To become a volunteer AYSO Head Coach or Assistant Coach:

1.	Submit Volunteer Coach Application at ayso41.org.
2.	Complete an online background check. (After submitting your volunteer application, look for an email from [email protected] You must follow this link to initiate the background check.)
3.	Complete required online volunteer safety courses through ETrainU/AYSO-U. (Once you submit an application, you will see a link that takes you to the "AYSOU" online training portal.) The four online courses are: Safe Haven, Concussion Awareness, SafeSport, and Sudden Cardiac Arrest. Login to your account as above, click the "Volunteer menu" on the left, and find the "AYSOU" button under your name on your Volunteer page. On our training site, click "Training Library" on the left Under "Safe Haven Courses" click "View Courses" Complete the Safe Haven Online Course Complete the CDC Concussion Awareness Online Course Complete the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Online Course Save your certificates (if the system allows) Complete "Safe Sport" at the following link: https://safesporttrained.org/?KeyName=tsVWe36Xa6PS3b5NzOug .
4.	NEW! Complete a LIVESCAN (live fingerprinting). This is a one-time process. Visit the AYSO LiveScan webpage for links to sign-up.
5.	Take in-person certification course for the age level at which you will coach*. *You can take a course through Region 41, or ANY AYSO Region. To find courses, go to your volunteer profile and follow the "AYSOU" link.

 

COACH TRAINING CLASSES

All AYSO assistant and head coaches must obtain certification in each age group they coach. The Coach Certification Courses must be completed in-person.

Note: The In-person certification class is not the same thing as the annual Coach meeting.

A coach can be the most influential person in a child’s life. In AYSO, Positive Coaching (one of AYSO Six Tenets) is a fundamental philosophy because of the crucial role that a coach has. Coaching in AYSO is a chance to spend quality time with your own child and you’ll also serve as an important role model for all the children on your team. In fact, the joy of coaching is so meaningful that many AYSO coaches continue coaching long after their own children have moved on from AYSO. Soccer knowledge is a plus, but AYSO provides age appropriate training and materials so that even a soccer novice can coach effectively by starting in the younger age divisions. Being a coach involves skills you probably already have in addition to specific soccer knowledge. If you are uncertain, try being an assistant coach. The Regional Coach Administrator or Division Coordinator will be happy to match you up with a coach that has a little more experience.

All coaches must be AYSO registered volunteers, take Safe haven (online), Concussion Awareness (online) and be age appropriately certified. To register as a volunteer you must complete the online volunteer application on this website. Once you are registered you can sign up for a training class through the www.AYSOU.org web site.

The difference you can make in the life of a child is immeasurable and incredibly rewarding. Sign up to coach today.

Coach Certification

Division	Recreational Play	EXTRA Play Teams
5U/6U	Safe Haven (Online) CDC Concussion, 6U Coach	n/a
7U/8U	Safe Haven (Online) CDC Concussion, 8U Coach	n/a
9U	Safe Haven (Online) CDC Concussion, 10U Coach	Safe Haven (Online) CDC Concussion, 10U Coach, 12U Coach and Regional Referee
10U	Safe Haven (Online) CDC Concussion, 10U Coach	Safe Haven (Online) CDC Concussion, 10U Coach, 12U Coach and Regional Referee
11U-12U	Safe Haven (Online) CDC Concussion 12U Coach	Safe Haven (Online) CDC Concussion 12U Coach, Intermediate Coach and Regional Referee
13U-14U	Safe Haven (Online) CDC Concussion Intermediate Coach	Safe Haven (Online) CDC Concussion Advanced Coach and Regional Referee
16U-19U	Safe Haven (Online) CDC Concussion Advanced Coach	n/a

*Certification requirements apply to both Head Coach and Assistant Coach

 

Certification	Prerequisites
Safe Haven & Concussion Awareness (online)	Nothing
6U Coach	Nothing
8U Coach	Nothing
10U Coach	Nothing
12U Coach	Nothing
Intermediate Coach	12U Coach
Advanced Coach	Intermediate
National Coach	Advanced Coach

 

UPCOMING TRAINING

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Registration:

Pre-registration is not required unless specified. However, classes with low enrollment may be cancelled at the class start time or a couple of days before hand. Unless otherwise noted, please sign up for the class in advance through www.AYSOU.org.  To register for a class, you must be a registered volunteer and have your AYSO ID number. Your AYSO ID is displayed in Blue Sombrero and AYSOU once you have logged in.

Location:

It is normally advantageous to attend a course offered in your own region, as the class will be closer, you will have more opportunity to meet coaches in your city and you will receive region-specific information about policies and practices. You may attend any AYSO course offered at any location to receive coach training and certification.

Cost:

Many classes have a fee associated with them. For AYSO classes within Region 41, these fees are applicable only for those volunteers from outside Area 11L. If you are a volunteer from outside Area 11L, please bring a check (no cash please) made out to “Region 41”. Area 11L volunteers do not need to bring a check for any training offered within the area. Area 11L volunteers are those from one of the regions listed on the Area 11L Regions page.

Be aware that to be covered under the Volunteer Protection Act you must be certified and trained by attending at least two classes: (1) Safe Haven Certification and (2) Age specific training. For example, if you coach in the 8U divisions you must attend a 8U course; a 12U certification will only cover those coaching in the 12U division. Also note that an intermediate or advanced certificate does not confer all lower age-specific certifications. Therefore, a coach who holds a 12U and an intermediate certificate and wishes to coach 10U must then earn a 10U certificate. Most regions adhere to this as minimum coaching requirements.

Safe Haven Certification

All AYSO Coaches must complete the Safe Haven (Online) certification. This ensures that the well-being of the child is placed first, the philosophies of AYSO are understood and teaches the coaches risk management to avoid putting themselves in positions hazardous to themselves and the children. It is also part of the requirements to be covered under the Volunteer Protection Act.

Age-Specific Training – 6U, 8U, 10U & 12U Coach Certifications

These four coaching courses focus on working with the player in these age divisions to create a fun learning environment. Coaches in 6U, 8U, 10U & 12U must have the age specific coach certification for the age they are coaching. There are no substitutes nor will higher level courses satisfy the requirement. These courses have no pre-requisite and may be taken individually or in any order.

Intermediate, Advanced and National Coach Certifications

These upper level courses build upon each other, thus a coach with the Advanced Coach certification may also coach teams needing only the Intermediate Coach certification. However, these do not confer the age-specific certification needed to coach 6U-12U. A coach who holds an Intermediate Coach or above certification and wishes to coach in 10U, must also hold a 10U Coach certification. 14U coaches must have at least the Intermediate Coach certification. 16U and 19U coaches must have the Advanced Coach certification. The National Coach certification is for coaches who desire to further advance their skills and offer a greater level of support to their region.