AYSO FIELDS NEW PRACTICE; SOCCER MOMS, PLAYERS FIND SECURITY NET.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer

Thousands of soccer moms and dads are undergoing criminal background checks before the fall AYSO season starts next month in Santa Clarita.

They are the coaches and other volunteers who work with the local regions of the American Youth Soccer Association, the nation's largest youth soccer program, with about 6,000 local players.

The national organization is not demanding compliance until next year, but in Santa Clarita, some regions are beginning the program this year. And organizers are lauded by local law enforcement.

``I think everyone who works with children should be fingerprinted and a background check be done,'' said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Tim Peters of the Santa Clarita Valley station. ``Pedophiles will seek out the opportunity to work with kids.''

AYSO's new tool, Dubbed Safe Haven, is part of the volunteer application process.

Before volunteers can work with children, they must provides personal and professional references, a driver's license or Social Security number and a photo identification.

Applicants face criminal background checks with questions to determine if they have been charged with sex crimes, child abuse, child neglect or any violent crime. They are being asked if they have had a history of complaints of sexual, physical or verbal abuse with minors with any other organization or have had a history of behavior that indicated that they would be a danger to children in the AYSO program.

``We want to deter criminals wanting to exploit any of our kids or volunteers,'' said Ellisa Hall, coordinator of certification and advocacy at the AYSO's national headquarters in Hawthorne. ``This is really a program we started to stop child-abusers before they get into our program.''

AYSO officials initiated the program last year at training sessions for coaches and assistant coaches.

In a three-hour certification process, volunteers are taught to recognize signs of abuse, directed to have another adult present when they are working with the children and follow specific rules on supervision.

``It's been really well-received,'' Hall said.

This year, AYSO is expanding the program to include the volunteer squad of referees. The program will continue each year as new volunteers join.

Next year, AYSO will fingerprint volunteers at random, although some local regions have begun that practice.

In the Valencia-Newhall region, AYSO has appointed a child protection advocate who is in charge of monitoring certifications, applications and screening of volunteers.

``They just want to make sure that people who enter a youth program like this know there are checks like this in place,'' said Chris Mendenhall, regional commissioner for AYSO Region 678 which covers Newhall, Valencia, Stevenson Ranch and Castaic. ``People won't be slipping though the cracks like they were able to in the past.''

Region 678, one of three Santa Clarita regions, has 211 teams for youths ranging from those 4 years old to high school age. Each team has a coach, one or two assistant coaches, a team parent and referees.

While local administrators say the new program has added to their paperwork process, they are glad the AYSO officials have created Safe Haven.

``They feel that if they have a program like this in place and do everything possible to keep their kids safe that they are above approach,'' Mendenhall said. ``They are definitely the leaders in this.''

In addition to the background checks, local official also screen each of the volunteer applicants through the Megan's Law computer database at the Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's station.

Law enforcement officials said that Safe Haven program should have been adopted a long time ago and other groups that deal with children should also adopt similar preventive measures.

``It's not the good people you're looking for,'' Peters of the Sheriff's Department added. ``It's the ones trying to thwart the system. They're the ones who are worried. They worry that we'll do the fingerprinting now and that we'll catch them.''

AYSO isn't the only sports organization implementing background checks.

``We'll be doing random checks,'' said Dan Schlender, president of the Santa Clarita's William S. Hart PONY Baseball and Softball League. ``We're taking steps through an application process.''

Schlender said that applications will include questions in hopes of rooting out sex offenders. Background checks will be done on a random basis.

``In 45 years, we've never had a problem,'' Schlender said. ``It's a shame that we live in a time in our society where this is necessary.''

The Hart league, which has approximately 4,000 participants, ages 5 through young adult, will begin the new application process before the spring 2000 season.

``I don't believe it's needed,'' Schlender said. ``But it's preventative and we prefer to err on the side on caution.''

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Photo: (Color -- Ran in SAC only) A coach works with players Saturday in Santa Clarita as AYSO regions institute a new procedure.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News