Title: 
Why Have ID Cards in Youth Sports

Word Count:
815

Summary:
Through an online tracking system and photo id cards for coaches and players a process can be created requiring documentation to only be checked once. In many cases, organizations are required to check the players eligibility several times during the year.


Keywords:
ID Cards , Youth Sports


Article Body:
When it comes to competitive play in any youth sport, everyone wants to be sure that the competition is playing by the rules.  This is especially true when it comes to the eligibility of a player on another team whether it’s the players size, age, or jurisdiction. This is where photo ID cards come in as an excellent way to assist in regulating these factors.

Through an online tracking system and photo id cards for coaches and players a process can be created requiring documentation to only be checked once. In many cases, governing organizations are required to check the players eligibility documents several times during the year.  And in most cases for several years as the player continues in the sport.  People want to be sure the opposing coach is playing by the rules so every time a team plays in any type of event, documentation has to be reviewed.  And still the question remains; was the right documentation shown for the player that is on the field?

In creating a registration system, an organization can create a method of removing the eligibility paperwork out of the equation for most situations.  A good registration system should track the individual all the way from their first event to the day the player graduates or leaves the program.  In using documents such as birth certificates or other government issued documents, a player can be verified and added to the system.  When a photo is attached to the registration and the player and coach have copies of the players registration card, this card becomes proof that the individual is eligible to play. And yes, a coach or manager could provide misinformation or bad documents at the time of registration, but it won’t be long before it’s found out since the player carries the card as well.  If a player slips through the cracks, someone from an opposing team will speak up and the problem can then be rectified on the system and then replace the card.  In our history, through!

producing millions of ID cards for players, it has been a rare case that someone has provided intentional illegitimate information in the beginning.  Let's face it, the coach is the one doing the registration and it’s placing their name on the registration request and it’s tracked!

Team Registration VS Individual Registration

There are some sports that are handling registrations by the team and others by the players.  One of the initials reasons that team registrations were created was in the ease of only tracking one name instead of every name on the team.  I mean even an 11 man football team commonly has 25 players.  So do the math: if an organization has 500 teams, it’s a lot easier to track the 500 teams than the 12,500 players.

Because of the registration solutions that have been developed today, there are benefits to registering the participants instead of just the teams.  The advantages range on individual registration from getting better rates on liability insurance to tracking the participants movements from team to team from year to year.

Incorporating background checks is another great thing that can be included in a good photo identification program.  We are all aware that in today's society, there are bad people in the wrong places.  As our children play in organized sports, it’s critical to be sure that everyone on the playing field has been properly screened. We have watched several organizations begin to require their coaches and managers to wear photo identification badges whenever they are on the field.  An effective registration system will only allow photo identification cards to be produced after individual has been through a background check.

There are many other things that can be integrated into a photo id program such as team and league management features.  If all of the participants information is captured in an online system, these records can be used to assist the coaches, tournament directors and league directors in better managing their programs.  Printing rosters, building brackets, and scheduling league play can all be easier to manage if tools are developed to use those registration records.  These tools can also be utilized to track the movement of the players from year to year, game to game and team to team.

Another good reason to add a photo identification program to your sport is because of the marketing and branding opportunity it offers.  We always suggest creating two cards for every player; this way the coach has one to check the players into events while the player has a badge of honor that carries their picture and your organizations name and logo.

Ultimately, there are many reasons that you should consider doing photo ID cards for your organized sport if you presently are not, but the largest is probably the paperwork that will be saved and the mistakes that get caught early.