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More background check incidents....
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And as you and I are aware, even background checks dont always work.
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We've had two incidents in our area. Neither person had a prior that would have shown up on a background check. |
I'm not a fan of BC's in general, especially if the umpire is forced to pay.
However, I do believe that the mere fact that they ask for a BC will at least chase away the prior offenders who know they will come up negative on a BC. This - "ASA (Amateur Softball Association) is the only group I know" performing background checks of game officials." however - is simply not true. USAV (that's volleyball) also performs background checks, and does a more thorough one than the traditional BC. |
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Hows the coaching? |
Today is my last day for a couple of weeks. Headed to Texas for some work.
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Did you know that coaches are not allowed to touch the ball between innings? |
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Gee, you think maybe this guy joined USSSA knowing damn well they don't check? Maybe there's a reason he didn't join an association that did...
Who would think that a convicted sex offender might go somewhere where we may not get checked? DUH! |
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I just did a check for the umpire in the OP article. He is listed on the NSOPW database. |
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In other words, your statement is simply not true. Unless you know David Gregory and know what he knows. |
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Background checks are a waste of time and money, provide a false sense of security and catch only those that have already been caught, but even that is not a guarantee. I will never agree to one.
There is absolutely ZERO advantage to performing BI on umpires as an umpire should NEVER be alone with a player. And no check is going to stop anyone who wants to be. I would guess some putz may come up with, "but if it prevents one....". GMAFB. Where are the parents, coaches and other team adults? You can do all the checks you want, it will provide no additional protection to the player. BTW, the above goes for the coaches also and that gets proven about three to four times a year in my area. Willing to bet it is the same everywhere. |
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An unfortunate by-product for ASA or other softball organizations demanding these for umpires is those umpires who only work adult slow pitch. Why would they need to submit to BC's? I mean, if we wanted to determine someone character a priori, wouldn't we ask them how much umpiring money they reported on their taxes? :D (Tis the season, many happy returns) |
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Besides, SO web sites are in conflict with the constitution that those in this country hold high, yet continue to ignore and alter to satisfy their own power-hungry agenda :) |
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However, I have recently learned that any umpire that is assigned to work this year at Hall of Fame Stadium in OKC at any level is required to undergo a background check. This is a directive from the National Office. |
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BIs are as ineffective as polygraphs. And I'm in the business which requires security way beyond the bonding. I've also had multiple police agencies so far up my business, it is unbelievable. But they all prove zip. I've seen people pass a security check valued at over $2K and end up arrested for dealing drugs, bank robbery, embezzlement and even murder. Like I said, it is a chicken little, feel good reaction fueled by ignorance. The provide nothing. |
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As I mentioned before, the sex offender in the OP story is listed in NSOPW. He joins the local USSSA umpire association. The secretary or assignor or member-at-large of that association could have easily taken the names of the association members and done a quick search with NSOPW. This criminal's name pops up. The association's president contacts him and tells him his services are no longer desired. How hard is that? The system would work if the people responsible would make it work. Now, obviously miscreants who haven't been caught yet will slip through. And I cannot vouch for how well services like First Advantage or USSearch discover sex offender info on people. But if the info is already out there and all it takes is a little digging, then responsible people should do it, and do it correctly. |
Background checks are worthless as nothing will show up on a police report until the person is caught. The best you can do without spending the exorbitant costs of several hundred background checks is check the names against S.O.R's.
If there was a way to do some sort of proactive psychoanalytical work on a candidate before they start work, but that's just silly. |
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By definition, aren't we all crazy for officiating? :rolleyes: |
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You can live in your fantasyland, I'll live in the real world. Hell, a class a misdemeanor issue would probably really bring down the real estate market in the DC area |
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His statement is not inaccurate. Did you ever try thinking that in the UK, the response to a BI is referred to as a police report? |
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At least if they do have a criminal conviction, it should come up. |
I'd much rather see safeguards put in place that actually prevent unknown adults from having unsupervised access to children. Officiating HS sports should never give us that access, whether we have background checks or not. Aside from the false sense of securit, my real concerns are two-fold:
1. Who has access to all this information, and how is it stored? 2. Who decides what background items would disqualify one from officiating? CO has implemented a background check. We need to provide an arrest record and account for the disposition of any arrests that show up. We have to pay the CBI $7 every three years for this. |
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Plus as sports officials, we have NO unsupervised access to the children.
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It's highway robbery! And the excuse that it's only one game fee is BS too. As a new umpire, I have to start at the lower level with the lower fee. Charge me what it cost to perform these services. Don't use it as a revenue generator. I had to have one in Pa, as I cooked in a daycare last year, and it only cost $35 total! |
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Also, I've been at the park recovering from my game, and I've seen plenty of individual kids sitting and waiting for a parent or older sibling to come pick them up. It floors me that a coach wouldn't wait with that kid until the parent or sibling shows up. Unlike some random stranger, it's not inconceivable for an umpire, who has already displayed a sense of authority in that kid's mind while working the game, to convince the kid to hop in the car for a ride home. I will take my time recovering and stick around until the kid's ride comes through. |
I remember when I was in high school and cut class, the vice principal told me that the offense would go on my permanent record....
I wonder if they caught that on my background check. |
Best Background checks / safety
In my opinion, the organization with the best background check policy and safety policy is USA Swimming. Each coach and official is required to pass a level two background check every 2 years, plus take athlete protection training online course.
At practices it is up to the host club to handle access to locker rooms and the pool deck. At meets (when possible, not always possible at outdoor meets), the host club is required to allow only three groups of people on deck. First is officials who have passed their background check. Second is coaches who have passed their background check. Third is volunteers who are not required to be background checked, but must be registered with meet management. Each person who is on deck is required to wear a deck credential. Failure to have a credential can result in you being removed from the deck and additional punishment through USA Swimming. In addition, USA Swimming limits the use of photographic devices on the pool deck. People caught with a camera out behind the starting blocks can and should be removed from the pool deck. Nothing is perfect for preventing assaults on children, because much of the time the situation does not involve officials, but coaches who get much less public time with athletes. |
Received this today:
"ALL UMPIRES who wish to umpire ANY ASA games in the state of ... snip ... are required to have a background check starting this year. It is not an option. If you refuse to have a background check, you must notify me no later than Friday April 25th. This will allow me to refund your dues and to remove your name from the ASA registration that goes to the National Office. ... snip ... There was a big article about a convicted sex offender in Alabama working a youth USSSA game. Had a background check been performed, this individual would not have been assigned any youth games. Again, this is not up for debate. If I do not hear from you, then I will assume you are okay with the background check and you will be assigned league games and work tournaments etc. If you attended a state or regional clinic then you would also be eligible for state, regional, and national tournaments. If you are NOT OKAY with it, then you must notify me no later than April 25th so you can be removed from registration and therefore, not work any ASA games. Your dues will be refunded to you. Whether you agree with it or not, this is the society we now live in and it is what it is. I thank you all for your cooperation and look forward to a great season. " |
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At the latest ASA Board of Directors meeting (March 29) following the Alabama news report hitting the news wires, it is now mandated for 2015 for all associations; umpires and RegisterASA team and league administrators. Your Commissioner is just getting ahead of the curve; it has been done here in Georgia ASA for 3-4 years. Certainly agree it is a "feel-good" solution with no real effect; other than being able to say you have done everything reasonably possible to limit exposure and/or liability. |
I have also been told that any ASA umpire that works any games at Hall of Fame Stadium in OKC must pass a background check starting this year.
This includes all Adult FP and SP play. In my association, we identify umpires as to the games they work. If they only work adult SP, we do not submit them to a background check. We do have to stay on top of this, as the umpire could decide halfway through the season that they wish to work youth FP, but it hasn't been an issue so far. |
Thank God we live in a free and democratic......er, never mind.
Here is the original e-mail from OKC: From: John Miller [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, April 21, 2014 11:59 AM To: John Miller Cc: YZ - Department Heads; zz - RegisterASA Staff Subject: ASA Mandatory Background Check Policy For 2015 Season Good Morning Council Members, I hope you all enjoyed Easter yesterday. This is the last email for actions taken by the ASA Board of Directors at their March 29 board meeting. ASA has in place a background check screening process to help keep our youth players safe from those that seek to harm them. Over the last five years ASA has run more than 300,000 background check reports in an effort to keep those that would want to harm our youth players out of our program. There are state/metro associations that require their umpires and administrators to pass a background check in order to umpire or serve as a team or league administrators so these associations are setting the standard. During the March 29 board meeting the ASA Board of Directors established a national policy for background checking council members, umpires and RegisterASA team/league administrators. This policy would take affect starting with the 2015 season. Council members, umpires working Junior Olympic Championship play and all RegisterASA administrators shall pass an ASA background check. Now that the state/metro associations have the choice of starting their Junior Olympic season on either September 1 or January 1 those starting on September 1 and using RegisterASA would have to have their RegisterASA admins pass a background check before being able to register their individuals for a team or league. Those same September 1 state/metro associations that would schedule JO championship qualifiers after September 1 would need to background check those umpires that would be working JO championship play. Only an ASA background check report will be allowed to verify that a council member, umpire or RegisterASA admin has passed a background check. This must be done in case ASA has to prove that a council member, umpire or RegisterASA admin has passed a background check in any litigation brought before ASA. The background check reports will have to be run annually. As any new policy is put into place there will be many questions. Please direct those questions to me and I will get them answered for you. |
Can anyone answer this ????
In your state, if you are working SP only are you required to have a BG check. In my state they are requiring everyone regardless of fast ( youth ) or just slow ( adult )......it makes no sense unless they are looking for issues non child related......
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Maybe it is time for one organization to oversee all background checks for all umpires/coaches/volunteers working with youth sports.
Doing multiple sports for multiple organizations, I have to have a background check run for each different organization. It does get a bit tiresome, and costly. Add in the fact that I work in education, and am required to be fingerprinted for work purposes and have regular background checks run as well. Maybe one organization handling all background checks would just make things so much easier. |
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So, how well is that fingerprinting and background checking working out for the education establishment? Clearly, (well, clearly to ME), this is all about liability limitation for the organizations themselves and very little about protecting anyone from anything. |
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"This must be done in case ASA has to prove that a council member, umpire or RegisterASA admin has passed a background check in any litigation brought before ASA. " |
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