Rutgers Certification

All parents who offer to help coach or otherwise volunteer for our programs must have completed the Rutgers SAFETY program and be certified by Spotswood REC. The members of the Spotswood REC Board are also required to have completed the Rutgers SAFETY Program. This is required by a New Jersey State Law designed to ensure the safety of our children and to provide limited immunity to those volunteers who serve our youth.

Here, in part, is the relevant legislation concerning this requirement:

Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
Chapter 52 Volunteer Coaches' Safety Orientation and Training Skills Programs Minimum Standards 5:52-1.1

Introduction: The minimum standards set forth in this subchapter identify the major topics which must be addressed in volunteer coaching/managing/officiating programs for safety orientation and training skills programs required for civil immunity according to NJ.S.A. 2A:62 6 et seq. The topics must be presented within the context of an educational program that addresses the perspective of the specific population(s) of athletes served (for example, young, senior, disabled, novice, and skilled athletes). In order to be covered by the provisions for civil immunity as prescribed by New Jersey P.L. 1988, c. 87 (N.J.S.A. 2A:62A 6 et seq.), the volunteer athletic coach, manager or official must attend a safety orientation and skills training programs of at least a three-hour duration which meets the minimum standards set forth in this subchapter.

For more information on the Rutgers SAFETY course, please visit Rutgers Safety Course.

Rutgers Safety Certification requires attending a simple 3-hour course at a nominal cost.

The certification card offered at the completion of the course never expires.

Spotswood Rec offers the Rutgers Safety course on an as-needed basis each Fall and Spring in Spotswood. To find out if Spotswood Rec is offering the Rutgers Safety course locally, please email us.