Protect Youth Sports with Background Checks

Hire gradeschool sport staff that make parents and kids feel safe

Children that play sports from a young age experience many benefits, such as a lower dropout rate, fewer disciplinary referrals, and a higher GPA. However, enrolling your children in the local baseball or soccer league can also expose them to bad influences or even dangerous criminals if the proper checks are not conducted.

Background checks for children-centric athletic employees should focus on verifying that a potential staff member does not have a criminal record that may place children in an unsafe environment. Before a coach or staff member is allowed to work with the team, a multi-state sex offender search can help ensure that children will be safe in the care of coaches and staff.

Pick high school coaches who will be a good influence on teens

Once children grow into teenagers, sports can become far more important in their lives and to the community. High school football teams in particular can draw a lot of focus and place a local spotlight on the players and staff.

These four years are also when talented members of a team begin to stand out and earn the attention of college scouts. With athletic scholarships or even professional careers on the line, the coaches now have a clear influence on a teenager’s future.

In order to ensure consistency in the training, performance, and ethics of a team, an institution often looks for a coach who can be employed for several consecutive years. Long-term coaches can facilitate an athletic program that is both consistent across many graduating classes and a stable environment for maturing teenagers.

In finding the right athletic coach, you can benefit from running criminal background screenings, employment verifications, and references checks. This will ensure that your coaches have the experience needed to coach a team as well as a clean history and the right demeanor to work with young people.

Know if your college sport staff meets strict league requirements

College sports are commonly seen as the final test for an athlete before he or she begins a professional career. There is often an impressive amount of money involved with the scholarships that may pay for an athlete’s entire schooling, so it makes sense why the NCAA has so many rules in place.

Because of this rigid system of regulations, it is crucial that coaches and staff who work with college teams meet certain criteria. The strict mandates the NCAA has set in the areas of finance and recruiting require particular investigation into your candidate beyond the usual criminal history and references check.

A credit check will give you a view into the potential hire’s previous financial decisions and can help determine if he or she can be trusted with the higher salary. It can also help you mitigate potential risks that may surface during a coach’s career, such as bribing students to play for a certain team or engaging with agents outside of the appropriate framework.

Get the whole story on pro candidates

At this level of competition, coaches and players alike can reach celebrity status. Fans are incredibly passionate and scandals garner national attention, forcing leagues to create certain requirements for all positions on and off the field. The popularity of franchise sport necessitates some level of background check for all staff, whether running back or stadium vendor.

Generally, higher paychecks demand more reassurance that a person can do the job. Background checks can range from simple criminal and driving records searches for potential vendors and entry-level team staff, to intensive professional and personal checks for the athletes and coaches in the spotlight.

Why Choose InfoMart?

Choosing a background screening company can be a difficult process, particularly if your business already has an established HR system in place. InfoMart easily integrates with your current software, providing you with an impartial third-party check you can access within your existing technology.

Regardless of the level of athletic competition you represent, InfoMart has the experience to ensure that your screening process is thorough and appropriate for each position. From vendors to coaches to players, you can rest assured that you will Get the Whole Story on your candidates and find the best employees to contribute to your season.

For more information on what all goes into a pre-employment background check, see our blog, “What is pre-employment screening?”