Coach Credentials and Safety

本文为草稿，待 BC 律师审阅 / Draft — pending review by a BC lawyer

A child's safety always matters more than any rating. This page explains the credential badges on private coach profiles and what parents can do to keep children safe.

Two things first:

• If a child is in danger right now, call 911.
• A badge only tells you that on a certain date we saw a certain document or received a certain pledge. It does not replace your own judgement and attention.

1. Which coaches have badges

• Only private coaches who apply to be listed on this site have a profile and badges. Coaches in the clubs, schools and community programs we list (including volunteer coaches and school teachers) do not have individual profiles and are not reviewed. Their screening is the responsibility of their organization, and you can ask the organization about it (see section 5).
• Every listed coach's profile shows all five checks. Any check that has not been completed or verified is shown as "未核实 / Not verified" — it is never hidden.
• Every badge shows the date it was verified, and checks that expire also show an expiry date. After that date the badge shows "已过期 / Expired".

2. What each badge means — and does not mean

Identity

• Means: on the date shown, we viewed the coach's government-issued photo ID and confirmed that the name matches the profile.
• Does not mean: anything about the coach's background, qualifications, experience or character, or that anything else on the profile has been verified.

Police / Vulnerable Sector Check

• Means: on the date shown, the coach showed us the result of a police information check that included a vulnerable sector check, and the result did not show relevant records.
• Expiry: the badge automatically shows as "Expired" 3 years after the check date shown on the badge, and the coach must submit a new check result.
• Does not mean: a check reflects only records that police systems could find on the day it was issued. It cannot reveal conduct that was never reported or recorded, or anything that happened after it was issued, and it cannot predict anyone's future behaviour.

Safe Sport Training

• Means: the coach showed us a record of completing safe sport training, such as a course offered by the Coaching Association of Canada or an equivalent. This kind of training generally covers recognizing and preventing abuse, harassment and bullying, and how to respond to concerns.
• Does not mean: completing training does not guarantee that a coach follows it.

NCCP

• Means: the coach showed us a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) record. The badge states the context and status shown on the record, such as "In Training", "Trained" or "Certified". "Trained" means the relevant courses were completed; "Certified" usually also requires passing a practical evaluation.
• Does not mean: an NCCP record shows the coach has had structured coach education, but not that their coaching is effective or that they are the right fit for your child.

Rule of Two Pledge

• Means: on the date shown, the coach pledged to us in writing to follow the Rule of Two (see section 4).
• Does not mean: this is the coach's own commitment, and we cannot supervise any session. You still need to confirm that sessions are set up this way.

3. How we check

1. The coach applies to be listed and shows us a document for each check.
2. An authorized staff member reviews each document: whether the name matches the ID, whether dates are current, whether the document is complete, and whether there are signs of alteration.
3. After viewing, we delete any copies of the document. We record only the type of check, the result, the date checked, the expiry date (where relevant), a brief note of how it was checked, and who checked it. We never publish any document's contents.
4. The profile shows the type of check, the result and the date.
5. When a check expires and is not renewed, the badge shows "Expired". If we learn of anything that may affect a check, we pause the coach's profile until it is resolved.

We check documents, and we cannot completely rule out forged documents. A badge is not our endorsement or guarantee of a coach.

4. What is the Rule of Two?

The Rule of Two is a widely used principle in Canadian sport for protecting young athletes. Its core idea: a coach should not be alone with an individual minor athlete where they cannot be seen or heard by others. In situations where risk can arise — a closed room, driving a child alone, travel to competitions and so on — another screened adult should be present, or the session should take place in an open setting where it can be observed and interrupted at any time.

For a private coach, this usually means:

• Training in a public or observable place, such as an open court, field or gym, or somewhere a parent can watch;
• A parent or another screened adult is present, or can walk in and watch at any time;
• No one-on-one time with a child in a closed space that no one else can see;
• No driving a child alone;
• Texts, direct messages and emails with a child include the parent or are visible to the parent, and relate only to training.

Exact practices vary by sport and venue; please confirm details with the coach or organization.

5. What parents should still do

A badge is a starting point. Whether or not a coach has badges, we suggest you:

• Check the badge dates. If needed, ask the coach to show you their latest check result directly.
• Meet first and watch first. Try to be there for the first session to see how the coach works.
• Confirm where and how: where training takes place, who else will be there, and how your child gets there and back.
• Agree on communication: messages between the coach and your child should be visible to you.
• Ask clubs and organizations how they screen coaches and volunteers, whether they have a safe sport policy, whether they are a member of the relevant provincial sport organization (PSO), and who to contact if there is a problem.
• Talk with your child about what is not okay (such as being asked to keep secrets, receiving private gifts, inappropriate touching or conversations), and make sure they know they can always tell you about anything that makes them uncomfortable without getting into trouble.
• Notice changes: if your child suddenly does not want to go, seems afraid of someone, or their mood or behaviour changes, take time to find out why.
• Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, you can pause sessions while you find out more.

6. How to raise a concern

Emergencies

• A child is in danger right now: call 911 or your local police.

If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected

• In BC, anyone who has reason to believe a child is being abused or neglected has a legal duty to report it. Contact Provincial Centralized Screening at the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD): 1-800-663-9122 (24 hours a day, every day). If a child is in immediate danger, call 911 first, then this number.
• Children and youth who feel unsafe can call the Helpline for Children: 1-877-631-8282 (any time, free, no need to give a name).

Telling us

• Click "Report" on the relevant page and choose "Serious concern", or email [safety@yourdomain].
• Only a small number of authorized staff can see these reports, and related content is hidden while we review it.
• Where a concern appears credible, we refer it to the police, MCFD, or the relevant club or provincial sport organization.
• We are not an investigative body, and we do not publish allegations on the site. Telling us is not a substitute for reporting to police or MCFD.

Telling the organization

• General concerns (such as communication, management or fees) can be raised with the club or organization first. Many organizations and provincial sport organizations have their own complaint or safe sport processes.

Phone numbers checked in October 2026 against the Government of British Columbia website. If they change, the official listing applies.