EYFL Coaches Mandatory Background Screening
The Elkhart Youth Football League requires a background screening policy for all coaches. The background check is thorough and confidential. The background check will be paid by the league.
The background check must be renewed annually.
All coaches must submit a background check application by August 1, 2023.
EYFL Coach Screening / Background Check
Purpose
It is the intent of this policy to establish certain guidelines wherein the Elkhart Youth Football League (“EYFL”) can seek to protect children registered in the EYFL by investigating the background of volunteers who will be coaching our players.
I. Statement
Criminal background screening on coaches is conducted by an outside third party which specializes in such work, and overseen (in specific instances) by a screening committee, a subset of the Elkhart Youth Football League (“EYFL”) Board of Directors (“Board”). This is executed in an effort to protect the children who participate in organized football and related activities associated with the EYFL.
II. Definitions
EYFL recognizes a coach as any person who leads and instructs players at practices and/or games - or portions of practices and/or games.
The criminal background screening is mandatory, there are no exceptions.
III. Procedure
All candidates for the above mentioned positions must sign a online Release Form for Criminal History which gives the EYFL the right to check criminal history records and verify social security numbers. This work is executed directly, through www.protectyouthsports.com, and a secure URL (link below) at which coaches can execute their EYFL background check. No other personal information (e.g. work history, financial, credit, etc.) is checked or researched. The company executing background checks has agreed to such terms contractually, and confirms such direction annually. The company never forwards any individual's information to the league where no issues are discovered.
In the event information surfaces via the background check, a screening committee, with members consisting of the EYFL board will review such background check information to determine coaching eligibility. Only members of the screening committee will review data obtained, which will then be processed discreetly. All information is strictly confidential and will not be made public under any circumstances.
In some instances, factors of time may be taken into account when considering coaching eligibility (i.e. length of time since disposition of certain offenses).
The decision of the screening committee may be appealed, for the purpose of clarifying facts or explaining extenuating circumstances, to the screening committee. All criminal history record information will be promptly destroyed at the end of the current EYFL season. All coaches are required to notify the committee immediately following an arrest or conviction on any type. Any coach, who while coaching for EYFL is arrested, will immediately forfeit his/her coaching eligibility until disposition by the courts. A conviction of an offense will result in termination of coaching eligibility as stated in the above policy.