The St. Mary’s Board of Commissioners on Tuesday adopted the nationally-recognized set of community sports standards titled “Raising Community Standards in Youth Sports.”

While the program’s adoption was spurred by complaints about the St. Mary’s Pigskin Football League, the board did not discuss a proposal Tuesday for the county to take over administration of youth football in the county.

 

Rollins explains some of the proposals

during a recent public forum

 The Bay Net photo by Sean Rice

Parks and Recreation Director Phil Rollins said the parks board again discussed the youth sports standards last week and took comments from the public and all 10 of the youth sports leagues in the county.

Among the major points in the sew standards: all coaches would be required to undergo a criminal background check; Leagues would be required to carry liability insurance; parents would be asked to sign a “code of ethincs” document; and smoking would be prohibited within 150 feet of fields.

The Board’s approval hinges on a 2007 budget request to help administer the program, which includes money to fund another full time staff member.

After the reading the minutes from the parks board meeting, Commission President Tommy McKay noted that several league representatives commented on the increased cost to the leagues may scare away lower income parents, and suggested the county modify the proposal to provide scholarships for youth sports to lower income families and provide the leagues cash to implement the changes.

Rollins said the scholarship proposal can be discussed further in the future, but overall the leagues appeared to support the effort.

“We want to get with each individual league and find out what their doing in terms of training,” Rollins said, adding that some wouldn’t have much additional costs if they are already doing a comparable job to what the recommendations ask for.

He said some leagues already do criminal background checks, and others just check the state sex offender list. But the check should be uniform, he said, to catch anyone with drug related felonies in the background, for example. Also he hinted that the county could be held liable if there was ever a situation where a child was abused by a volunteer or coach.

“I don’t think any parent would complain about an extra two dollars for an extensive background check,” Commissioner Larry Jarboe said, after it was stated the background checks would cost about $2 per player.

As for the no-smoking regulation, Rollins said signs would be posted and the rule would be a “self-regulated situation.”

“We not not going to be hiring park attendants to be out there hitting people over the head,” Rollins said.