Coaching
Coaching Registration for 2021 NOW OPEN!
Volunteer coaches are the life blood of our organization. Without them, we couldn't do what we do. The executive board will chose head coaches from the pool of applicants. Please note, all head coaches are required to be voting members of the club, meaning they have attended 4 of the previous 12 monthly meetings prior to the start of the season. Our meetings are held the first Monday of each month at 7:00 pm at Paradise By The Slice.
Clearances
Recent changes to Pennsylvania law regarding background checks for volunteers went into effect July 1, 2015. These background checks are required for adults and are conducted to determine if a volunteer or employee has been convicted of any serious felonies or sex crimes, or has been identified as a perpetrator in a substantiated case of child abuse. 23 Pa.C.S. § 6344(c)(2). Also, any convictions of a drug offense within the past five years will also disqualify an individual from serving as a volunteer who works with children. 23 Pa.C.S. § 6344(c)(3).
Effective immediately, all volunteers who have direct contact with children must have the following documents on file with CWLSFA.
Report of criminal history from the Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History (PATCH)
- Apply online at: PATCH Main Page
- Click link above to go to website. Under main banner, mouse over RECORD CHECK and click on NEW RECORD CHECK. Accept the Terms & Conditions, then complete the rest of the form online.
- Apply via paper using: http://www.dhs.state.pa.us/cs/
groups/webcontent/documents/ form/s_001769.pdf
- Child Abuse History Clearance from the Department of Human Services
- Apply online at: https://www.compass.state.pa.
us/cwis/public/home - Apply via paper using: http://www.dhs.state.pa.us/cs/
groups/webcontent/documents/ form/s_001762.pdf
- FBI Background Check (for anyone who has NOT been a PA resident for the last 10 years)
- For those that have NOT been residents in the state of PA for longer than 10 years,
- a fingerprint based Federal criminal history (FBI) submitted through the Pennsylvania State Police or its authorized agent Background check must be done in person at fingerprinting sites
- Find sites here: https://www.pa.cogentid.com/
index_dpw.htm - Cost is $27.50
- Find sites here: https://www.pa.cogentid.com/
- a fingerprint based Federal criminal history (FBI) submitted through the Pennsylvania State Police or its authorized agent Background check must be done in person at fingerprinting sites
Beginning August 25, 2015, all volunteers will be required to obtain certifications every 60 months. If an individual or agency, however, elects to renew all certifications at the same time, the date of the oldest certification, rather than the most recent, is the date to be used for the renewal date.
While the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania only requires certifications to be obtained every 60 months, the CWLSFA has chosen to require updated Criminal History and Child Abuse Clearances prior to EVERY football season for all coaches. The state will only provide a free Child Abuse Clearance every 57 months. An updated clearance prior to 57 months will cost $8 per clearance. We feel this is a small price to pay to ensure the safety of the youth of our program, and if you desire a refund of the $8 charge, we will gladly provide you with one. Please print and provide the receipt provided by the website.
Unless CWLSFA has all three of these documents on file, we cannot allow volunteers to interact with our players. Knowingly allowing such contact is a class 3 misdemeanor, so we cannot make exceptions even if the clearance has been applied for and is on its way. Volunteer coaches should act now to obtain all of these clearances to have them back as soon as possible.
- Within 36 months of the date of the most recent certification;
- By July 1, 2016 if their clearance is older than 36 months; or
- By July 1, 2016, if they have not received a clearance because they previously were not required to obtain clearances.
- The Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check costs FREE.
- The Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance costs FREE
- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Criminal Background Check costs $27.50 through the Department of Human Services.
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If you'd like to dive into the OFFICIAL explanation from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services you can at the link below:
http://www.dhs.pa.gov/publications/findaform/childabusehistoryclearanceforms/index.htm#.Vw66VDArKM-