Below is a collection of general frequently asked questions regarding Safe Play. For troubleshooting, please refer to the Safe Play Troubleshooting Tips.
What is Safe Play?
The USTA Safe Play Program is the USTA’s athlete safeguarding program. The Safe Play process is comprised of three steps: (1) Personal Information; (2) SafeSport training & Acknowledging the Safe Play Policies; and (3) Criminal Background Screening.
The SafeSport training and Safe Play Policy Acknowledgment are annual requirements. The training is a four-part cycle that consists of the US Center for SafeSport’s 90-minute “Core Center for SafeSport Training” and 30-minute “Refresher 1”, “Refresher 2” and “Refresher 3” courses. The cycle will start again with the Core Center for SafeSport Training the calendar year following the completion of Refresher 3. The criminal background screening is required every two years.
How do I print my SafeSport certificate?
Once your Safe Sport training is completed, you will be able to view and print your certificate online by visiting https://www.usta.com/en/home/safe-play/check-your-status.html#/, selecting your green 'course' circle, and clicking 'View Course History'. There is an option to download your training certificate.
How do I get the 8-digit code for my NCSI background check?
An 8 digit registration code is not required to complete the background check. To bypass this, close the page, log out, and log back into your USTA account to regain access. You should no longer be prompted to input the 8 digit organization code.
Why can't I access Net Gen tools?
To access Net Gen tools, you have to be Safe Play approved or a registered PE Teacher with a linked School on your profile.
Do I have to have an active membership to be Safe Play approved?
No, you do not need to have an active membership to be Safe Play approved.
I can't complete the background check because I receive an error that says my name and/or date of birth can't be validated with the USTA, what can I do?
The last name and date of birth you are using on your background check application must match the information on your USTA account. Please call USTA Customer Care at 1-800-990-8782 between Monday - Friday 9 am - 9 pm and Saturdays 10 am - 6 pm ET to confirm your information.
How often do I need to renew my Safe Play?
The SafeSport training is an annual requirement. The training is a four-part cycle that consists of the US Center for SafeSport’s 90 minutes “Core Center for SafeSport Training” and 30-minute “Refresher 1”, “Refresher 2” and “Refresher 3” courses. The cycle will start again with the Core Center for SafeSport Training the calendar year following the completion of Refresher 3. The SafeSport training refresher course & policy can be renewed 120 days prior to its expiration date. Your new expiry date will start from the day you completed the refresher training course. The background screening is required every two years.
My background screen is still pending. How can I check the status?
You can check the status of your background screening by contacting NCSI at support@ncsisafe.com or calling 866-996-7412.
NCSI may need to contact you to verify information submitted on your application. Please check you email inbox for messages from the secure NCSI serves:support@ncsisafe.com.
How do I received a copy of my results?
During the application process, please make sure you can check the box that indicates you want the report to be sent to you upon completion. If this box is not checked during the application process, you can request a copy of your report by contacting NCSI via email at support@ncsisafe.com or by phone at 866-996-7412
I already took the SafeSport Training for a different sport organization; can you count that towards my Safe Play status?
Please reach out to safeplay@usta.com and include the SafeSport Training certificate and the sport organization that you completed the training for. A member of our team will reach out to the U.S. Center for SafeSport to connect your training completion to the USTA.
To learn more about the Safe Play, visit https://www.usta.com/en/home/