What screening and training does a coach or team manager need?

Ontario Soccer's Screening and Recruitment Handbook asks each member organization to rate every position by risk, and suggests screening and training for each level. For team officials:

• High risk (positions of trust or authority, with frequent or unsupervised access to vulnerable participants, for example coaches who travel with athletes or could be alone with them): application form, screening disclosure form, a vulnerable sector check (VSC), three references related to the position, and a driver's abstract if requested. Suggested training: NCCP Rule of Two, NCCP Making Ethical Decisions, Ontario Soccer Safe Sport Training and the Respect in Sport Activity Leader certificate.
• Medium risk (for example coaches who are typically supervised by another coach): application form, screening disclosure form, an enhanced police information check (C-PIC), one letter of reference related to the position, and a driver's abstract if requested. Suggested training: NCCP Rule of Two, NCCP Making Ethical Decisions and Respect in Sport Activity Leader.
• Low risk (for example parents or volunteers helping on an informal basis): application form and screening disclosure form.

The handbook's sample position descriptions class competitive and development team officials as a high risk position, and non-travelling grassroots team officials as a low risk position. It tells organizations to review the sample descriptions and adapt them to their own organization.

Source: Ontario Soccer Screening and Recruitment Handbook (June 2026), risk level table and Appendix B.