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Politics

Youth coaches may get to appeal county ban

Good volunteers can be rejected, some say.

By BILL VARIAN
Published April 19, 2007

TAMPA - Hillsborough commissioners are exploring whether to relax a recently proposed policy of prohibiting people convicted of certain crimes from coaching youth sports.

Commissioners, at least three of whom are or have been youth-league coaches, voted unanimously Wednesday to explore reinstating an appeals process that would allow the county to make exceptions for model coaches whose more recent records are clean.

No exceptions would be granted for people convicted of crimes against children.

"We have never had a problem ever with a coach and a child that I'm aware of," said Commissioner Brian Blair, one of the coaches on the board.

Commissioners told county parks officials to find a way to allow some discretion in deciding which people with a criminal past would get the "privilege" of coaching children. The decision came after several youth league coaches asked them Wednesday not to draw a hard line.

They said a blanket policy could ban dozens of coaches across the county who committed "youthful indiscretions," and even some who were not so youthful, who have turned their lives around and become role models.

Some of those coaches have worked with children for years, even pointing out their own past mistakes as life lessons for the young people.

"The broadness of the policy likely means we will lose many quality volunteers," said Ernest Matthews, president of a youth football league in Valrico.

Greg Thompson, athletic director of the Nuccio Jaguars who has been coaching for 12 years in the Tampa Bay Youth Football League, said many of the coaches who would be affected are best equipped to reach children who might otherwise turn to crime.

"It would affect us in the worst way," Thompson said.

Hillsborough County has checked the background of youth league volunteers, as well as its own employees, since 1999, said Mark Thornton, director of the county's Parks, Recreation and Conservations Department.

The policy prevented those arrested or convicted of drug crimes, sex crimes, violent crimes and crimes against children from volunteering.

The policy had an appeals process run by leaders of the recreations leagues, but enforcement was spotty, Thornton said.

The parks department has proposed relaxing the policy, having it apply only those convicted of crimes. But Thornton advocated doing away with appeals, saying they expose the county to liability should an ex-convict hurt a child.

He likened it to a private sector employer who can turn down any applicant without granting those excluded the right to be reconsidered.

"Coaching is a privilege, not a right," Thornton said. But commissioners, even those who have led efforts to protect children, argued for flexibility.

"I think there's a value of learning from your mistakes," said Commissioner Mark Sharpe.

[Last modified April 19, 2007, 06:59:16]