USA Softball revised requirements for tournaments

[Megobee]

We’re hosting our annual tournament in July, and i received word that i need to share with the teams who have signed up.
- must have completed USA Softball background check
- must complete Safe Sport online training
- coaches on field or in dugouts must wear the above credentials on a lanyard.

anyone else have this requirement ? Any problems? Any Coaches take exceptionto this requirement?

I’ve heard some grumbling, but i think its a good thing. The predators are always people you would never expect.

 

[Strike2]

The background check for anyone in the dugout has been a longstanding requirement with USA Softball.

The Safe Sport training became a requirement, I believe, last year. I know I've done two rounds of this.

The lanyard thing has always been a technical requirement, but I don't often see it enforced. At a minimum, the card should be available upon request.

There's really nothing to take exception about. Yes, there are some hoops to jump through, but the requirements are well advertised.

 

[Gambler Bob]

The Safe Sport Training is something I have not heard of before.

Background check is very common, and I see quite a few ASA tournaments require ACE Certification in this area. That being said I have never seen anyone from ASA ever check for any of those requirements. Maybe ASA checks at their national tournaments but as far as local stuff goes nothing is ever checked. ASA is dying more and more each year in the Chicago area.

 

[grmerrill]

Isn't the safe sport the sexual abuse training? It's been like this for a long time.

 

[Lemond]

SafeSport is overall youth protection from all forms of abuse.

USA Central Cal has had the requirement for 3 years now. I suspect that USA let the regions roll it out when they wanted as long as by this year. They have also upped the game from requiring a smattering of adults to take the course, to all Board members and umpires and every adult that will be on the field regularly.

California state law is pushing a lot of it here, and I suspect (and hope) that eventually there will be a national training registration system. I take the training three times a year for various sports and Scouts. Would be nice to be able to do it once.

 

[Megobee]

Thanks for the feedback. I heard from some coaches ‘what is this? We never had to do this before??” they were bent out of shape because in the course of the year they had done other background checks and now here was another. Ibasically just wanted to confirm that it is implemented nationally, so i dont hear coaches bitching when they show up for the tournament without background check credentials.

 

[Rick M]

Babe Ruth Softball implemented the Abuse Prevention certification for all coaches bringing teams to the State, Regional, and National tournaments last year. I think it's pretty similar to Safe Sport.

 

[Pigskinguru34]

ASA is dying more and more each year in the Chicago area.

Yes it is, but PGF under Dave Betcher is sooooo much better and if you can get your team into his tournaments and compete no need to play in the poorly run and umpired ASA/USA tournaments

 

[BradyC87]

We’re hosting our annual tournament in July, and i received word that i need to share with the teams who have signed up.
- must have completed USA Softball background check
- must complete Safe Sport online training
- coaches on field or in dugouts must wear the above credentials on a lanyard.

anyone else have this requirement ? Any problems? Any Coaches take exceptionto this requirement?

I’ve heard some grumbling, but i think its a good thing. The predators are always people you would never expect.

If they have a problem with it they shouldn't be coaching.

The lanyard part we only encountered at USA Softball Northern Nationals, no other tournaments required this. It may have been written in the rules somewhere but nobody followed it and there was no enforcement.

 

[Gambler Bob]

Thanks for the feedback. I heard from some coaches ‘what is this? We never had to do this before??” they were bent out of shape because in the course of the year they had done other background checks and now here was another. Ibasically just wanted to confirm that it is implemented nationally, so i dont hear coaches bitching when they show up for the tournament without background check credentials.

My only complaint about the background checks is that USSSA wants to do their own background check. ASA/USA wants to do their own background check, etc. One background check should be fine for all associations.

Then you have ASA charging you $25 for level 1 Ace Certicification, $20 for level 2, and $20 for level 3, and now they added a level 4. At some point, the amount of paperwork to coach youth sports becomes quite the pain in the rear.