Coach & Team Personnel Training/Certification Requirements for SSA-sanctioned Tournaments

RE: Coaching Staff and Team Personnel Training and Certification Requirements for participation in SSA-sanctioned Tournaments  
 
Tournament Organizers and Member Organizations, Entities, Teams, Coaches and Team Personnel (Managers, Trainers, Gender Representatives, Medical Staff, etc.) participating in SSA-sanctioned tournaments are reminded of the registration, training and certification requirements for coaching staff and team personnel as of January 1, 2016.
 
Individuals that do not meet the training and certification requirements are not permitted to coach in sanctioned tournaments. If a team does not have a minimum of one coach who meets the requirements on the bench for all tournament games, they are not eligible to participate in SSA-sanctioned tournaments.
 
As a part of the requirements of sanctioning, the onus is on the Tournament Organizer to collect the required information, including Respect in Sport and/or NCCP numbers, in order to verify training and certification and to ensure the required standards are being met by all participating teams. If a Tournament Organizer allows participation without the requirements being met, the tournament may be subject to disciplinary sanctions as outlined in the Tournament Sanctioning Policy under Compliance. For additional information on acceptable processes for the confirmation of coach and team personnel, please refer to the section below.
 
Registration Requirements (no changes from 2015):
 

• Any individual listed on a game sheet must be properly registered as a Coach or Team Personnel with the SSA through a Member Organization. For additional information on registration, please refer to Policies and Procedures Manual Section Two: Member Rights and Responsibilities, Policy 4.9.

 
Training and Certification Requirements (new requirements for 2016 are identified):
 

• All Coaching Staff and Team Personnel must have completed Respect in Sport training in accordance with the policies of the SSA. For additional information on Respect in Sport, please refer to Policies and Procedures Manual Section Thirteen: Risk Management, Policy 1.

• A minimum of one member of the Coaching Staff or Team Personnel must be of the same gender as the players. A member of the Coaching Staff or Team Personnel of the same gender as the players must be on the bench for all games.

• Coaching Certification: SSA Youth Coaches at U8 and older (FUNdamentals, Learning to Train and Soccer for Life stages) and Competitive Senior Coaches (Competitive Senior Coaches are those coaches whose teams enter Provincial Championships, play in tournaments or play games outside of the jurisdiction of their M.O.) must be “Trained” at the age and level they coach as outlined below and/or within the rules and regulations of the competition they are coaching:

• All members of the Coaching Staff (Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches and Apprentice/Developmental Coaches) must have completed the appropriate coach training and/or certification as follows:

• U8: FUNdamentals + NCCP Making Ethical Decisions Module (MED) and/or Online Evaluation (NEW BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2016)

• U10 – U12: Learning to Train + NCCP Making Ethical Decisions Module (MED) and/or Online Evaluation

 

• U14 & up: Soccer for Life + NCCP Making Ethical Decisions Module (MED) and/or Online Evaluation

 
Confirmation of Coaching Staff and Team Personnel Training and Certification Requirements
 
As a part of the requirements of sanctioning, the onus is on the Tournament Organizer to collect the required information in order to verify training and certification and to ensure the required standards are being met by all participating teams. Tournament Organizers found to have allowed the participation of coaches and/or team personnel that do not meet the training and certification requirements will be subject to discipline, unless it can be demonstrated that the Tournament Organizer received confirmation of registration, training and certification from the team and/or individual coach or team personnel, at which point the sanction would be applied to the individual or team found to have provided false information.
 
From the perspective of the Tournament Organizer, acceptable forms of verification of Coaching Staff and Team Personnel Training and Certification Requirements may include the following:
 

• At time of Roster Submission – Respect in Sport and NCCP numbers are collected and a check box indicating that the coach/team personnel is registered and meets the required training and certification is included at the time of roster submission. If the numbers are provided and box checked by the team, the responsibility shifts to the individual should he/she be found to not have the required registration, certification or training.

• After Roster Submission – Should a coach and/or team personnel be added to a roster after the time of roster submission, Respect in Sport and NCCP numbers as well as confirmation of registration, certification and training should be obtained in writing from the team and/or Member Organization with whom the individual participates.

• During a Tournament with Electronic Game sheets – If the game sheet is signed by hand, the signature of a representative of the team shall be taken as confirmation that all listed coaches and team personnel meet the required registration, certification or training. If the game sheet is not signed by hand, the submission of the roster shall be taken as confirmation that all listed coaches and team personnel meet the required registration, certification or training as outlined above.   

• During Tournament without Electronic Game sheets – If the game sheet is completed by hand, the signature of a representative of the team shall be taken as confirmation that all listed coaches and team personnel meet the required registration, certification or training.

 
For more information on Tournament Sanctioning, please contact:
 
Octavian Iliuta
Coordinator of Competitions and Referee Development
306-975-0894
o.iliuta@sasksoccer.com
 
For more information on Coaching and Team Personnel Training and Certification, please contact:
 
Udo Baecker
Coordinator of Sport of All
306-780-9225 ext. 2
u.baecker@sasksoccer.com