baseball Classic. 

To register, click on the course date above. Registration is on Sport 80. If you do not have an account on Sport 80, you can create one here.