Greetings Volunteers!

If you are reading this it is because you have volunteered for the upcoming AYSO season. Welcome! However, before we get you out on the field we need to take care of a little administrative overhead. Don't worry, it won't take that much of your time and by completing this process you are protecting yourself legally as well as ensuring the safety of our players and the continued success of our program.

STEP 1 - REGISTRATION

AYSO is a national organization that requires all of its volunteers to register annually with their national database regardless of what position or role they are filling. This is very important for two reasons. First, all registered volunteers are background checked by AYSO to ensure regions aren't putting player safety at risk. Second, only registered volunteers are protected under AYSO liability insurance. This means that you cannot be held personally liable if a player is injured during the normal course of play. IF YOU DO NOT REGISTER YOU CANNOT VOLUNTEER...THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS.

To get started you need to create a Sport Connect account which you can do right from this website. If you have players participating you have already completed this step and can use the same account that you used to register your player(s). Click the [Login] button found at the top right of the page:

If you have not previously created a Sports Connect account click the [Register Now] button found at the top right of the page and follow the on-screen instructions:

* IMPORTANT *   You do not need to create a new SportsConnect account each playing season. You may continue to use this same account for as long as you volunteer with AYSO.

Now that you are logged in you will be taken to your account home page. It should look like the image below. Click the VOLUNTEER tab and then over to the right at the bottom click the [+Volunteer] button:

The web site will walk you through a series of screens where you select what volunteer role(s) you are interested in and collect the necessary information. It should only take a few minutes.

When you get to the end of the registration process you will be asked to provide an e-signature. This is very important so please make sure you e-sign. The system walks you through it so just take your time and you will be fine. New volunteers will be assigned an 8- or 10-digit AYSO ID number so be sure to write this down as you will need to refer to it from time to time.

NOTE: As long as you e-sign your registration you do not need to print it unless you want a copy for your personal records. Selinsgrove AYSO can access this information online should we need it.

STEP 2 - VOLUNTEER CLEARANCES

As of July 1, 2016 all volunteers in the state of Pennsylvania must obtain the following background clearances:

• Pennsylvania State Police Request for Criminal Records Check (PATCH - Act 34) - FREE
• Department of Public Welfare Child Abuse History Clearance (CWIS - Act 151) - FREE
• FBI Criminal Background Check (Act 114) - $27 *

* Only necessary if you have been a Pennsylvania resident for less than 10 consecutive years.

You can register and complete all clearances online by following the links in the Volunteer | Clearances menu on this website. The FBI clearance requires fingerprinting in addition to the online registration. The website where you register (www.identogo.com) will have information on locations where you can get that done. The nearest one is right here in Selinsgrove next to Aubrey Alexander in the Commerce Court office complex. The address is 12 Commerce Avenue, Educators Inc, Selinsgrove.

Both the PATCH and CWIS websites will give you the option to download your clearance paperwork in electronic PDF format. You must download the PDF’s to your computer because you will need to email them to the regional CVPA officer at selinsgroveayso.cvpa@gmail.com. For fastest processing please send only one email with all of your clearance PDF’s attached. Be sure that you include the PATCH certificate PDF not the receipt. Our regional CVPA will forward your clearances to the appropriate party at National who will update your volunteer record accordingly.

IMPORTANT: If you fail to forward your clearance paperwork to the CVPA, the National office will not update your volunteer record and you will not be eligible to volunteer.

NOTE: All clearances are valid for 5 years from date of issue. If you already have clearances that are less than five years old they will most likely satisfy the AYSO requirement. Go ahead and submit them to the regional CVPA officer as instructed above. Also, if you are volunteering for multiple roles (coach, referee, board member, etc) you only need to submit one set of clearances and they will cover you for all of your volunteer roles.

STEP 3 - TRAINING

We know what you're thinking....ugh...training. Never fear. Almost all of the required training can be completed online at your own pace in less than an hour. Plus, you don't have to do it all at once. As long as you get it done before practices start you are good to go. AYSO provides a fantastic set of basic online courses to help you easily and conveniently get the training you need.

Keep in mind that the online training is just that…theory and how to put it into practice. There is no substitute for getting out on the field. If you are new to coaching kids it will take you a few weeks to settle in, get to know the kids and feel confident in what you are doing. It can seem a little overwhelming at first but do not worry! As long as your attitude is positive and you are having fun teaching kids the basics you are doing everything right. In no time you will find your comfort zone and that is when the real fun begins!

Training Requirements

Use the matrix below to determine the training you must complete:

* Course is available online via the AYSOU link found in the ‘Volunteer’ section of your Sports Connect portal.

1  Required if you have taken the online course only (if available). While not explicitly listed in the matrix above an in-person 10U/12U or higher coach course will completely satisfy the training requirement.

So what are these courses? Below is a brief description.

Safe Haven...this one-time, 30 minute course focuses on safety and appropriate behavior with children as well as other on- and off-field issues. It includes proactive steps that promote a positive, healthy environment for children.

CDC Concussion Awareness...this one-time, 10-15 minute course focuses on recognizing concussion symptoms and what to do.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest...this one-time, 20-30 minute course focuses on recognizing sudden cardiac arrest symptoms and what to do..

SafeSport...this one-time, 90 minute course is federally-mandated for all youth sport volunteers and focuses on important topics related to recognizing abuse in players (emotional, physical, etc), mandatory reporting policies/procedures and similar topics.

Coach Training Courses...for 6U and 8U AYSO provides complete coach training online in about an hour. For 10U/12U there is a 10U online course that will teach you the basics and a two hour companion "field work" course that will need to be completed in-person to cover the offside rule and other topics introduced at these divisions. We usually schedule the field work course on one or two weeknights. Age-appropriate coach training is required for all coaches and assistant coaches.

Basic Referee...AYSO provides a 60-90 minute, self-paced basic referee primer course online. There is also a companion field work session that will need to be completed in-person to make sure volunteers understand the laws, positioning, game flow/control, etc. We usually schedule the field work sessions on one or two weeknights during 8U/10U scrimmages so that new referees can get some experience and confidence before taking the field for actual matches.

A couple of final thoughts about training. AYSO strongly believes in educating its volunteers so they know what is expected of them and can feel confident in whatever aspect of our program they are involved with. We owe it to our players and families to provide the best youth sports experience possible. Many youth sports leagues do not properly vet or train their volunteers and that can lead to negative experiences for our players and confusion and frustration among volunteers and parents. Player safety is AYSO's primary concern so for the best experience for everyone please complete the registration, clearance and training requirements as soon as possible. Thank you!

HAVE A GREAT SEASON!