Volunteers – Background Checks & Training

Thanks for looking into helping with SMLL!

We have a handful of requirements for everyone who spends time with our players. These are mandated by the state or the federal government.

Volunteer Checklist

  1. Sign up as a Volunteer in Sports Connect
  2. Register or sign in to a free NFHS Learn Account
  3. Take the free CDSS Mandated Reporter Training course for volunteers.
  4. Submit a Live Scan fingerprinting application1

Coach Checklist

  1. Sign up as a Head or Assistant Coach in Sports Connect
  2. Register or sign in to a free NFHS Learn Account

  3. Take your courses2:

    Once     Annual  
    Live Scan Concussions Sudden Cardiac Arrest Abuse Awareness Mandated Reporter
  4. Review (if you didn’t during signup)3:

Requirement Details

Sign Up

Volunteer in Sports Connect

See the Volunteer section in Sports Connect and sign up for a position there.

That page has a place to upload your ID and some other clearances, like a certificate from SafeSport and a few others. When you have those done, you’ll need to return to the Volunteer page to upload those files or images so we can check them.

Sign Up for NFHS Learn

NFHS is the easiest place to take free courses that will keep all of us in compliance with California & Federal law.

You can register for an NFHS Learn Account to take your abuse awareness, concussion, and sudden cardiac arrest training. Those are suitable for coaches across our age divisions, from tee ball through high school.

Courses

Abuse Awareness

The federal Safe Sport Act and California AB 506 require abuse prevention training. To statisfy those, you can take these courses:

If you’ve already completed an AB 506-compliant abuse awareness training program for another sport or league and your certificate is still current, you can use it for MY Club, too. For example, US Soccer’s SafeSport program is adequate for our needs. Just upload the certificate to your Sports Connect volunteer page.

For more info, see the California Dept of Social Services page on Mandated Reporter Training

Cardiac Arrest

Sudden Cardiac Arrest training training is required by California law for coaches in educational sports programs. To satisfy this, you can take this free course:

NFHS Learn: Sudden Cardiac Arrest Training

According to AB 379 § 2.124235.a.5.A, coaches and other administrators need to take the course “at least once”, and we need to offer it annually.

Coaches of youth sports programs are encouraged to follow the guidelines of the The Eric Paredes Sudden Cardiac Prevention Act Dept of Ed Article 13 § 33479.8

Concussion

HEADS UP concussion training is required by California law for any coach working in a youth sport. To satisfy this, you can take this free course:

NFHS Learn: Concussion Training

According to AB 2007, coaches need to take the course “at least once”. After you’ve done this, you don’t need to repeat it, but it is good info to keep fresh.

Fingerprinting: Live Scans

A Live Scan1 must be done specifically for MY Club by each coach or other “regular volunteer”. Thankfully, you only need to do it once, It does not need to be done annually. rather than annually like the rest of the certs. Unfortunately, though, a Live Scan for another organization can’t be used for MY Club.

  1. Fill out the MY Club Live Scan form. Use your full legal name, as found on your driver’s license or California ID.
  2. Make an appointment with the Oakhurst Sheriff’s office to submit your form. (Very important!)
  3. Bring the 1st page of your form and a current, valid photo ID to your appointment. You will be fingerprinted and your identity will be verified when they complete your form and submit it.
  4. Submission $10-25 for coaches, but only at the Oakhurst Sheriff’s office. Let them know you’re coming from SMLL and they may give you a better rate.

Who needs to submit a Live Scan? From California Assembly Bill No. 506:

“Regular volunteer” means a volunteer with the youth service organization who is 18 years of age or older and who has direct contact with, or supervision of, children for more than 16 hours per month or 32 hours per year.

For us, this includes coaches and assistant coaches – anybody who will regularly help at practices or be on the field during games.

A Live Scan for another organization cannot be used by MY Club.

Alternate Courses

If you’ve taken courses elsewhere and they haven’t expired, use those certificates!

Learn More

If you’d like to learn more, skills and health training is covered at Little League’s Incorporating Effective Local Training Can Prep Volunteers for a Safer, More Successful Season.

Little League’s Diamond Leader Training program is also widely respected.

Footnotes

  1. California’s Business & Professions Code § 18900 Compliance Notice: “SMLL submits all volunteers to fingerprinting and a background check and provides them with CA AB 506-compliant abuse training annually. This is required of all volunteers, regardless of whether an individual is new to the program or returning.” ↩ ↩2

  2. AB 379 § 2.124235.a.5.A: “Each coach, administrator, and referee, umpire, or other game official of the youth sports organization shall be required to successfully complete the concussion and head injury and sudden cardiac arrest prevention education offered pursuant to paragraph (4) at least once, either online or in person, before supervising an athlete in an activity of the youth sports organization.” ↩

  3. AB 379 § 2.124235.a.4: “On a yearly basis, the youth sports organization shall offer concussion and head injury and sudden cardiac arrest prevention education, or related educational materials, or both, to each coach, administrator, and referee, umpire, or other game official of the youth sports organization.” ↩