Sex offenders in youth sports

[SoccerDad]

I ran into an issue recently that still bothers me. On a local youth sports team (8 year old girls), one of the girls dads is a registered sex offender. He is listed in the state registry and you can pull up his photo online. Apparently this guy(and his daughter) were kicked out of their old club after the parents found out about his past and took a vote. However the new club where his daughter plays doesn't seem to care about his past history. The sex offender dad claims that it was simply a case of him being in his early 20's and a 16 year old girl lied about her age and had told him that she was 18. While the ages might be true, the thing that really bothers me is that he is listed as a medium level sex offender (not a low level sex offender). This makes me think that there is a lot more to the story and obviously anyone with that type of record is going to downplay it.
Another thing that really bothers me is that the club knows that he is a registered sex offender but they do not tell new families that they have this guy hanging around. This dad is at every single practice and game and often sits around and watches other teams play. There are many teams within the organization that all practice at the same complex during the same time and many of the parents just do not realize that there is a registered sex offender around. To top it off, this guy is a world class jackass, who will cuss and yell at his kid during her game. His DD is also known as having a bad attitude. However, his daughter is a great player so the club seems to turn a blind eye to the whole thing. The coach of the team is known as a "win at all costs" kind of guy.

So, question #1 - Does a club have a duty of letting their parents know that a registered sex offender is around their kids. If they don't inform the other parents, could the club be liable is something bad happens?
Question #2 - Is it possible to be listed as a medium level sex offender if it was just a simple case of a girl lying about her age. (as he claims) I'm not sure if sex offenders are listed the same around the country, we are in Texas.

Have any of you guys had a similiar experience? How was it handled?

For the record, my DD never played on the same team, but my DD was in the same club. Some of my DD's friends are on the same team.

 

[SoftSocDad]

I ran into an issue recently that still bothers me. On a local youth sports team (8 year old girls), one of the girls dads is a registered sex offender. He is listed in the state registry and you can pull up his photo online. Apparently this guy(and his daughter) were kicked out of their old club after the parents found out about his past and took a vote. However the new club where his daughter plays doesn't seem to care about his past history. The sex offender dad claims that it was simply a case of him being in his early 20's and a 16 year old girl lied about her age and had told him that she was 18. While the ages might be true, the thing that really bothers me is that he is listed as a medium level sex offender (not a low level sex offender). This makes me think that there is a lot more to the story and obviously anyone with that type of record is going to downplay it.
Another thing that really bothers me is that the club knows that he is a registered sex offender but they do not tell new families that they have this guy hanging around. This dad is at every single practice and game and often sits around and watches other teams play. There are many teams within the organization that all practice at the same complex during the same time and many of the parents just do not realize that there is a registered sex offender around. To top it off, this guy is a world class jackass, who will cuss and yell at his kid during her game. His DD is also known as having a bad attitude. However, his daughter is a great player so the club seems to turn a blind eye to the whole thing. The coach of the team is known as a "win at all costs" kind of guy.

So, question #1 - Does a club have a duty of letting their parents know that a registered sex offender is around their kids. If they don't inform the other parents, could the club be liable is something bad happens?
Question #2 - Is it possible to be listed as a medium level sex offender if it was just a simple case of a girl lying about her age. (as he claims) I'm not sure if sex offenders are listed the same around the country, we are in Texas.

Have any of you guys had a similiar experience? How was it handled?

For the record, my DD never played on the same team, but my DD was in the same club. Some of my DD's friends are on the same team.

If a guy in his 20s has relations with a teenage girl who is not yet the age of majority in that state, then he's committed statutory rape, regardless of what she consented to or what she said her age was. I am only speculating, but that charge is significant enough to warrant the higher warning label, as it were. I don't have any direct knowledge about the labeling system in your state.

The sex offender registry is confusing to many people. It's a tool for law enforcement, but parents should arm themselves with information. However, you're not going to be liable for failing to use the information there to potentially deprive someone of their pursuit of happiness.....or their civil rights.

 

[rdbass]

National Sex Offender Registry - Family Watchdog Lets you know who lives around you.

 

[GTRH8R]

I would have a coronary if a club had a chomo as a coach and didn't tell me ahead of time. That is a lawsuit in waiting and a kid's life ruined if something were to happen.

 

[CoogansBluff]

I would have a coronary if a club had a chomo as a coach and didn't tell me ahead of time. That is a lawsuit in waiting and a kid's life ruined if something were to happen.

He's not a coach. He's the parent of an 8-year-old player in the league. Sounds like the OP's question is whether the league should allow him to come to games or notify parents of his history.

 

[Coach JV]

Thus the reason background checks should be mandatory at every level.

 

[sluggers]

CoachJV: You want to run background checks on the parents?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I do not know about the different levels of offenders. I would ask if he can even be around children? I have read where you can't put out fliers, etc. informing people about a RSO, because they are allowed their own privacy.

 

[ElmoBlatch]

I think it's horrible that the old club kicked out the daughter because of what her father did. I hope that you are not considering doing the same.

Ban him from coaching and having contact with the kids if you want but don't take it out on the daughter.

 

[Lozza]

It's a hard one. He of course should never have any contact with the team in any way. He is fine as a parent watching his child but nothing more.

We have a card here that is called Working with Children Card. All people who are volunteers for more than two practiss have to have it. (though my state does not require parent volunteers to have it and there was a case where a parent volunteer was a convicted sex offender who has interfered with young boys)