Youth sports background checks are essential. Entrusting your team with an adult who hasn’t had one is like sending a little league batter onto the pitch without a helmet: It puts both the player and the organization at risk.
But background checks—and the laws around them—are confusing. And the whole process can feel overwhelming.
This guide is here to help. In it, we’ll cover:
In short, you’ll find everything you need to know about background checks, so you can stay focused on what matters most: creating a safe environment for your team.
Youth sports programs aren’t just fun, they’re an integral part of any community. They teach values like trust, teamwork and dedication. They improve cognitive skills, strengthen relationships and help our kids grow up strong and healthy.
But they’re not without risks. Unfortunately, misconduct and abuse can happen anywhere. In fact, statistics suggest that 90% of abuse is by someone a child knows and trusts.
That’s why prevention is so important. Background checks are the first line of defense in abuse prevention as they help to weed out those with a history of abusive behavior and serve as a deterrent to potential predators.
To answer this question, it helps to think about it on two levels: a legal level and a policy level. These two areas won’t always match up. For example, checks might not be required by state law, but might be required by your specific league.
Laws vary by state. Some mandate checks for all youth-serving volunteers, while others do not. This database from ChildCare.gov is a great resource for finding out state-specific requirements.
Absolutely. Industry best practice is that anyone who interacts with minors should be subject to regular checks. This includes coaches, referees, staff, and volunteers. Many organizations like Little League and USA Lacrosse already make this standard procedure.
If you don’t yet have a policy, your next step is to create one covering:
National, state, and county levels offer different insights. For maximum coverage, consider a combination:
Standard checks cost $25–$30, but adding county or state-specific fees can increase that price. You can choose to have the organization cover these costs to remove barriers for volunteers, or pass them on to applicants.
Usually, you only need the candidate's name, address, social security number, and their signed consent. Processing typically takes between a few hours and three days.
A compliance system like Ankored allows you to track the status of checks via a dashboard, automate workflows, and manage waiver forms and abuse prevention training in one secure place.