Background checks for volunteers are good for 15 months. When you're within 3 months of the expiration date, you can start the renewal process. You can also use this process if you're a new volunteer.
Returning volunteers: you can submit a renewal when you see an ! next to "Risk Status" on the volunteer tab, or "Risk Status" says "Expired":
To start a new background check (needed yearly):- Log in to this website
- Go to Volunteer section of My Account
- If "Risk Status" says None or Expired you can start a background check. If it says Green but there's an exclamation point next to it (!) like the screen shot above, then you can also start your renewal.
- Check the box next to Risk Status (on the left)
- Click the Renew & Update button
- Fill out the form that comes up and click the Submit button - there may be more than one form or submit step
- Check your email for a link to Sterling Volunteers. You must log into the Sterling Volunteers website to complete the application and submission. The email comes from "American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) <[email protected]>" with Subject "Your AYSO Background Check is Incomplete". Please check your spam/junk folder, as it often ends there. Searching your email often doesn't search the spam/junk folder, so you need to open it manually.
- You should get an email when your background check is successfully submitted: "You did it! You're on your way to becoming a Sterling Volunteer!"
- You should get an email when your background check is complete. They also send emails if there are issues.
- You do NOT need to pay for the background check; the organization covers the fees
Troubleshooting
If you submitted your background check at least a week ago, but the Status in the
Volunteer Dashboard is still showing as Pending, Submitted, or Gray, you likely have an email from AYSO and/or Sterling Volunteers (likely in your spam or junk folder) that you need to respond to. Searching your email often does not search your spam/junk folder, so you may need to look for it manually.