My Story
Why I am bypassing the boardroom.
I have dedicated my professional life to amateur sports because I believe in its power to shape young lives, build community, and foster growth. When I became the Executive Director of Curling Nova Scotia, I thought I could make a difference from the inside. I believed the policies on paper were the rules we actually followed.
However, when a serious safeguarding and maltreatment issue crossed my desk, I learned a hard truth. The traditional system is often designed to protect the institution, not the athlete.
I took decisive action to protect participants by applying the exact safety frameworks we were mandated to uphold. I immediately faced strong resistance. The President of the Board and the governing committee did not want transparency or accountability. They wanted the problem to quietly disappear to protect the organization's public relations.
I refused to compromise on the safety of our athletes, and because of that, I was dismissed without cause.
Today, I am navigating Employment Insurance while trying to find my next role in sportsâa difficult task when standing up for athlete safety results in severe reputational damage orchestrated by those in power.
Having my livelihood taken away for doing the right thing was incredibly difficult. If they thought losing my title would silence me, they were wrong. It only made me more determined. I am more motivated today than I have ever been to keep sport safe.
You cannot fix a broken system from inside a boardroom that refuses to look at the reality on the ground. You have to bypass the boardroom entirely. That is why I am building SafeSport Direct.
â Daniel Baldwin
Founder, SafeSport Direct
Former Executive Director, Curling Nova Scotia