Coach/Volunteer Screening / Background Check Policy Statement

  • Criminal background screening on Coaches is conducted by outside third parties which specializes in such work, and overseen by a screening committee, a subset of the Majestic Storm Cheerleading Board. This is executed in an effort to protect the children who participate in cheerleading or other related activities associated with Majestic Storm Cheerleading.
  • Majestic Storm Cheerleading recognizes a Volunteer as any person who leads and instructs players at practices, competitions and/or games,or portions of practices, competitions and/or games, for any Cheerleading squad.
  • The criminal background screening is mandatory, no exceptions.
  • Any adult applying for an unpaid position as a volunteer responsible for the welfare of a child or having direct contact with children will be required to have a background check performed.
  • All prospective volunteers  must  obtain the following clearances:
    •  Report of criminal history from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP); and
    •  Child Abuse History Clearance from the Department of Human Services (Child Abuse).
  • Additionally, a fingerprint based federal criminal history (FBI) submitted through the Pennsylvania State Police or its authorized agent is required if:
    •  The position the volunteer is applying for is a paid position; and
    •  The volunteer has lived outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the last 10 years.
  • Beginning July 1, 2015, prospective volunteers must submit clearances prior to the commencement of service.
  • All volunteers will be required to obtain clearances every 36 months. Timelines for renewed clearances are based upon the date of each individual clearance. If an individual or agency elected to renew all clearances at the same time, the date of the oldest clearance rather than the most recent would be used.
  • The Child Abuse, PSP and FBI clearances can all be applied for electronically. The FBI clearance also requires a fingerprint submission.
The Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check for Volunteers is free. Click below to perform this background check online. Click on the Volunteer buttons to start the process.
The Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance is free. Click below to perform this background check online:
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Criminal Background Check through the Department of Human Services.This is not free. This is only required if you have lived outside the state of PA in the last 10 years. Click below to perform this background check online:

No other personal information (e.g. work history, financial, credit, etc.) is checked or researched.

In the event information surfaces via the background check, a screening committee, with members consisting of President, Vice President and Secretary, will review such background check information to determine coaching eligibility. Only members of the screening committee will review data obtained, which will then be processed discreetly. All information is strictly confidential and will not be made public under any circumstances.

  • Reasons for being declined the opportunity to coach are noted below as part of this policy. In some instances, factors of time may be taken into account when considering coaching eligibility (i.e. length of time since disposition of certain offenses).

  • The decision of this screening committee may be appealed, for the purpose of clarifying facts or explaining extenuating circumstances, to the screening committee.

  • All coaches are required to notify the committee immediately following an arrest or conviction of any of the listed offenses. Any coach, who while coaching for Majestic Storm Cheerleading is arrested for committing an offense as listed, will immediately forfeit his/her coaching eligibility until disposition by the courts. A conviction of an offense as listed will result in termination of coaching eligibility as stated in the policy.

  • The following is a list of offenses prohibiting an applicant from participation as a Coach under Majestic Storm Cheerleading, offenses including but not limited to the following:

  • Arson

  • Assault (including aggravated and sexual)

  • Aggravated Kidnapping

  • Aggravated Robbery

  • Crimes against Children (including abandonment, abuse, endangerment,

  • pornography, possession or promotion of pornography, enticement, solicitation, sale

  • or purchase of, injury to, or indecency)

  • Criminally Negligent Homicide

  • Deadly Conduct

  • Delivery of Marijuana

  • Manufacture of or Delivery of a controlled substance or dangerous drug

  • Any violation of a law intended to control the possession or distribution of any controlled substance or illegal drug

  • Indecent Exposure

  • Injury to Elderly or Disabled

  • Intoxication Manslaughter

  • Kidnapping

  • Manslaughter (voluntary or involuntary)

  • Murder

  • Prohibited Sexual Conduct

  • Prostitution (including promotion of, aggravated promotion of)

  • Public Lewdness

  • Rape

  • Sexual Abuse

  • Marijuana Possession*

  • DWI /DUI*

  • Theft**

  • *If a first offense and not currently under probation, eligible, but can not drive any child other than his/her own.

  • More than one violation has occurred or currently on probation, that person may be ineligible based on severity and length of time since offense occured.

  • **Eligibility dependent upon the severity and length of time since offense occurred