Our League policy is below. Please send questions to kwgsrl@gmail.com.

Starting this year, your mandatory background screening is incorporated into the Volunteers' registration process. This is due to SportsEngine, an NBC Sports Group company, acquiring Southeastern Security Consultants, Inc. (SSCI) and integrating the screening service into the registration process, making it even easier to volunteer.

The Key West Girls Softball Recreational League (hereunto referred to as “KWGSRL”) requires criminal background screenings for all staff and volunteers 18 years of age or older. KWGSRL has both a moral responsibility as well as a legal obligation under Florida Statute Title XLVII Chapter 943.0438 to conduct a Level 1 Background Screening on all Coaches, Assistant Coaches, and other volunteers as determined by the KWGSRL Board of Directors (hereunto referred to as the “Board”), in order to help safeguard our children.

Any person, 18 years of age or older, wishing to volunteer with the KWGSRL is subject to a criminal background screening on an annual basis per the aforementioned FL statute. All background screenings will expire one (1) year from the date of submission. For volunteers turning 18 years of age during the period of their volunteer service, a 30-day grace period shall apply from the date of the 18th birthday in order to allow time for the background screening to be applied for and processed. During the 30-day grace period, the individual must be under the direct supervision of a qualified adult who has passed the background screening.

For the purposes of maintaining compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), protecting the privacy of prospective volunteers, and maintaining the confidentiality of the results returned from the mandatory criminal background screening, KWGSRL utilizes Southeastern Security Consultants, Inc. (SSCI), a third party commercial consumer reporting agency, to collect personally identifiable data and provide reports of screening results. SSCI is a corporation owned by SportsEngine, a division of NBC Sports Group, specializing in conducting criminal background screenings for volunteers in full compliance of the parks and recreation industry standards and expectations.

Through the League's website on SportsEngine, SSCI provides KWGSRL with a secure web portal for prospective volunteers (hereunto referred to as the “applicant”) to submit their request for a background screening as they register to volunteer with KWGSRL. The applicant must provide all requested information including but not limited to complete name, aliases, date of birth, Social Security Number, and driver license number (or other government issued photo ID if the applicant does not drive). Failure to answer completely and honestly may be grounds for disqualification and may result in criminal charges under Florida Statute Title XXXI Chapter 435.11.

SSCI directly charges the applicant a small fee for the screening service. Upon request, the League will reimburse this fee to all qualified applicants who serve as volunteers for the full season for which they submitted their application. Requests for reimbursement must be made directly by the volunteer in writing or by email to a Board Member in good standing no later than 30 days after Closing Ceremonies for the season during which they served.

In respect of the applicant’s privacy and following the FCRA and Privacy Act guidelines, personal information is closely protected, not disclosed outside of KWGSRL and SSCI, is shared within KWGSRL only on a need to know basis, and used solely for conducting the background screening. In special circumstances, KWGSRL acknowledges a duty to disclose to third parties, including government agencies, certain types of information when the law requires that the information be disclosed, such as attempts to violate conditions of parole, restraining orders or FL Statute Title XLVI Chapter 775.21.

SSCI’s screening process includes but is not limited to the following:

Social Security Verification
Verifies the applicant's name and Date of Birth against the Social Security Number provided. This can be utilized to help eliminate the possibility of false names and/or information.

Address Trace
Verifies the applicant's current address and identifies previous addresses. This provides critical information to determine the jurisdiction in which the background screening will be conducted.

Local Criminal Record Search
State and/or County Criminal record searches are performed to capture all misdemeanor and felony records. Based on address history, multiple county searches may be performed. All of the county record searches are conducted on site in the appropriate courthouse.

National Criminal Record Search
Provides access through the National Background Directory ™ to criminal data from all 50 states including Guam and Puerto Rico (over 800 million criminal records).

Sex Offender Registry
Search of all 50 state repositories and the District of Columbia for known sex offenders.

The Board has adopted the standard for disqualification as a KWGSRL Volunteer per Florida Statute Title XXXI Chapter 435.03, and as summarized in the Grounds for Disqualification at the end of this policy. Results of screenings are reported to the Board as either “qualified” or “not qualified” with no disclosure of confidential information being made to the board.

When a “not qualified” determination is made, SSCI will provide the applicant with a copy of their Criminal Background Profile, a copy of the “Summary of Your Rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act”, and the opportunity to appeal any disqualification that is based on incorrect information. Individuals disqualified or restricted through this process are not entitled to further due process through the Board.

Grounds for Disqualification
Any applicant who has been arrested for and is awaiting final disposition of, has been found guilty of, regardless of adjudication, or entered a plea of nolo contendere or guilty to, or has been adjudicated delinquent and the record has not been sealed or expunged, or has received court directed programs in lieu of conviction for any offense listed below will be considered disqualified for service as a volunteer for the KWGSRL.

Crimes Involving Minors
Any crime against or otherwise involving a minor – regardless of the severity or the amount of time since offense.

Sex Offenses
Any sex offense – regardless of the severity or the amount of time since offense.
Examples: rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, sodomy,  prostitution, solicitation, indecent exposure, etc.

Felonies
All felony violence – regardless of the amount of time since offense.
Examples: murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, kidnapping, aggravated burglary, etc.

All other felony offenses within the past 10 years.
Examples: drug offenses, theft, embezzlement, fraud, etc.

Misdemeanors
All misdemeanor violent offenses within the past 7 years.
Examples: simple assault, battery, domestic violence, hit & run, etc.

All drug & alcohol misdemeanors in the past 5 years or multiple offenses in the past 10 years.
Examples: driving under the influence, simple drug possession, drunk and disorderly, public intoxication, possession of drug paraphernalia, etc.

Any misdemeanor within the past 5 years that would be considered a potential danger to children or is directly related to the functions of that volunteer.
Examples: contributing to the delinquency of a minor, providing alcohol to a minor, theft – if person is handling monies, etc.

Any individual on probation or required to complete a court ordered rehabilitation or other such program following a conviction for a crime listed above will not be considered for service as a volunteer until all terms and conditions established by the court have been satisfied and proof of completion submitted to KWGSRL.

Should an approved volunteer subsequently have any criminal charges brought against him/her that are listed in the above detailed list of disqualifiers during their term of service to the KWGSRL, they will be required to immediately disclose the nature of the charges to the Board and voluntarily terminate their duties until a determination is made by the Board regarding the effect of the pending charges on the volunteer’s functions within the League.

In certain limited instances, KWGSRL will disqualify volunteers who have been arrested for a crime, even if the arrest later results in no charges being filed. While KWGSRL casts no judgment about any of the allegations and/or accusations in these instances, KWGSRL’s overriding and compelling interest is to provide a safe, fair and fun environment for children. Additionally, nothing in this policy shall be construed as a waiver or limitation of the discretion of the Board to disqualify an applicant for a position when, in the sole opinion of the Board such is in the interests of the KWGSRL or its program participants.

 Interested in becoming a sponsor of Key West Girls Softball Recreational League?