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In regard to SafeSport, sexual misconduct and child abuse are the most serious. Other violations, such as emotional misconduct, bullying, threats, harassment and hazing, have to show a PATTERN. A single incident will likely not result in a suspension. In regard to parents, banning from a rink or release from an organization is much more likely than a SafeSport investigation.

In my opinion, the MIDAM background screening requirement gives parents a false sense of security. Child related offenses are the focus, as they should be. However, a coach or volunteer can have other offenses ranging from minor (DUI) to severe (felonies for theft, threats, drugs, etc) and still pass the screening. 

I’ve watched many parents look the other way when issues arise with a coach. This isn’t just a case of hoping the coach will help them get into a junior program or on a college team. It can be as simple as their kid making a mid-level team with their friends. They don’t want to risk their kid’s happiness by saying something. It’s sad, but a reality. For parents to press an issue to the degree described in these posts tells me it’s not just retaliation for lack of playing time. 

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MidAm screening is only the tip of the iceberg for not only coaches, but also for team managers, locker room attendants and every board member at every association. The list in PA includes:

MidAm Screening

FBI fingerprint check

PA HHS Child abuse

PA State Police criminal background check

At this point in time, I don't think anyone with any documented history is going to try to coach and if they do, will probably fail one of these checks. On the other hand, as evidenced at Penn State and Michigan State, some people certainly know how to cover their tracks.

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2 hours ago, sadday4hockey said:

The other hand, as evidenced at Penn State and Michigan State, some people certainly know how to cover their tracks.

That's the scary thing, isn't it? We're just beginning to figure out how to try and protect our kids. And those two would have passed everything we use to clear. To get access, they have to engender trust.

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the thing you need to keep in mind about all the safe sport screening, FBI checks, etc... is that they will only uncover a person who has already been caught. someone passing these checks and being allowed to coach/manager only means that at the time of the their application, no law enforcement agency has a record of them breaking the law that the specific organization considers reasonable cause to block them. I'm not sure if they run the same checks these days, but years ago I went through the background checks and speeding tickets showed up on my report. Besides the occasional, "how's Trixie?" or "did you let Spridal out of your trunk?" jokes, there were no issues with me being considered cleared. anyhow, just because someone is cleared, doesn't mean they haven't been participating in elicit behaviors for a long period of time. it just means they haven't been caught. there is a point to this rambling and it is this, Safe Sport outlines suggested practices to help curb incidents and it's very important for cleared members to follow them and also as parents to make sure the cleared members ARE following them. Coaches should not be addressing minors alone. If a coach needs to cut a kid, he needs to have some assistants or managers with him, or call the kid in with their parents. when a coach is accused of something, they should be able to say, oh well, assistant so and so was with me when that happened and the parents need to make sure the coaches are working in groups, so that hopefully, everyone is checking and balancing each other and stopping incidents from happening in the first place. 

BTW, this really has nothing to do with the WA situation, i have no knowledge and make no claims, and have no opinion or side to take. just simply a statement on SafeSport as a way to protect minors and volunteers.   

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It is safer for an organization to cover their own asses by letting a coach or player be suspended rather than support them.

Poor Jimmy didn't make the team and the coach didn't pump his tires for him.  Get a lawyer and play the victim.  Cancel Culture in action. 

I was a club President for 5 seasons and I made sure to let our AD know about any issues as soon as I was aware of them.  You won't believe how many threats I would get about 'going to the school board'.  I always laughed and said to go ahead and I would forward the email that was already sent to the school AD.

Shame on the WA Board if the coach was truly abusive and they didn't 'know' or do anything about it if they did know.

 

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4 hours ago, dazedandconfused said:

It's a suspension from MidAm/USA Hockey. That would carry over to any other team and preclude him from Coaching.

It was communicated to me the other team this coach coached is considered AAU and not under USA Hockey, the other team no longer wanted to be associated with said coach over the charges and suspension he received. 

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  • 1 month later...

Talked to some West Allegheny friends last night during their montour game, now that this story is out in the open and over some of the parents talked freely about what happened. I Just wanted to bump this up top so this guy is never around kids again. A one year suspension was letting him off easy in my opinion. For those here that were trying to defend this guy, you are nuts! I now understand your selfish reasoning a little. Just a little!  This guy was either a great salesman or preyed on uneducated parents trying to follow the college hockey dream. This coach has ZERO experience coaching high level hockey but you fools let him sucker you out of 10k each!  I get you lost money and favoritism but how in the hell could you try to defend a guy that manipulated and mentally abused children ????????????? This is the kind of person NO sport needs! 
 

Don’t come at me with “two sides to every story” bs! This man was convicted by the governing body after a 6 hour hearing! Never in my years of being involved in hockey have I ever heard of USA hockey bringing attorneys into safe sport issues! 

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On 11/19/2019 at 5:29 PM, twoleftfeetd said:

This man was convicted by the governing body after a 6 hour hearing! Never in my years of being involved in hockey have I ever heard of USA hockey bringing attorneys into safe sport issues! 

I can name a couple but you'll have to PM me for the info because the organization involved has a history of being able to circumvent the 1st amendment.

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