The last thing anyone involved with an amateur sports league wants to see is a player getting hurt. But with sports injuries–either minor or significant–a virtual certainty at some point, league officials must worry about liability and how an organization can protect itself.

Among the most basic protections is a waiver that would be signed by adults participating in a league–or, if the league is for children, their parents or guardians.

Of course, how useful those waivers are once a case is brought to court remains to be seen, but Drew Smith, senior vice president of amateur sports at American Specialty Insurance and Risk Services in Roanoke, Ind., said that waivers–especially for adult players–can provide some protection.