Umpire Background Checks

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There was some discussion about background checks for coaches before the thread got severely hi-jacked.

Do umpires have to undergo a background check? I don't think USSSA requires it, but am curious about ASA/NSA/etc.

Also, should the background check reveal something from the past, is there a process to look at how long ago the offense happened, etc. Is age considered?--e.g., the offense could have happened when the person was younger--I think all of us older folks realize that young folks brain (especially males) isn't very well developed when they are young and things happen that would not happen later in life--in today's world, sexting is an example.

 

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Yes there are Background Checks on Umpires. Most of them are HS umpires and its required for all OHSSA Officals. Are Tournament Directors?

 

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No--background checks are not required at this time--Maybe they should be--it's certainly worth thinking about. I can think of several incidents where TDs and Organizational heads have gotten into trouble.

I used to do a lot of investigations into Gov't fraud, waste, and abuse. In almost every instance, the persons committing the offense--it was their first offense and most held security clearances, which require very thorough background checks. Guess what I am saying is that background checks will say if anything has happened in the past but they are not necessarily a predictor of future behavior.

If something showed up in an umpire's background, who makes the determination that the person can/can not umpire?

 

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Yes there are Background Checks on Umpires. Most of them are HS umpires and its required for all OHSSA Officals.

Where in the state of Ohio are these background checks being done? I've been an OHSAA official (baseball and softball in the central district) for about a decade and have never been subject to a background check.

Nor have I had one for umpiring ASA or NSA, or ever had it presented to me that this was a requirement. I have had two local leagues where I work games that performed background checks, but they were doing that on their own, not as a requirement from any sanctioning body.

 

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Why even worry about umps and TDs anyway. They have almost no opportunity to be one on one with a girl anyway.

 

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Why even worry about umps and TDs anyway. They have almost no opportunity to be one on one with a girl anyway.

Agree. I think we are getting a little paranoid here. Why not background check all the parents on your team too. They will spend a lot more time with the kids than umps and TDs.

 

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Ohio Wave, Rich-- I agree. It's like the "Christmas" letter I received via email that started off by saying "it was a good year til you told me all the things that could kill me or make me go mad, etc and ended by saying if I didn't immediately email the letter on to at least 7 people, I would have lots of misfortune"---LOL!!!


I think the bad/wacky TDs are quickly discovered and then ignored. If you have reputable events like Greenville and Beavercreek, then those speak for themselves.

And, as you noted, TDs and umpires are the most visible of all at tournaments and have very little time to do anything.

bob

 

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Bob, don't call me Rich. Those are fightin' words. Rich is enjoying his "retirement." He said he never realized there was that much time during the day. Anyway, I feel safe at Beavercreek. I just tell all my kids to stay away from Bob and Terry.

 

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Sorry-- you can tell the kids to stay away from us, but not to stay away from the concessions.

I find it hard to believe that Rich is "retired"--we will see how long that lasts.

bob

 

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Pretty soon every man, woman, and child will need a background check to heckle an ump

 

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Les--will it be the job of the TD to look at all background checks or will the coaches be able to sign a letter of certification for all their parents?--and should we start body scanning/patting down all people?--LOL!!!

 

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Les--will it be the job of the TD to look at all background checks or will the coaches be able to sign a letter of certification for all their parents?--and should we start body scanning/patting down all people?--LOL!!!

Hey, they way I see it. ASA wanted to take on that liability by "certifying" and checking there coaches. So if they let one slip through the cracks, then they can explain it to the judge. I don't want to take on that responsibility. Do you?

 

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I'm not going aginst the Bretman but I went to the same class you did and we were told there would a Background Check. Not saying there was.

 

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I misunderstood the statment. It says Applicants must meet requirments listed in OHSAA Criminal Conviction policy. My Bad. I wasn't doubting you just figured I was wrong so I looked it up.

 

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another question asked by TD was the timing of a violation on background checks and I just wanted to let you know that background checks usually go back 10 years. There is no other way to specify a time that the person running the background check wants. You get it all up to 10 years ago!! Then up to whomever to decide if it is bad enough to worry about or if it is applicable to certain situations for which the person is applying for.

 

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Rone and Chstrahl, thx for clarifying what the OHSSA requires and 10 yr period.

It sounds like OHSSA leaves it up to the individual to make cerain they are eleigible and don't doublecheck thru a BI. That seems to have worked well over the years. I would think that the only time a person would be checked if someone knew about it personally or someone told them and then they questioned. In my experience, the way we found out about fraud was when someone got mad and turned them in--e.g., a wife who had been cheated on might turn their ex-husband in if she was aware of wrong-doing--even if she might be implicated.

 

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I'm not going aginst the Bretman but I went to the same class you did and we were told there would a Background Check. Not saying there was...I misunderstood the statment. It says Applicants must meet requirments listed in OHSAA Criminal Conviction policy. My Bad. I wasn't doubting you just figured I was wrong so I looked it up.

No problem. I didnt realize that you were in the same softball group I was! I thought that maybe you were in a different group/area and that maybe they did perform these checks.