SHRSL Mandatory Background Screening
Southwest Houston Recreational Swim League has implemented a mandatory background screening policy for all SHSRL coaches* and volunteers** within the league. The background check is thorough, confidential, and is paid for by the league.
Background Screenings are required EVERY THREE (3) YEARS for volunteers (excluding timers, awards area, score keepers, stroke judges and concession personnel) that have DIRECT CONTACT WITH SWIMMERS.
Background Screenings are required YEARLY for coaches (18 & Above, whether paid or unpaid).
SHRSL Coach & Volunteer* Screening / Background Check
Purpose
It is the intent of this policy to establish certain guidelines wherein the Southwest Houston Recreational Swim League (“SHRSL”) can seek to protect children registered in the SHRSL’s leagues and teams by investigating the background of coaches and volunteers* who will be working within sanctioned athletic programs.
I. Statement
Criminal background screening on coaches* and volunteers** is conducted by an outside third party which specializes in such work, and overseen (in specific instances) by a screening committee, a subset of the Southwest Houston Recreational Swim League (“SHRSL”) Board of Directors (“Board”). This is executed in an effort to protect the children who participate in organized swimming and related activities associated with SHRSL.
II. Definitions*
SHRSL recognizes a coach or volunteer as any person who leads, instructs, manages, or has direct contact with swimmers, must be screened. Individual teams will specify which volunteers need to be screened.
Contact with swimmers should be considered, but not limited to:
- Practices
- Meets
- Portions of practices and/or meets
- League/team associated activities.
COACHES*: All coaches, paid/non-paid and eighteen (18) and above must submit a background check application by April 30 of the current season. All teams, which typically begin team activities during the month of May, must have their coaches submit their background check applications earlier if beginning workouts during the month of April. All teams shall submit a complete list of coaches (paid/non-paid with birthdates) prior to the start of the season. Email [email protected] with questions or for more information.
VOLUNTEERS**: All team-level boards of directors and parent volunteers that have direct contact with swimmers must be screened EXCLUDING timers, awards area, score keepers, stroke judges, and concession personnel). All teams shall submit a complete board of directors list, with titles, prior to the start of practices. Email [email protected] with questions or for more information.
Criminal background screening, as defined above, is mandatory, there are no exceptions.
III. Procedure
All candidates required to submit for a background check must sign a Release Form for Criminal History which gives SHRSL the right to check criminal history records and verify social security numbers. This work is executed directly through ProtectYouthSports, a third-party vendor offering a secure connection for the execution of the required SHRSL background check. > LINK to BACKGROUND CHECK
No other personal information (e.g. work history, financial, credit, etc.) is checked or researched. The company executing background checks has agreed to such terms contractually, every year.
The company never forwards any individual’s information to the league where no issues are discovered.
In the event a background screening is denied and/or information is flagged by Protect Youth Sports, a screening committee with members consisting of the SHRSL President, SHRSL Vice President, and Board Secretary will review the applicable information to determine participation eligibility. Only members of the screening committee will discreetly review data obtained from PYS. All information is strictly confidential and will not be made public under any circumstances.
Reasons for being declined the opportunity to coach or volunteer are noted below as part of this policy. In some instances, factors of time may be taken into account when considering eligibility (i.e. length of time since the disposition of certain offenses).
The decision of the screening committee may be appealed, for the purpose of clarifying facts or explaining extenuating circumstances, to the SHRSL Board of Directors.
All criminal history record information will be promptly destroyed at the end of the current SHRSL season.
All coaches and volunteers are required to notify the committee immediately following an arrest or conviction on any of the listed offenses. Any coach or volunteer, who while participating within SHRSL activities is arrested for committing an offense as listed, will immediately forfeit his/her participation eligibility until disposition by the courts. A conviction of an offense as listed will result in termination of coaching eligibility as stated in the policy.
The following is a list of offenses prohibiting an applicant from participation as a coach or volunteer under SHRSL — offenses including but not limited to the following:
– Arson
– Assault (including aggravated and sexual)
– Aggravated Kidnapping
– Aggravated Robbery
– Crimes against Children (including abandonment, abuse, endangerment, pornography, possession or promotion of pornography, enticement, solicitation, sale or purchase of, injury to, or indecency)
– Criminally Negligent Homicide
– Deadly Conduct
– Delivery of Marijuana
– Manufacture of or Delivery of a controlled substance or dangerous drug
– Any violation of a law intended to control the possession or distribution of any controlled substance or illegal drug
– Indecent Exposure
– Injury to Elderly or Disabled
– Intoxication Manslaughter
– Kidnapping
– Manslaughter (voluntary or involuntary)
– Murder
– Prohibited Sexual Conduct
– Prostitution (including promotion of, aggravated promotion of)
– Public Lewdness
– Rape
– Sexual Abuse
– Marijuana Possession*
– Driving While Intoxicated/Impaired (DWI) / Driving Under the Influence (DUI)*
– Theft**
*If a first offense and not currently under probation — eligible, but cannot drive any child other than his/her own. More than one violation has occurred or currently on probation — ineligible.
**Eligibility dependent upon the severity and length of time since offense occurred.
Annual Coaches Background Check Application
All Southwest Houston Recreational Swim League (“SHRSL”) volunteers and coaches are required to go through a mandatory background check annually as a condition of being able to participate with SHRSL activities, including those of the league and all teams involved. Beginning with the 2014 season, this is a league paid expense. The application system is secure, instant and easy to use. The background check will cover volunteers* and coaches for the full SHRSL season, but must be renewed annually.