Newspaper Page Text
Page 2— Wednesday, October 12, 2022, The True Citizen
Willow Lane
season
A ribbon cutting took place for Willow Lane in Downtown Waynesboro October 7.
County looks at new coaching guidelines
SHELLIE SMITLEY
thetruecitizen.shellie@gmail.com
The lack of a background
check policy has some long
term coaches asking the Board
of Commissioners to recon
sider their dismissals.
Last month, three football
coaches approached the BOC,
appealing the decision to ter
minate their positions based
on charges in their pasts. Rec
reation Department Director
Stephen Waskey, hired in
March, noticed the only policy
pertaining to coaches, was
obsolete since the Rec Depart
ment is no longer shared with
the city of Waynesboro.
Waskey looked to the Na
tional Parks and Recreation
Association (NPRA), National
Youths Sports Council, along
with what other surrounding
counties for guidance in de
veloping a new policy.
“We put in place for this
season, the NPRA guide
lines,” Waskey said of the de
cision approved by the BOC.
“For right now, until we set a
policy.”
When Waskey ran current
criminal background checks
on the coaches, approximately
six of them did not meet the
criteria to coach. Under the
NPRA guidelines, Driving
Under the Influence (DUI)
and other non-violent misde
meanor charges must not have
occurred during the previous
five years. Non-violent, non-
sexual felonies must not have
occurred during the last 10
years. One coach in question
had been coaching for more
than three decades, two more
had been coaching for ap
proximately five years.
“I feel the background
checks were being done, I
am not sure how the process
was going besides that,” com
mented Waskey regarding why
the coaches were allowed to
participate before he was hired.
The BOC has not made an
official decision on the appeal
made by the three coaches.
However, they have notified
Waskey they want to see a pol
icy that excludes people from
coaching if they have been
charged with both misdemean
or or felony charges within five
years. They recommended one
year for one DUI and five years
for multiple DUIs. The BOC
will be presented with the new
policy October 11. If approved,
the new guidelines will enable
two of the three coaches that
appealed to be qualified for
reinstatement.
“Violent felonies and sex
offenses are still a ‘no’ at all,”
Waskey said.
Waskey said he thinks the
new policy is a bit lenient for
convicted felons and added
that he would have preferred
the BOC match Swainsboro’s
policy that states felony con
victions must be at least six
years in the past. However,
Waskey said his religious be
liefs lead him to an understand
ing of forgiveness and a non-
judgmental attitude. He is not
opposed to the BOC reinstating
the coaches to their positions.
He believes that someone who
has learned from past mistakes,
can teach children not to take
the same path.
“All three of these coaches
who appealed are great guys,”
he said. “I have talked to them.
Their hearts are in the right
place and they have learned
from their mistakes, but they
have to realize that I am trying
to make this a safe and clean
environment for the kids. I sat
down and told them the appeal
process. I felt they had a good
fight on the appeal. People
make mistakes. I have only
known one perfect person on
this plant and that was Jesus.”
Finding people to coach
football and basketball is not
as difficult as finding coaches
to mentor the kids on the soccer
teams. Growing in popularity,
130 children are registered for
the spring sport.
“Soccer coaches are hard
to find,” Waskey said. “A lot
of people don’t know about
soccer and when people don’t
know about a sport, they get
intimidated to try and coach it.”
The Rec Department part
ners with Burke County High
School to offer clinics to peo
ple willing to coach. Waskey
is also looking into training
that gives guidance on how
to mentor youth. Many of the
coaches get certified through
National Alliance for Youth
Sports (NAYS) which offers
training in coaching children.
Participation in sports is not
just about learning how to play
a game.
“You are teaching them the
fundamentals of the sport,”
Waskey said. “But you are also
teaching them teamworking
skills, you are teaching them
conflict resolution skills, listen
ing skills, respect for authority
and there is a lot of things that
fall into that.”
DO YOU NEED HELP DRAFTING A WILL,
OR OTHER DOCUMENTS TO MAKE YOUR
IMPORTANT WISHES KNOWN?
MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2022 10:00 A.M. TO 2:00 P.M.
BURKE COUNTY SENIOR CENTER
717 W. 6TH STREET, WAYNESBORO, GA 30830
Forty-three seasons in and
the Waynesboro-Burke Con
cert Series (WBCS) is still
bringing top-rated artists to
town. As true to their nature,
the group has put together a
line-up that has something for
everyone this season.
Beginning on Saturday, Oct.
22, the group welcomes Elvis
tribute artist Jason Sikes and
the Sassy Brass Band. The
show is sponsored by First
National Bank of Waynesboro.
Ryan Abel and Friends will
bring their Tribute to Lau
rel Canyon act featuring hits
from the ’60s and ’70s to
Waynesboro on Saturday, Nov.
19, through the sponsorship
of Daniels-Chevrolet-Buick-
GMC and Bird Dog Motors.
To help ring in 2023, the
WBCS board hosts Deas-
Guyz. Mixing elements that
include everything from Old
Motown to rock and dance,
the ensemble will perform on
Friday, Jan. 20,2023. The con
cert is sponsored by Keystone
Power Co. Financial Planning
Team.
Wrapping up the season
in April, the Malpass Broth
ers are bringing retro back.
This time-traveling journey,
sponsored by Georgia Power/
Plant Vogtle and Waynesboro
Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram,
will take place Saturday, April
29,2023.
All shows are held at the
Burke County Office Park in
Waynesboro beginning at 7
p.m.
Tickets may be purchased at
burkeconcert.org or by calling
706.526.5062.
Southern
Bank
Special offer available at:
Space is limited and advance registration is required!
M Ik
Interested individuals
must complete the
registration process by
calling (762) 201-3331
no later than Friday,
November 11.
For more information,
contact Michelle Torres
at mtorres@glsp.org.
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731 Charles Perry Ave., Sardis, GA 30456
855 Liberty St., Waynesboro, GA 30830
2455 Highway 88, Hephzibah, GA 30815
21 College St., Gibson, GA 30810
706-437-9977
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