There are many risks that confront your Club and Association on a regular basis. If you are on a Board or management committee, managing risk is one of your key responsibilities. These risks might include:

• Injury to players, officials and spectators
• Legal risks, including those that relate to harassment, discrimination, copyright, SPAM, privacy, fraud, personal injury and property damage
• Financial risks
• Insurance risks,including those that relate to property damage, personal injury, team travel, public liability and office bearers' liability

All these risks are manageable with appropriate planning, processes, policies and common sense. To ensure that you minimise any risk to your Club and members, it is important that you identify potential risks and take steps to address them. In some instances these steps might be as simple as putting appropriate policies and processes in place.

Softball Australia has developed a number of policies that are applicable to Clubs and Associations. These policies include cover diverse issues such as:

• Member protection
• Privacy
• Hot weather
• Pregnancy
• eCommunications
• Anti-doping
• Website terms of use

It is important when considering areas of risk, in your Club, to look at resources from the following organisations to assist you.  As this is a highly litigious area it is important to consult organisations in your own state/territory regarding this area.

• Your Club's insurance broker, lawyer and accountant
• ASC and your State or Territory Departments of Sport & Recreation
• Sports Medicine Australia