All-Star Do Eps Require Background Checks Of All Employees?

[Mom2Cheergirls]

I think requiring coaches to have background checks is a must. CPs are left with them, often alone or in groups of other similar-aged children.

I think this is probably going to be an unpopular opinion, but:
I'm not sure about event staff as these events are public - any richard or Jane can walk in off the street, pay admission, and see the competition.

I think EPs should be open to comments and willing to address any issues that arise, but background checks? Young CPs should (ideally) be with a coach or a parent and never alone with someone strange.

I remember hearing some parents discuss that they are unwilling to leave their CPs alone with coaches (and frustrated when practices are closed). How do you deal with this at competitions?

I understand your point about the event staff - I think what we realized this weekend though is that these individuals (event staff perhaps making unwise interactions and suspicious behavior) have greater access than the common spectator in areas and also may have a great way to start a dialogue with a child because they are in an EP or venue shirt or uniform. Again something that a group of us parents never thought about prior and that is why I came to my best resource with questions. Also a spectator with questionable behavior from our experience it is easier to tell them they must leave remove their band and escort them away.. with an employee understandably the EP has a difficult path in legality issue here from both sides. I will say I have more questions for my own gym based on the remarks here and to me that is a good thing... Fierceboard you never fail to enlighten, educate, or entertain this cheer mom. Thanks Fierceboarders.

 

[viralscorp]

Mom2Cheergirls Thanks, I understand a little more now.

 

[BigBow]

another difficult thing about this is that ep's do not necessarily bring their personal staff. for example...in high school and college for fundraising, my teams worked several competitions. the ep/competition would come to town...we would come in the night before for a meeting, the next couple days we worked the competition..doing several different jobs, and they would move on to the next town and we would get a check in the mail. we did tons of different jobs too...set up/break down, warm up room, on deck, awards, running score sheets, working in the shop, etc. it would be hard to do background checks for 40 college cheerleaders that work your competition for one weekend. i think it's a smart and good idea, but it will defintely be hard and will take a lot of brainstorming!

 

[newcheerdad]

another difficult thing about this is that ep's do not necessarily bring their personal staff. for example...in high school and college for fundraising, my teams worked several competitions. the ep/competition would come to town...we would come in the night before for a meeting, the next couple days we worked the competition..doing several different jobs, and they would move on to the next town and we would get a check in the mail. we did tons of different jobs too...set up/break down, warm up room, on deck, awards, running score sheets, working in the shop, etc. it would be hard to do background checks for 40 college cheerleaders that work your competition for one weekend. i think it's a smart and good idea, but it will defintely be hard and will take a lot of brainstorming!

Yeah, I think that's the practical problem. A lot of these EP's don't have dedicated staff for these events but contract folks out. You could use a service like Intellicorp to do some of the heavy lifting for you, but I'm not sure of the expense.

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

I really see your point I wonder if the EPs have in the contract with Venue and subcontractors that if suspicious behavior is reported that that individual would be asked to leave. They could still pay them - as they do with paid admin leave when a teacher is accused of inappropriate behavior. I really get that it is a hard thing to police I just wonder do any EPs have things in place to deal with this situation?

 

[LabbyGirlMOM]

I work at a large venue in my area and I can tell you in my experience that when certain Ep's come in they do not ask a whole lot about who we have just if we will have X amount of people to do the job and give us a list of the number of people needed for each task. There has only been 1 Ep who wanted to know if everyone had background checks.

I also know that at my job we background check everyone and if you have anything out of the ordinary we do not hire because we do so many different types of events and work with people of all ages.

 

[Mom2Cheergirls]

I work at a large venue in my area and I can tell you in my experience that when certain Ep's come in they do not ask a whole lot about who we have just if we will have X amount of people to do the job and give us a list of the number of people needed for each task. There has only been 1 Ep who wanted to know if everyone had background checks.

I also know that at my job we background check everyone and if you have anything out of the ordinary we do not hire because we do so many different types of events and work with people of all ages.

I really appreciate that info and it is certainly nice to know at least 1 EP does do it.