Member: CWCA - a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization - TAX ID# 23-2596031

Coaching

Coaching Registration for 2020 NOW OPEN!

Coaching Registration

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.

 

 


  • 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

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. 

 
The following FAQ should help you with questions you might have about the requirements of the new law. Please let us know if you have any concerns that are not answered by this and we will address them as best we can. 
 
Frequently Asked Questions About the New Requirements
Who needs clearances?
Beginning July 1, 2015, an adult applying for an unpaid position as a volunteer
responsible for the welfare of a child or having direct contact with children.
 
What is the definition of child?
For purposes of clearances, a child is an individual under 18 years of age.
 
How is direct contact with children defined?
Direct contact with children is defined in § 6303 (relating to definitions) as the care,
guidance, supervision or control of children or routine interaction with children. 
 
When are clearances needed?
Beginning July 1, 2015 prospective volunteers must submit clearances prior to the
commencement of service.
 
What is the renewal requirement for clearances?
Beginning July 1, 2015 all volunteers will be required to obtain clearances every 36
months.
Volunteers are required to obtain updated clearances as follows:
  • 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.
Is the use of a third-party vendor to process my clearances acceptable?
Third-party vendors may be used to process your Child Abuse, PSP and FBI clearances using the steps established above. They are not permitted to conduct background checks or clearances through other databases in lieu of the steps outlined above. 
 
How much do the clearances cost?
  • 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.
Beginning December 31, 2014, volunteers are no longer required to submit a copy
of their PSP or FBI clearances with their child abuse application. If the Department
receives copies attached to the child abuse application we will not return those
copies and they will be shredded due to the confidential nature of the information
contained on the clearances. 
 
Are there any other requirements regarding clearances?
If an volunteer is arrested for or convicted of an offense that would constitute
grounds for denying participation in a program, activity or service, or is named as a
perpetrator in a founded or indicated report, the volunteer must provide the
administrator or their designee with written notice not later than 72 hours after the
arrest, conviction or notification that the person has been listed as a perpetrator in
the Statewide database.
A volunteer who willfully fails to disclose information as required above commits a
misdemeanor of the third degree and shall be subject to discipline up to and
including termination or denial of a volunteer position.
 
Is the person responsible for acceptance of volunteers required to keep a
copy of my clearances?
Yes, pursuant to § 6344 (b.1), the employer, administrator, supervisor or other
person responsible for employment decisions or acceptance of the individual to
serve in any capacity requiring clearances, shall maintain a copy of the required 
information and require the individual to produce the original document prior to
employment or acceptance to serve in any such capacity, except provisional
employees for limited periods as described in § 6344.2 (f) and outlined above. An
employer, administrator, supervisor or other person responsible for selection of
volunteers that intentionally fails to require an applicant to submit the required
clearance before the applicant’s hiring commits a misdemeanor of the third degree.
 
Can my clearances be transferred?
Yes, any person who obtained their clearances may serve in a volunteer capacity
for any program, activity or service during the length of time the person’s
certification is current. 
 
As a volunteer, do I obtain my Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal
History check through the Department of Education or the Department of
Human Services?
The agency under which an applicant should submit their FBI clearance application
is based on the agency or organization for which they intend to volunteer. If the
applicant intends to volunteer in a school or at a school related function, they would
apply for their FBI clearance through the Department of Education. If the applicant
intends to volunteer with children in any other capacity outside of a school setting
or function, such as a group home for children, in a church, as a Little League or
soccer coach, etc, they would apply for their FBI clearance 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-