Improving Safety & Security For Youth Sports: Buffalo Valley Youth Association
Making sure that youth sporting events are a safe and secure environment for minors is extremely important. When a family sends their child to play baseball or soccer, they expect that children will be taken care of and not placed in harms way. In this world of uncertainty, it's paramount that adults who participate in youth sports be vetted before they can coach, volunteer, or do any related work.
With most parents and coaches working on a volunteer basis, it's important to have a simple identity management system that busy associations and parents can pick up and use easily. Traditional badging systems cause inconveniences for both youth associations and parents alike. That's why the Buffalo Valley Youth Association uses Virtual Badge to vet, badge, and communicate with their coaches and staff.
With most parents and coaches working on a volunteer basis, it's important to have a simple identity management system that busy associations and parents can pick up and use easily. Traditional badging systems cause inconveniences for both youth associations and parents alike. That's why the Buffalo Valley Youth Association uses Virtual Badge to vet, badge, and communicate with their coaches and staff.
Traditional Badging Systems Are Inconvenient
With spring basketball and baseball seasons approaching, Buffalo Valley Youth Association president Johny McDow had a problem: He needed to provide a simple and easy way to ensure the safety and security of his members while on the field.
Previously Buffalo Valley Youth Association issued plastic ID cards to coaches, tied to a background check, but this method wasted time and caused problems.
Generally speaking, the typical time-intensive onboarding process involves making a prospective coach drive to the association office to get their badge created in person. Usually, youth sports coaches and volunteers are parents who have day jobs and don't have the free time.
Not getting a badge in time can mean that a parent might not be able to coach, or a game might not even be allowed to start. These issues caused Johny to use Virtual Badge as a way to expedite coach registrations, background checks, and badges -- thus eliminating game-day issues.
Previously Buffalo Valley Youth Association issued plastic ID cards to coaches, tied to a background check, but this method wasted time and caused problems.
Generally speaking, the typical time-intensive onboarding process involves making a prospective coach drive to the association office to get their badge created in person. Usually, youth sports coaches and volunteers are parents who have day jobs and don't have the free time.
Not getting a badge in time can mean that a parent might not be able to coach, or a game might not even be allowed to start. These issues caused Johny to use Virtual Badge as a way to expedite coach registrations, background checks, and badges -- thus eliminating game-day issues.
Buffalo Valley Youth Association Issues Badges Remotely
Enter Virtual Badge. By using smartphone ID cards, Buffalo Valley Youth Association is able to allow their coaches to register remotely. Rather than take the time required to show up in person to get a badge, prospective coaches and volunteers download the Virtual Badge app, create their account, and request a Buffalo Valley Youth Association badge.
Once the person's background check is processed, staff will approve the Virtual Badge request, and the coaches badge will be issued. All they have to do is open their Virtual Badge mobile app and display their badge when they arrive.
Remove onboarding provides several benefits beyond saving time and being a convenient way to issue ID badges. With an association-wide policy that prohibits parents from going onto the field without having a background check and badge, problems used to arise during game-days.
Now, if a parent or volunteer needs a badge, they can download the Virtual Badge app, request a badge, and a Buffalo Valley Youth Association staff member can instantly approve or deny the badge request instantly.
Once the person's background check is processed, staff will approve the Virtual Badge request, and the coaches badge will be issued. All they have to do is open their Virtual Badge mobile app and display their badge when they arrive.
Remove onboarding provides several benefits beyond saving time and being a convenient way to issue ID badges. With an association-wide policy that prohibits parents from going onto the field without having a background check and badge, problems used to arise during game-days.
Now, if a parent or volunteer needs a badge, they can download the Virtual Badge app, request a badge, and a Buffalo Valley Youth Association staff member can instantly approve or deny the badge request instantly.
