Background Checks for Coaches

[notimeforthat]

I agree with the random drug tests and the drink on your own time as long as you are of age policy....
Again it will come down to dollars and cents as random drug testing is not cheap.... I know some gyms ask coaches to pay for part or all of certifications...I'm sure they are not going to pay for drug tests! Again the larger programs may be able to do it while the smaller gyms will struggle with costs. Since I am a parent and not a professional in the industry is there anyway a gyms insurance can contribute to random testing?

 

[Rudags]

No drinking the night before a competition. The kids don't deserve your stresssed out, hungover attitude.

What if we want to go out to party withe the judges? Buy them some shots and get in good with them until all hours of the night?

 

[cheerislove8]

What if we want to go out to party withe the judges? Buy them some shots and get in good with them until all hours of the night?

Well then thats okay! :dancingbanana:

 

[Mclovin]

What if we want to go out to party withe the judges? Buy them some shots and get in good with them until all hours of the night?

Haha Kyle, as long as it gets you a win, then I guess I'll concede on that. Win at all cost, ya know! haha

 

[ACEDAD]

I definitely think a background check should check for any criminal offenses relating to drugs and/or alcohol and most definitely other obvious offenses. Coaches should also be subject to random drug testing since as coaches we are dealing with children AND their safety. Drinking once you're over the age of 21 should be on your own time and dime. No drinking the night before a competition. The kids don't deserve your stresssed out, hungover attitude.

If a gym is a USASF certified gym, this is the background check they were required to run on the entire staff: http://www.safesportsusa.com/services.html#advantage

 

[King]

If a gym is a USASF certified gym, this is the background check they were required to run on the entire staff: http://www.safesportsusa.com/services.html#advantage

How many gyms are USASF certified gyms?

Are any of the gyms that are USASF certified ones that hired those sketchy coaches?

 

[ACEDAD]

How many gyms are USASF certified gyms?

Are any of the gyms that are USASF certified ones that hired those sketchy coaches?

I don't know; but not enough. One of the things we're trying to accomplish with the PAC is to get parents to understand what Gym Certification means and to start demanding it.

I know that USASF was working on a way for people to search for certified gyms, but I'm not sure of the current status. I'll find out when I can.

I also don't know the answer to your second question. However, the certification means the gym owner got the background check. If the information was on the check and the "sketchy" coach was still hired, then the gym owner will also be liable if anything happens. That's an idiotic position for an owner to be in.

 

[perfectcheermom]

BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR COACHES

USASF GYM CERTIFICATION is a very thorough, involved Program if done properly. It covers Background checks,including criminal history right down to the parking ticket you may have gotten 5 years ago. Anything pending in the court system will NOT be noted-the protection of the rights of the accused are more indepth than those for the victim.
Thats why they have their day in COURT.
ANYONE whose has contact with kids in the gym over 18 years of age is required by the USASF Gym Certification Program to have a background check done. This would include Owners, Coaches who are being paid by the gym ,Volunteer Coaches, Team Moms, and any Teen coaches-18 and older.
Its not cheap and it hits the pocket books of the smaller gyms especially hard. Its also alot to ask of Volunteers to pay for their own when in the end the USASF Certification is truly for the Gym Owner and Coaches who are heavily monetarily vested in their gyms.
As a Rep for USASF informed me if anything of an improper nature occurs, charges are filed--if you are USASF certified with all proper procedures & policies documentated you will be far more protected & in a better position to save your Business & Reputation as a Gym Owner, Coach or Volunteer than if not. THIS IS SOMETHING THE USASF HAS TO ADVERTISE MUCH MORE BUT ITS A TOUGH SUBJECT NO ONE WANTS TO ADMIT TO & TOUGH TO PUT A POSITIVE SPIN ON IT. But it is an excellant reason to become certified.
The USASF Gym Crt Program covers alot more areas than just the the Gyms Background checks. It also includes the requirement to become 1st Aid-Cpr-Aed certified, develope a ER plan for Injuries, Fire,Tornados, Hurricanes ect. Its TIME consuming if done properly but when put into place, it too will protect the Gym Owner, Coaches and all volunteers. If there is NO SAFETY PLAN in place & injuries occurr. Well as 1 Usasf rep said "Your A.. is Grass" A good lawyer can tie up your assests in court for years. Especially when it becomes known that the USASF has an Optional program in place---though not mandatory yet---that could have helped to prevent the incident, injury or promote a better recovery.
As most of the devoted fanatical Cheer Members on this board know--We are still growing as a sport and the USASF is still playing catch up, but in this area of Cheer Safety, Pediphile protection, Criminal protection-- the USASF developed a great program. TOO BAD more Gyms do not take advantage of it. The last time I spoke with the USASF Rep-few months ago--they were only aware of Nation wide maybe a total of 20 gyms that had VOLUNTARILY became certified or were in the process. This was across the NATION.
As with most things in life, it is human nature to put off those things that can be done as a CHOICE, especially when its time consuming and costly. But no-one can place a cost on ones Reputation, or on a Human Life.

 

[King]

I don't think many gyms will voluntarily become members. They would only start doing it voluntarily if they were losing lots of business or money already to another gym because they were not certified OR they were doing damage control for an event.

This needs to be mandatory to go to USASF sanctioned events.. BUT that will not happen until there is a grand unifying system to tie the industry together and actually create sanctioned events.

 

[Mclovin]

So basically it's a lot of time and money involved to become a certified gym and like another poster said, most will not do it until it becomes mandatory. Any time something is "optional" most people opt NOT to do it. How many people wore seat belts before it became mandatory? How many people had car insurance before it became mandatory? It would be interesting to find out if other youth league sports require this type of certification. I am definitely all for it. I spend SO much money on this sport already, what's another $100 per kid?? (If it would even cost that much) Anyone have any idea how much it costs to have all of this stuff done for a gym to become certified? Obviously the bigger the staff, the more costly it would be, but then one would assume if there's a bigger staff, there's more athletes to soak up the cost as well.

 

[CGAcheer]

Certified gyms get a cheaper insurance rate through the USASF.

 

[King]

What if there was a registration system that would paperlessly track all the athletes, make registration for comps take less than 5 minutes (and not just one event producer, all of them in the usasf) and to be a part of all that and take advantage gyms had to be a usasf certified gym?

 

[perfectcheermom]

BACKGOUND CHECKS FOR COACHS

The USASF Gym Certification is actually free. And this year they offered $50.00 off the Gyms renewal Insurance if the gym became certified, a bit of a teaser. The costs to be paid are only for the 1st Aid-Cpr-Aed--depending on who use choose to provide your Certification. It can be between $40.00/Person and upwards to $60.00--$75.00/Person. Each person certified covered their own costs for both 1st Aid-Cpr-Aed and the background check which was $35.00/person. Yes its asking alot of your volunteer staff but there are ways to offset the costs. So its not really as costly as some in the Cheer Industry would lead you to believe. What is costly is the TIME involved to complete all the requirements--when you first read through the info forms it appears deceptively easy. IT IS NOT AND it can be tough to do during the active part of the cheer season.

What the USASF needs to do is make this program attractive enough to be done voluntarily--and the SAFETY PROGRAM is already going to be required in 2011-2012 by the AACNA, NACCA OR whatever thoses darn initials are for the governing bodies for high school, college and All-star. Might as well do both as written by the USASF and derive the benefits.

 

[tntdynomite]

I'm a teacher and after we are recommended for hire we have to pay for a background check. The school district gives us a form to fill out and we have to turn it back in to them with the money and they send it in. We do not get finger printed (I believe that varies state to state) and I don't know what is included on the background check because we never see them, but I hear it's pretty extensive.

So my point---What's wrong with making the coach-to-be pay for a background check. If they know something unsavory is going to pop up they probably won't bother applying.

 

[cheer8]

I'm a teacher and after we are recommended for hire we have to pay for a background check. The school district gives us a form to fill out and we have to turn it back in to them with the money and they send it in. We do not get finger printed (I believe that varies state to state) and I don't know what is included on the background check because we never see them, but I hear it's pretty extensive.

So my point---What's wrong with making the coach-to-be pay for a background check. If they know something unsavory is going to pop up they probably won't bother applying.

I am going to use this one from now on! ? So they only pay if they get the job right ... then the final decision is set by employeer when they get the background check and everything clears? Am I right or wrong? Thanks but I am going to use this from know on when hiring! They pay! No brainer...well now its a no brainer after reading your post! Bahahahahha!!! Thanks Infinity!