Parents need to be aware of what checks are done on coaches, volunteers

Editorial by Wilmington Star-News, August 22, 2013.

Local governments, schools and recreation leagues need to be particularly careful about who is allowed to coach or otherwise mentor children and teenagers. These young people need authority figures who not only teach skills and good sportsmanship but who are good role models. And protecting our young people should be the No. 1 priority.

Brunswick County officials were prompted to review their rules on misdemeanor convictions by a lawsuit involving two youth football coaches and allegations that they ordered an illegal hit against an opposing player.

The suit accuses the county of negligence because the pair have previous convictions in the past 10 years – one for driving while impaired, the other on two recent counts of driving with a revoked license. The plaintiff, whose son was the player hit during the game, says both should have been banned from coaching for longer than they were under the current policy.

The details of the case that sparked the lawsuit will be hashed out in court, and all sides will get a chance to tell their side of the story. But county officials have an obligation to set policies that prevent people convicted of more than minor driving infractions from working with children until they have had sufficient time to demonstrate that they can be trusted as role models.

Many leagues have strict rules aimed at keeping people with criminal convictions from supervising young athletes, and local governments that sponsor youth programs would be wise to update their policies on a regular basis. In Brunswick County's case, a one-year ban that currently applies to DWIs and serious driving violations seems rather lenient.

Such offenses are disconcerting if there is any chance a coach or volunteer may transport minors. Of even greater concern, given that many programs don't involve transportation other than by parents or family friends, are those whose background checks reveal a propensity for violence – domestic violence, disorderly conduct and the like.

In Wilmington and New Hanover County, many of the youth programs are supervised by independent organizations, such as the YMCA, the Cape Fear Soccer Association and the Pop Warner football league.

Each organization has its own set of rules, often governed by a national association, but the vast majority do some sort of criminal background check and bar people who have been convicted of felonies and certain misdemeanors, such as drug possession, from volunteering for a certain period of time.

Parents who are thinking about enrolling their children in a recreation or other community youth program should make it a point to ask about specific policies regarding coaches and volunteers.

Brunswick County will be defending a lawsuit claiming in part that its policies weren't tough enough. But parents are the best judge of which programs have adequate safety measures, as well as which ones are the best fit for their offspring. Don't be afraid to ask questions and request more information – you're not being a bother, you are being a responsible parent.