Coaches and Volunteers

2023- 2024 Coaching and Volunteer Information

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AS A COACH/MANAGER/VOLUNTEER

STEPS TO BECOME A USA HOCKEY COACH

USA Hockey and the Coaching Education Program (CEP) require both certification and registration to be eligible to coach. Registration is done online on a yearly basis. Certification is also required.

USA Hockey Requirements (Must be completed before participating in any on-ice or off-ice activities.)

1. Register as a member of USA Hockey. Must be done yearly, cost is $76. **** Please email your USA Hockey number to your area director ****

2. Complete the Background Screen.

Important Background Check Note: All new screens submitted through the new NCSI national screening program after April 1, 2021 will be valid for two years.

3. Complete the USA Hockey SafeSport Training. (If this is your first year, you must complete the Core Module training. If you are a returning coach, a refresher is required every year. You can not participate or be added to a roster until completed. New Coaches need to complete the Core module.)

SafeSport Training and Background Check need to be completed PRIOR to the start of the season and BEFORE you have any on-ice or off-ice contact with players!

Who needs to complete SafeSport Training and Background Check?
Coaches
Referees
Team Managers
Volunteers
Locker Room Monitors
Board Members
Billet Parents
Anyone with routine access to players

SafeSport Training - ALL COACHES AND VOLUNTEERS MUST COMPLETE SAFESPORT CORE TRAINING THIS SEASON!! SafeSport needs to be complete before participating in any on-ice or off-ice activities. SafeSport Core and Refresher training are each valid for one (1) season beginning on 4/1/21. Once you have completed the Core SafeSport Course, there will be a Refresher Course available for individuals who have previously completed the Core SafeSport Course and need to re-certify. This is an online course, see link below. There is no cost for this training and it's available online. Click HERE for link to SafeSport Training.

4. Complete the online age-specific module(s) for the age level of play you are coaching. (Cost is $10 per module and only needs to be completed once per age level. Must be completed PRIOR to participating in any team activities and cannot be added to a roster until completed.)

Age Specific Modules: USA Hockey requires that coaches take an online course specific for the age of players you will be coaching. You only have to take each age module once. This module needs to be completed BEFORE coaching or any contact with players on-ice or off-ice. Click HERE for link to Age Specific Modules.

5. Find, register, and attend (virtually or in-person) the required certification clinic. The cost is $55. You can only attend one clinic per season and all coaches start at Level 1. Click here to locate a clinic or to take one virtually. Coaching Education Program (Levels 1-5) Certification Clinic Requirements. Must be completed by Dec. 31, 2023. (Level 4 has been shortened to a one-day Clinic.)

USA Hockey will conduct its Level 1-4 coaching certification clinics virtually.

Virtual clinics include 30-50 coaches at a time. Coaches can find scheduled clinics here and registration information here.

Volunteers: Off-ice volunteers only need to complete Steps 1-3 above and register using the following link. USA Hockey membership is free for off-ice volunteers.

Coaches complete Steps 1-5.
Off-Ice Volunteers complete Steps 1-3.

NEW CEP REQUIREMENTS 2023-2024

USA Hockey no longer offers Level 3 Re-certification online. Coaches must advance to Level 4 however the Level 4 clinic can be taken online or in person and has been shortened to a one day clinic.

Once Level 4 is achieved, coaches will need to complete 5 credit hours of continuing education within each subsequent three-year period.

See below information for specific details.

(1) Required Coaching Education Program Levels for Ice Hockey

All coaches must have the required certification level by January 1 of the current season, unless earlier deadlines are established by the district and/or affiliate.

All coaches must complete the online age-specific modules PRIOR to participating with their team.

(a) All coaches must enter USA Hockey's Coaching Education Program at Level 1, and must continue their education with a coaching clinic each year until, at a minimum, they achieve Level 4. Coaches of only 8 and Under players should remain at Level 1 until such time as they are coaching any older age level of play.

A coach may attend only one (1) certification clinic per year.

Once Level 4 is achieved, coaches will need to complete 5 credit hours of continuing education within each subsequent three-year period [as outlined in Paragraph (c) below].

(b) In addition to the training in paragraph (a) above, coaches must also complete online age-specific training modules specific to the level of play they are coaching, if they have not already taken that module. This requirement applies to all coaches at all levels, 1 through 5. Coaches may complete more than one age-specific module in any given season.

(c) Effective in the 2021-22 season, coaching certification at Levels 4 and 5 is valid for three (3) seasons, as indicated by the expiration date. Before the expiration of their level, coaches must accumulate 5 credit hours of continuing education by either taking Level 5, or by attending other USA Hockey continuing education clinics. The USA Hockey clinic listings will indicate all continuing education offerings and the credit value of each. The Coaching Education Program retains the responsibility for defining continuing education credit values, including clinic or online course work.

(d) Grandfather Clause
For those coaches who received Level 4 or Level 5 PRIOR TO January 1, 2021, only coaches of Tier I and Tier II teams are required to do continuing education as required in (c) above.

(e) Previous/Expired Certifications
Coaches with any expired certification will retain their previous certification levels provided the certification can be verified. Coaches may re-enter the certification system at that previous level and be subject to the certification guidelines in (a) through (c) above.

(f) Coach Conduct

All coaches are required to fill out the coaches code of contact, please click on the link to proceed: Code of Conduct

(2) Evidence of Level

It is the responsibility of the local association to identify those coaches who do not meet the certification requirements. All coaches have until December 31 of the current season, or earlier date as established by the district and/or affiliate, to attend a USA Hockey coaching clinic. All coaches must complete the online age-specific modules PRIOR to participating with their team. Prior to the start of all games throughout the season all coaches are required to indicate their current certification status on the scoresheet, regardless of their certification level. All coaches (except for juniors) must legibly print their USA Hockey Coaching Education Program (CEP) card number, their CEP level (levels 1-5), their online age-specific playing level module and the year their CEP level expires. Beginning January 1 of the current season, prior to the start of each game, all coaches present are required to sign the designated area of the scoresheet in order to verify the accuracy of the player roster, as it appears on the scoresheet, for that game.

(3) Penalty and Enforcement
Any coach not in possession of these certification requirements will be ineligible to coach for the remainder of the season. Districts and/or affiliates are required to uphold this penalty. It will be the responsibility of the local association registering the team to enforce the national policy.

OHC Incident Reporting Form

Coaches Education general rule: Coaches start with Level 1 and advance one level each year unless you are coaching 8U in which you can stay at Level 1 until you advance to 10U Squirts.