URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT

         

 

September 22, 2006

 

 

Dear Illinois Swimming Coaches & Clubs:

 

Last week at the United States Aquatic Sports Convention, the USA Swimming House of Delegates adopted legislation to require background screening as a condition for coach membership and approved recommendations for implementation of this requirement for the 2007 membership year.

 

Your LSC has been selected as one of five LSCs to participate in a 5-week pilot program that will begin on Monday, October 2nd and continue through Friday, November 3, 2006. In order to maintain your USA Swimming coach membership for 2006 and 2007 in good standing, you are required to complete the new USA Swimming Background Screening process on or before November 3.

 

Enclosed is a two-page announcement that describes the new USA Swimming Background Screening Program and a list of Frequently Asked Questions. Please review this information. It will answer many questions that you might have about the program.

 

The pilot program will test all phases of the USA Swimming Background Screening program allowing us to evaluate the program and make any changes deemed appropriate prior to launching a nationwide rollout.

 

 

PILOT  PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS

§      All coach members of the five (5) selected LSCs (IL, LE, MA, CA, and SE).

§      All members of the USA Swimming Board of Directors.

 

COST

Those members participating in the pilot program will pay a discounted rate of $15 per screen. After November 3rd, the cost of a USA Swimming Background Screening for the registration years 2007-2009 will be $20. TC logiQ accepts payment only through the popular online payment service PayPal.

 

PROCESS

1)   Go online to the USA Swimming website http://www.usaswimming.org/bgpilot and use the special link created for the pilot program. This link will take you to the TC logiQ web site to initiate a screening request and pay (via PayPal) for a USA Swimming Background Screen. In order to help us successfully manage the number of participants in the pilot project, please do not share this link with coaches from outside of your LSC.

2)   The first two screens are payment screens where you will enter payment information and execute payment.

3)   After payment is complete, you will be directed to the application screen. You will be asked to provide the following information:

 

 

 

 

            Legal First Name

            Preferred First Name

            Middle Name

            Last Name

            Street Address

            City, State, Zip

            Home Phone

            Cell Phone

            E-mail Address

            LSC

            Birth Date

            U.S. Citizen (Yes/No)

            Gender

            Height

            Eye Color

            Race

            Counties/States lived in last 10 yrs.

 

4)   You will also be asked to disclose any previous arrests or convictions.  Next, you will create a username and password. The final step on this page is to read and agree to the TC logiQ User Agreement.

5)   On the next screen, click on the “Login To Account” button. This will take you to a screen that displays your name in the upper left-hand corner. Click the “Run Search” button just below your name. Then click the “View Results” button to see the search results.

6)   You will promptly receive a screening report that provides your address history and criminal information, if any. Until TC logiQ reviews this search report against the USA Swimming screening criteria, the applicant’s “Screening Status” on the TC logiQ website will reflect “Pending”.  A determination regarding membership eligibility will be emailed to you within 3-5 business days.

7)   If you pass screening, the result will be updated to “Approved” on the TC logiQ website and be communicated electronically to the USA Swimming SWIMS database. The expiration date for your screening is reflected in the same manner as your coaches’ safety certifications. If the background screen returns incorrect criminal information, you have the opportunity to dispute that information. No action will be taken regarding membership eligibility until that information has been reviewed and verified. Please see Question #3 in the enclosed FAQ document to learn how to challenge disputed information. Do not be concerned about incorrect or unusual information in the address history.

8)   If the background screen returns a finding of a potential membership disqualifier, there is a process for appeal to an established USA Swimming National Board of Review permanent panel.  If membership is ultimately not granted, SWIMS will display no information. Please see Question #5 in the enclosed FAQ document to learn how to appeal a negative membership decision.

 

We thank you in advance for your cooperation and participation in the pilot program. Please remember that you are required to complete the screening process on or before November 3, 2006. To facilitate the process and allow enough time, we strongly advise you to initiate the screening no later than Friday, October 27.

 

With the exception of disputing information in your search and/or appealing a negative membership decision, please direct any questions that you might have about the program to your LSC Registrar, your Zone Consultant, or to me.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Pat Hogan

Club Development Director