As the organisation responsible for safeguarding the sports of baseball and softball in the United Kingdom, BaseballSoftballUK runs a bespoke course each year, Safe on Base. Designed for welfare/safeguarding officers, coaches, umpires and team/league/national executives, the Safe on Base course has been run since 2023 to help make our sports stronger and safer.

With both the British Baseball Federation and British Softball Federation enhancing their safeguarding requirements in 2026, a record number of participants have received Safe on Base training this year, with more than 150 individuals now qualified!

Mark Caress, BaseballSoftballUK’s Safeguarding Lead, has been thrilled with this year’s training, and said, “With the new safeguarding requirements agreed by the two Federations, we were initially worried that participants would be reluctant to complete their training and DBS forms. Not only has the community been receptive to the new rules, but they have been eager to get stuck into training, asking great questions and really engaging with the sessions. It is a great feeling knowing that our community is getting safer and more secure, and great to have so many people eager to get involved with Safeguarding!”

In addition to the Safe on Base trainees, more than 190 members of the baseball and softball community have completed DBS forms to date this year – 60 more than last year’s entire total!

Both initiatives help make baseball and softball safer for all participants, especially children and coaches, and we encourage anyone interested in more information to visit our website, BaseballSoftballUK.com/safeguarding. If you have a specific query, please contact welfare@bsuk.com.