A question for all VOLUNTEER coaches

[Dory's Twin]

would you release all of your personal identity info to the league you coach for (12 yr old girl basketball) for them to do a background check on you. My husband has coached here for 5 years, this a new thing.

included info is SSN, birth date, place of birth, employer, supervisor contact info, 5 references, driver's liscense number

More importantly, they want him to sign a disclaimer and release of liability. They reserve the right to release the info TO ANYONE public or private.

This league is owned by a woman who runs it out of her home. They provide no safe guard for this info.

What would you do?

TIA....you all are always spot on with you advice....and add things I would never have thought of.

 

[ElizaB39]

No. He should do his own inquiry first (fill out state paperwork and have it returned to his home address), to make sure that the information is accurate. We have to do this through the Y program my DH coaches for and for the church that I coach for. We are always told (by both organizations) to request the background check ourselves and provide a copy once it is returned to us. The state should have some kind of stamp or seal that they put on it so you couldn't make up your own report.

ETA: Once we get the report back, it in fact does have all of the information you mentioned on the report. It also has all people you have lived with for last X number of years and all family members including (our) sibs. This info however is guaranteed to be private at both organizations. If anybody has been convicted of a sexually related crime it would be on our state's Megan's Law website anyway and out there for all to see.

 

[jennifer293]

My husband coaches cross country and track & field for the local high school and they have just this year began doing background checks. If your husband coaches for an AAU team then they do need all his personal info for insurance purposes not so much a background check.

I would ask further questions as to why they need all this info, and make her give you the company name of who will do the check on him..Ask anything that you may have questions about because giving out that kind of info can really hurt him if it gets in the hands of the wrong person.

 

[Jon99]

I think I would at least ask why, the leagues I work with we only require a photo copy of a drivers license, which they foward to the Illinois State Police for an approval..

 

[imsayin]

My son's baseball league does background checks. I think all people volunteering with children should be checked.

 

[Dory's Twin]

The league has said that "it is the unfortunate trend" in kids sports. I am not opposed to background checks, but I am opposed giving someone all of his identity information....We, too, have a State website that lists all convicted Sex offenders etc. I think that a background check could be done without such extensive invasion....

Also, he is quite high up in his organization at work...to call his "supervisor" is to call an extremely busy man....whom has no idea what his personal life is like...

The part that bothers me most is the disclaimer...they take no responsiblity for safeguarding his info or his reputation...they can release it to anybody....

 

[jlw29]

I'm safety officer for our local Little League. We are required as part of the Little League charter to run background checks on any volunteers who "have repeated access to children". The check requires all the info your husband was asked to provide. The disclaimer is also standard. It's to keep people who are turned away from coaching due to something found in their record from suing. Background checks are a pain for both the volunteer and the league (it costs us $10 for each name we run, and I will have alot of hours in running them!) but it's important to help protect the kids, although I only put so much faith in them. I think it's, again, part of a legal issue for the league.

This is the form used by Little League. http://www.littleleague.org/programs/asap/2005safetymanual/volunteerapp1.pdf This seems fairly standard including the disclaimer.

I know that in our league it's policy that only 1 or 2 people (the safety officer and/or the president -- in our case, that would be me and DH so only one household) have access to the forms and the results of the check, which are kept in a locked file away from the rest of the league paperwork. Identity theft is too common anymore, and we respect other people's information like we would want done with ours.

ETA: We only call other references etc if something suspicious comes up on the check. We do talk to the person to let them know if something comes up.

 

[lovewdwdvc]

One of our organizations that use volunteer coaches requires background checks. I trust the organization and ahve always signed the release and given them my information. But........... I sure like the idea of requesting your own check and giving it to whomever needs it. It sure decreases the list of pople who have access to someone's SSN.

 

[WIcruizer]

Yes, provide the info. I've been a volunteer coach for several years, and I've always had to provide this information for a background check. It's no big deal. I'm not concerned at all about where my info goes. It's 2005, and I may as well paint my Social Security number on my forehead. My point is that your SSN is everywhere already. You wouldn't believe how many people, organizations, companies, Govt agencies, et.c have your SSN, DOB, etc. It's the Information Age, and all your data is out there already, no big deal.

 

[pearlieq]

I would be pretty leery, especially if it doesn't really sound like an organized, well established organization. I'm not saying that their motives are wrong, but it just sounds like this wasn't well thought out, especially in terms of privacy and information security.

I agree with others. I would suggest proposing to run your own background check and providing the results to the organization or agreeing to the background check, but insisting they develop and implement a satisfactory privacy and information protection policy. I wouldn't think it's too much to ask for them to invest in locked storage, a shredder, and to come up with a specific policy as to who would have access to the info and how long it would be kept.

You just can't be too careful these day, with kids and with your personal data.

 

[geetey]

As a volunteer coach, I have gone through that same background check. As a CLASSROOM volunteer we are required to get a background check AND attend a 3 hour class on child safety/protecting children. As a substitute teacher, same thing. Even as PTO board member I have been checked.

Maybe you could call the woman and clarify the disclaimer and exactly how much can be released. Certainly someone can not call and say Mr Blank is my son's coach, could I have his SSN please?

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

My DH was an assistant baseball coach and was going to coach basketball also. He was required a background check for that and Cub Scouts, we both also have to have one in order to volunteer at the kids' school. The first one that was run on my DH came back with "something", but they were so strict about confidentiality that they wouldn't even tell me what it was, I figured it out when they told me where it happened, they had to talk directly to him. (It was a 6 year old traffic violation and they were going to turn him down from coaching). If you're concerned about the disclaimer (I would be) maybe you could call them and ask them what their confidentiality policy is and who would have access to the information. Explain to them your concerns about identity theft and if you aren't satisfied with their response then I wouldn't sign it. I think the checks are important from a parenting perspective, I wouldn't feel comfortable with a coach that wasn't required to submit to one.

 

[lovewdwdvc]

I understand that many organizations and people already have a person's SSN (especially since a few short years ago itwas placed on checks and used for identification almost everywhere) but that is no reason to stop guarding your SSN. Identity theft is rampant and I am sure will increase. I think that we have a responsibility to protect ouselves and our families from possible identity theft . Therefore, I think that the prudent approach would beto run your own report and have it available to anyone or any organization that would request the information.

 

[runner26.2]

As a volunteer coach for two leagues I subject myself to these background checks about every 6 months. I don't particularily like it but if I want to coach my children it is the price you pay.

As for identity theft. This is not the method favoured by thieves and organized crime to get your data. They obtain your data by other more sophisticated/illicit means. You must realize the sports organization volunteer you are giving the information to has also been subjected to a criminal background check.

As for conducting your own background check, that simply opens a gap by which criminals can create/forge "clean" criminal record reports and become eligible to coach children.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Coaches, troop leaders, den leaders, etc. around here always require that and yearly if you do it more than once. Ours do NOT however have this disclaimer:

They reserve the right to release the info TO ANYONE public or private.

I don't think I'd agree with that!
Ours says they have the right to release to any parent of team member or other soccer board members/etc. They list out who would have the right to the info. The parent of team members basically just means they have the right to give your phone number to a team member's parent like if they don't have it already or lost it and call them about it. OR if they (the parent) would like proof that you can be trusted and the background has been done. Not PUBLIC though and not to just anyone off the street who wanted the info! It's for the safety of the kids here... nothing more.

 

[Dory's Twin]

My husband already has a top secret clearance...he is squeaky clean, so it isn't the possibility of finding "something"...it's the lack of responsibility that the league is willing to take for the use/misuse of the information.

He spoke with this lady last night and told her that he was more than willing to submit to the background check but that NO ONE was to be able to release ANY information about him without prior written consent (for the specific item) from him. AND he wants to know IN WRITING, how his information is protected. She did admit that it was kept in a file in her home, NOT under lock and key, she agreed to revisit her security.

My MIL had her SSN stolen and when she went to apply for her SS it was already being paid out. She fought with SS until her death to get her benefits, so that is very real to us. More important, to my husband, is the ability of this league to release anything they want without taking responsibility...with teenage kids in our home, this is a major issue with us

Thank you all for your responses, I was able to bring up things that made my husband pause to think before he spoke with the league.

You all are great!

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

My husband already has a top secret clearance...he is squeaky clean, so it isn't the possibility of finding "something"...it's the lack of responsibility that the league is willing to take for the use/misuse of the information.

I just wanted to say that I didn't mean to imply that he would, I'm sorry if it came across that way, I just wanted to use that as an example of how I found out how confidential they keep that info. I'm glad your husband found out what your league does.

 

[Dory's Twin]

Mrsbornkuntry,

I in no way took that as if you were implying anything! That is why I like these boards, many people have had experience (good and bad) with situations I face...you all are a good source of experience and information...I appreciate all of the advice and comments that I have recieved! I don't take things like that personally!

 

[canwegosoon]

Hate to tell you that all parents volunteering in our private school must do the same thing...(storyreaders, room captains, if you transport anyone other than your child etc.)I had all ready cleared my teching backround check, but also had to take a class in how to prevent child abuse. The good thing is once it is none...it's done. Kind of sad what the world has come to, but would rather have my children safe
I can understand your husband's situation...I think he should talk with the league attorney...perhaps they can work it out.

 

[undertheradar]

These back ground checks have become common, everyday practice. The disclaimer refers to inquiries by outside organizations(insurance, police, childrens services, etc.). If there is already such a high level clearance, send in the info and get ready for the season. I would question someone not wanting to comply and would strongly reconsider that person's involvement with my organization. I coach soccer, basketball and volunteer in football and must pass clearances in every organization. Soccer and scouts required training in child safety and awareness. These are now the standard practices for anyone volunteering with children. With our girl's teams, we must always have a mom present and watching our practices and games- this is to protect the children and the coaches! Good luck in your choice, but I would fill it out and get on with the season.