It’s referring to strict background checks for the volunteers.

Yes thanks to Larry Nassir and Jerry Sandusky every volunteer parent on every youth sports club is seen as a potential pedophile. Mandatory background checks, mandatory training on bullying, harassment, hazing, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and sexual misconduct is now required. It has really made it much more difficult for leagues to get volunteers because though many parents want to help, most don't want to have to submit to this level of scrutiny and demands on their time.

My background check to be an Assistant Scoutmaster was much more rigorous than for any job I’ve ever had. I’m pretty OK with that, too.

It’s much more widespread than just those two cases. I know that the Scottish FA recently issued a report into historic abuse and it seems a few clubs had problems over the years. I imagine that this is not something limited to these few clubs in this one small country, and that it’s happened this way over the world.

I understand that some of the stuff required for this person to get their kid involved in Little League seemed over the top, but let’s not downplay the risks of involving adult coaches and volunteers without checks or turn a blind eye to what has happened in the past.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-56019232

Is it really that bad? From what I remember, in Canada my vulnerable sector check was as simple as going to a location, showing my drivers license and giving basic contact info, and waiting a few minutes while they query a few databases. I’m told it gets slightly more complicated if you share a name and birthday with somebody convicted of a serious crime, but that’s the exception rather than the rule.

The background check is pretty much that -- it's online and quick, but you have to submit Driver's License #, SS#, DOB, everything that makes people nervous online. And in my experience, the form was a classic ASP page that looked like it had been developed in 1998. I didn't try any SQL injection tricks or anything, but it didn't inspire confidence. In sum, it's not so much the background check itself I object to, it's the wondering about the third parties that get the information.

Then there's the hours of online "Safe Sport" training, every year, plus you become a "mandatory reporter" for any kind of abuse, neglect, etc. and that also makes people nervous. So it's just more reasons for people to decline to help.

Pedophilia isn't the problem. Molestation is.

Ahh, yes for volunteers actually working with children, I'm fine with more strict background checks.