Volunteers – Background Checks & Training

Thanks for looking into helping with Sierra Mountain Little League!

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

Volunteer Checklist

  1. Sign up as a Volunteer in Sports Connect
  2. Fill out the JDP background check that will be emailed to you
  3. Take the SafeSport abuse awareness training or document a current one from another sport
  4. Upload your SafeSport cert to your Volunteer page in Sports Connect.

Coach Checklist

  1. Sign up as a Head or Assistant Coach in Sports Connect
  2. Fill out the JDP background check that will be emailed to you
  3. Take the SafeSport abuse awareness training or document a current one from another sport
  4. Take the HEADS UP concussion training
  5. Take Sudden Cardiac Awareness (SCA) training (good for 2 years)
  6. Upload all 3 certs or screenshots to the Volunteer page in Sports Connect.
  7. Print and sign the CDC concussion information sheet for coaches
  8. Print and sign the sudden cardiac arrest information sheet for coaches.
  9. Return both signed documents to the league’s safety officer.

Requirement Details

Sign Up: 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.

Background Check: JDP

Any volunteer who provides “regular service to the league or repetitive access to children” must go through the background check process.

This includes helping with hitting and catching during practice, coaching a base or being in the dugout during games, even working in the snack bar or being a team parent. Please see Little League’s Background Checks for Little League® Volunteers for more info.

In order to be in compliance with California’s Business & Professions Code § 18900, Sierra Mountain Little League submits all volunteers to a background check and provides them with SafeSport-approved abuse training annually. This is required of all volunteers, regardless of whether an individual is new to the program or returning.

A background check is performed at the beginning of each season, with enhanced screening at J.D. Palatine (JDP). This includes:

the JDP National Criminal Search, plus Developed names, and collects data from more than 685 million criminal records, sex offender registries in 50 states, OFAC, FBI Terrorist List, Proprietary Offender Data, Department of Public Safety, Administrative Office of the Courts, Department of Corrections, Federal/State/Local wanted fugitive lists, as well as searches of the SafeSport Centralized Disciplinary Database and Little League International Ineligible/Suspended List.

More information about JD Palatine’s youth sports products can be viewed at the following locations:

Abuse Awareness: SafeSport

As of 2024, Little League International requires annual abuse awareness training. Sierra Mountain Little League offers SafeSport-compliant training through Little League’s Base Abuse Awareness program.

To meet California’s requirements, complete USA Baseball’s Abuse Awareness for Adults course. More info is available at USA Baseball’s Baseball Athlete Safety Education page.

If you need to register for a new account, note that “Sierra Mountain Little League” is not listed under “Little League - Local Leagues”. Select “** Little League”, then click “+ Join” instead.

If you’ve already completed a SafeSport Abuse Awareness training program for another sport or league and your certificate is still current, you can use it for Little League, too. For example, US Soccer’s SafeSport program is adequate for our needs. Just upload the certificate to your Sports Connect volunteer page.

Health Training

Concussion

HEADS UP concussion training is training required by California law for any coach working in a youth sport.

Cardiac Arrest

Sudden Cardiac Arrest training training is required by California law for coaches in educational sports programs.

The training is good for 2 years (Cal Ed Code § 33479.6).

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

Other Coaching Courses

Please see the other coaching courses. First aid and fundamental baseball training are Little League requirements.

If you’re interested in more, take a look at Little League’s Diamond Leader Training.

Fingerprinting: Live Scans

A Live Scan must be done specifically for SMLL by each coach or other “regular volunteer”. It does not need to be done annually.

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 primarily includes coaches and team parents.

A Live Scan for another organization cannot be used by SMLL.