Some states will be going to mandatory annual background checks for USA wrestling club coaches and volunteers. USA Wrestling is supposedly providing a vendor for the screening process.

Will there be resistance to this process? Or will it be embraced?

I think it will help preserve the sport especially with the growth of womens wrestling in the U.S. I want to know what people in other States think.

Please reply

Solid_Wrestler

Child Protection program in wrestling single choice
	Kanas Wrestling will "EMBRACE" madatory annual background checks for coaches and volunteers
	Kansas Wrestling will "RESIST" madatory annual background checks for coaches and volunteers
Votes accepted starting: 01/01/70 12:00 AM You must vote before you can view the results of this poll.

While this is obviously a good idea because it protects the welfare of our kids, it does bring up a whole new set of questions.

It was explained to us at the District 1 meeting that background checks will cost in the neighborhood of $100.00 per coach.

How many clubs out there can afford, or expect their coaches to pay $100.00 for coaches background check annually, one time cost of $60.00 - $65.00 for Bronze Certification, and an annual Coaches card for $35.00.

Our club is relatively new and even though we have had very successful tournaments to raise funds we could not afford the costs associated with this. I believe you will see not only a dramatic decrease in the number of coaches( maybe not a bad thing in some cases!) as well as an eventual decrease in the number of Clubs. As you lose clubs you will naturally lose kids.

Just my thoughts.

Jeff Broadbent

We have "heard" the clubs will pay for the service. They will go online and register their club, recieve logon ID and password all searches are instant.

Cost is a one time setup fee of we have heard $125. With that first 2 screenings will be free and then $15 for each one after that.

You can even pay the one time setup fee over 3 or 4 months in installments.

$15 gets SSN trace and verification, national Sex Offender Registry search,and national criminal background.

The states that make it mandatory are looking it from the view of insurance premiums decreasing and CYA.

Our State Chair was telling us about the program.


Solid Wrestler

Jeff Broadbent,

What is District 1? I am from Illinois.

Kansas is divided up into 4 districts.

District 1 is the east 1/4 of the state roughly.

Jeff

I agree with Jeff Broadbent that it is a good thing to do for the protection of the kids. I don't know that it will cut down on the number of coaches and volunteers in the kids programs. A lot of churches and other programs that involve kids have already gone to this type of program.
I was a coach and the president of a kids wrestling club in Nebraska. When they came out with the ruling that every coach had to have a card to be on the mat, I thought it would drastically cut down on the number of coaches and volunteers. We really didn't ever see that happen. The people that really care about the program will always find a way to be there for the kids.

I have worked with agencies for a number of years that required background checks. The truth is that you can get them done for less than $20 and usually $15 or less. You need to have them done with the Sheriff's department in most cases though as opposed to the local police department. The Sheriff's department normally covers all of the USA. I agree they should be done and required, anyone afraid of doing or getting one I wouldn't want coaching my son or daughter.

While I understand the need to protect our children I have to ask how many clubs/parents allow solitary contact between a coach and a child? I wouldn't allow my child to be alone with someone I didn't fully trust. This is being sold to us as a means of controlling rising insurance costs and not because we have a problem. So, first I would want to see the figures on how much insurance has increased over the last few years. Call me mister skeptical but I get real inquisitive when someone asks me to give up my right to privacy as would be the case here. I don't want every guy and his brother knowing my social security with the possibility of identity theft today.
Also, what past crimes would justify booting someone, DUI, drug offense, petty theft, etc.? If we are only talking sex crimes as being a reason for denying someone a coaches card then I believe that information is free on the net.
I believe there are many questions to be asked and answered before we give a thumbs up to background checks.

Being married to law enforcement background I too, believe it is way more affordable! We do not want to cripple the small and even larger Kansas clubs by having to pay this fee. I think we could find middle ground with a one time set-up fee. We have GOT to keep in mind that these clubs are primarily VOLUNTEER based. I believe in the background check but, let's make it reasonable to all clubs! If we make it unaffordable then we will be affecting 'in the end' the KIDS!

Response to sportsfan02,

Have you heard the saying "preventitive maintainace is better than damage control".

What you have to realize is that our sport is contact sport where coaches have to touch their athletes. If we were swimming coaches we can go a entire season and never touch a child. If we were'nt in the wrestling community and didnt know anything about wrestling and walked into a wrestlingroom, some of the positions that coaches are in with the kids while showing technique can be deemed as inappropiate. Which leads into my next point, your child doesnt have to be alone with someone to be touched inappropiately. Plain and simple.

If someone has violent history, criminal history, sex offender history we "NEED" to know about it.

When you were hired for your employment they did a background check. So why is this any different?

You mentioned free info on the net(lol) You get what you pay for. That info is not always up to date. Some FREE data bases are only updated yearly. I am HR Manager for a Big 5 Accounting company and know this for fact.

I still think it is a great idea and should have been implemented years ago. This will protect our sport in the wake of the growth of womans wrestling.


Solid Wrestler and Solid Parent

To Hoose,

$125 one time in 4 monthly installments could "cripple" a club?

I think this is very reasonable considering that we are getting National Criminal search, National Sex offender registation search, and SSN verification and trace for $15.

To everyone that has posted I want to say this is excellant topic and I appreciate everyone's input.

This is something that needs to be addressed and it seems as if USA Wrestling has taken the first step to help safegaurd our children which are the # 1 prioriity.

It also great to be able to speak as Adults on such a "taboo" subject. Just wanted to say thanks and this is fun.

Solid Wrestler