Terry Foster: Now This Makes Me Nervous

My daughter Celine is deeply involved in soccer. I actually think she has the talent to play in college if she sticks with it. That means overnight soccer camps, one on one time with coaches and many hours away from me and my wife.

It worries me a bit. Over the past few days we've been rocked with the child molestation charges of former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. He reportedly had sex with under-aged boys for years. And then we hear about Syracuse basketball assistant Bernie Fine supposedly did the same with two other boys, although I am not totally buying the ESPN story.

But it gives you pause as a parent. How can you trust coaches with your children?

We are deciding whether to send Celine to overnight camp at Michigan State University or Central Michigan University. I do not know any of the coaches and it is not likely I will get a chance to. I am gambling on blind faith that everything will be above board and that my child will be safe. I trust both schools and I am a mostly trusting person. Sometimes I wonder if I will get burned because of that.

If I do I hope it is not with my children.

I lectured Celine and my son Little B about not allowing anybody to touch them. I told them to stay with kids of their own age at camp and not to venture off on their own. And if anybody touches them they are to tell somebody immediately. There are no secrets. I also told them to say no in a loud voice. They said its already been discussed in school. They know the drill.

I do not want to smother their lives. I do not want to be one of those parents always looking over their shoulder.

All I've got is blind faith and I must be smart not to put them in a strange setting and I must know where they are at all times.

I am sure they will be safe and sound and a guy told me these are isolated incidents. I think he is right. It just makes me a little nervous.