Background Clearances

Background clearance checks are required for all coaches. Without clearances, you are not allowed to be presented to the board for approval.

First, thank you for offering to volunteer your time to coach in the WTAA. Your dedication to our children is more than appreciated. Please read this carefully.

Any person wishing to coach (either head coach, assistant coach, team manager, etc.) will need to acquire and submit the required clearances as mandated by the state.

No coach is allowed to take the field/court until all the clearances are on file with the corresponding commissioner and the WTAA board. Please see the designated commissioner for further questions.

Please follow the steps below. If you are not sure if you are cleared to coach a sport, please contact the commissioner of the sport. You can find the contacts here.

Coaches Application

Coaches Applications are completed in a separate registration. This step is done to ensure coaches have their clearances, board approval and can be rostered onto the appropriate team within TeamSnap.

Coaching Application - 2024 Fall Sports

  • After applying, the applications are reviewed by the Commissioners and the Board of Directors.
  • Head coach candidates are presented to the Board by the Commissioners and approved by the WTAA Board.
  • Once a head coach is selected, they then select their assistant coaches. All coaching candidates are reviewed and approved by the WTAA Board.
  • All coaches, including assistants (and scorekeepers in baseball and softball) must have a current background check following the procedures outlined below.

Online Background Check Process

Click here for Protect Youth Sports background check website.

  1. Once a coach's background check is completed and passed, they are cleared from year to year as long as they stay active as coaches in the organization
  2. ALL coaching applicants for ALL WTAA SPORTS sports must go through the following screening process to be considered for coaching positions.
    • SSN Verification & Address History Trace
    • National Criminal Database Search (with Re-Verification of positive records)
    • National Sex Offender Registry Search
    • AKA/Alias National Search Screenings
    • There is a $25.00 fee to process the background checks.  In cases of need, the $25.00 fee will be reimbursed to the applicant upon written request to the WTAA.
    • In the event that the applicant is not selected to be a coach, they can have the fee refunded, unless they intend to apply for another sport during that calendar year.

 PA House Bill

On July 1, 2015 The PA House of Representatives passed a bill; Act 15 of 2015; amending Act 153 of 2014.

The new law requires comprehensive criminal and child abuse background checks for employees and volunteers who have “direct contact with children”.

Click here to read the requirements. Click here to read FAQs.

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