Houston United Girls Flag Football League, a program of She Plays Flag Texas (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit), is committed to protecting the safety and well-being of every player in the league. As part of that commitment, all coaches and certain volunteers are required to complete a background check before working with players. This policy describes who must be checked, what is screened, who pays, and how the league handles results.
Who Must Complete a Background Check
The following individuals must complete a Houston United background check before working with players:
• All head coaches
• All assistant coaches
• All All-Star team coaches
• Free agent combine evaluators and any individual with direct, unsupervised evaluative contact with players
• Team managers or volunteers with regular, unsupervised access to players
Who Is Not Required to Complete a Check
The following individuals do not need to complete a Houston United background check:
• Parents or guardians attending their own child's games or practices in a spectator capacity
• General spectators
• One-time event volunteers (such as a parent helping at a single event) who remain under the direct supervision of a checked coach throughout the event
• She Plays Flag Texas board members and league administrators who do not have direct player contact
Provider and Process
Houston United uses CheckR as its official background check provider. CheckR is the same provider used by NFL Flag and is widely used in youth sports.
How the process works:
• The league initiates a background check by sending a secure CheckR invitation to the coach or volunteer's email
• The coach completes a brief identity and consent form through CheckR's secure portal
• CheckR runs the required searches and returns results directly to Houston United league leadership
• Coaches are not required to handle or share their own background check documents with the league. The process is handled end-to-end by CheckR
Hybrid Approach for Coaches with Existing CheckR Records
To minimize duplicate checks and reduce costs, Houston United accepts transferred CheckR results for coaches who already have an active CheckR background check through another youth sports organization, including NFL Flag-affiliated leagues. The transfer process works as follows:
• The coach must have an active, current CheckR background check (within the past 24 months) initiated by a recognized youth sports organization
• The coach grants Houston United permission to access the existing CheckR record through CheckR's multi-tenant sharing
• Houston United reviews the transferred record against its own standards
• If the transferred record meets Houston United's standards, no new check is required and no fee applies
• If the transferred record does not meet Houston United's standards (for example, an older or less comprehensive check), Houston United will initiate a new CheckR background check at no cost to the coach
Houston United does not accept paper copies, PDFs, screenshots, or letters from other background check providers (including non-CheckR providers). Background check records must be verified directly through CheckR or initiated through CheckR by Houston United.
What the Check Screens For
Houston United background checks include, at minimum:
• National criminal database search (county, state, and federal records)
• National sex offender registry search (all 50 states and US territories)
• Social Security number verification (for identity confirmation)
Additional searches may be required at the league's discretion for specific roles. For example, individuals who may transport players in their personal vehicles may be subject to motor vehicle record (MVR) review.
Automatic Disqualifiers
A background check that returns any of the following will result in automatic disqualification from coaching, volunteering, or otherwise working with Houston United players:
• Any conviction for a sexual offense, regardless of when it occurred
• Any conviction involving violence, abuse, neglect, or endangerment of a minor, regardless of when it occurred
• Registration on a sex offender list, anywhere
• Pending criminal charges for any of the above offenses
• Any conviction for kidnapping, human trafficking, or related offenses
• Any felony conviction in the past 10 years
Reviewable Findings (Not Automatic Disqualifiers)
The following findings will be reviewed by the League Director and the She Plays Flag Texas board representative, and may result in disqualification or conditional approval depending on the circumstances:
• Felony convictions older than 10 years
• Driving under the influence convictions
• Theft, fraud, or financial crime convictions
• Other patterns of concern at the league's discretion
Renewal
Background checks are valid for 2 years from the date of completion. Coaches and volunteers must complete a new background check before the start of any season that begins more than 2 years after their previous check. The league will track expiration dates and send renewal invitations through CheckR ahead of expiration.
Cost
Houston United, through She Plays Flag Texas, pays for all required background checks. No cost is passed on to coaches, volunteers, or teams. Coaches whose existing CheckR records can be transferred at no charge to Houston United will not have a new check initiated.
Confidentiality and Recordkeeping
Background check results are confidential. The following rules apply to handling results:
• Only the League Director and a designated She Plays Flag Texas board representative have access to results
• Results are stored securely through CheckR's platform and are not printed, emailed, or shared outside the league
• The league does not share results with other coaches, parents, players, or the public
• The league publicly confirms only that a coach has completed the required background check, not the contents or results of the check
• Records are retained as long as the coach is active with Houston United, plus 2 years after the coach's last involvement with the league, then destroyed in accordance with CheckR's data retention policies
Process for Failed Checks or Concerns
If a background check returns results that disqualify a coach or volunteer:
• The League Director notifies the individual privately, in writing, that they cannot serve in their proposed role
• The specific reasons for the disqualification are shared with the individual, but not with anyone outside league leadership
• The individual has 14 days from notification to submit a written appeal, providing context, documentation, or evidence of expungement or rehabilitation
• Appeals are reviewed by the League Director and the She Plays Flag Texas board representative
• Final decisions following appeal are at the league's sole discretion and are not subject to further review
• Individuals disqualified from coaching may still attend league events as spectators (in a parent capacity, for their own children), subject to the Code of Conduct
Mandatory Reporting
This Background Check Policy operates alongside Texas's mandatory reporting law. Under Texas Family Code § 261.101, any person who has cause to believe a child is being abused or neglected must report the suspicion to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) or to law enforcement. A background check is not a substitute for vigilance and mandatory reporting; both protections work together.
League staff, coaches, and volunteers are reminded of this obligation through the Code of Conduct, and Houston United will fully cooperate with any DFPS or law enforcement investigation.
Insurance Carrier Requirements
Houston United's insurance carrier may have specific requirements regarding background checks (provider, search criteria, renewal frequency). Where carrier requirements exceed the standards in this policy, the carrier's requirements control. The league will confirm carrier compliance annually as part of insurance renewal.
Changes to This Policy
Houston United may update this Background Check Policy at any time. Material changes will be communicated to coaches and volunteers at least 30 days before they take effect, where practicable. Coaches and volunteers are responsible for complying with the current policy.