You don't have to figure this out alone.
We are here to help.
Supporting athletes impacted by abuse
Mission
To serve athletes, former athletes, parents, coaches, and sports communities through crisis response, mental well-being intervention, informational resources, and reporting guidance for concerns about emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. Courage First’s team of athlete-centered counselors offer confidential assistance through calls, text, and online chat.
About us
The Courage First Athlete Helpline is a helpline for athletes and communities involved in every type of sport. The initiative builds on the expertise of the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline and the commitment of the Foundation for Global Sports Development to empower athletes of all ages through fair play and safe participation in athletics.
In service to this effort, we:
- explore avenues of outreach to athletes and those in the sports field who are concerned about athlete well-being and abuse of any kind
- train counselors in issues related to emotional health and abuse in sports
- develop targeted resources for athletes, parents, coaches, and sports communities
- implement ongoing research to improve services for youth and adults who have experienced maltreatment
- empower survivors of abuse wherever they are in their journey to heal and reach their full potential
- nurture safe spaces, honoring the diversity of experiences and identities that shape our work
The two organizations have worked together for nearly 25 years, with the Foundation for Global Sports Development sponsoring athletic activities, sports and ancillary therapies at Childhelp facilities, and providing seed funding for Childhelp’s Speak Up Be Safe for Athletes, a prevention education initiative for youth athletics. The partnership in recent years has extended through symposia and expert Q&A sessions around screenings of “At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal,” the award-winning documentary on sex abuse in U.S. Olympic Gymnastics, survivors and the system that failed them.
Advisory Committee
The Courage First Athlete Helpline is supported by an Advisory Committee providing guidance, input, and expertise for this project.
Lori Okimura
Former Trustee of Safe Sport International
Executive Board Member of Angel City Sports
Board Position: Organizational Leader
Jon Vaughn
Former NFL & University of Michigan Football Player
Abuse Survivor
Board Position: Athlete
Brittany Rogers
Two-Time Olympian – Team Canada
Former University of Georgia Gymnast
Board Position: Athlete
Lisa Finegan
Team USA Athlete/Trauma-Informed Coach
Co-Director of Inner City Education Foundation (ICEF) Leadership Academy
Board Position: Athlete/Coach/Educator
Robin Ortiz, MD, MS, FAAP
Asst Professor of Pediatrics & Population Health
NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Attending Physician
NYC Health + Hospitals | Bellevue
Board Position: Researcher
Anita Daniels, MSW,LCSW, LCAS, CCS
USOPC and NFLPA Registered Clinician
Founding member and former President of the Alliance for Social Workers in Sports
Board Position: Mental Health Clinician
Brooke Olsen Roush
Know Your Strengths
Former Montana State University Volleyball Athlete
Board Position: Parent Representative
Courage First Athlete Helpline is presented by the Foundation for Global Sports Development/Sidewinder Films and the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline.