Coach Certification Requirements
Coaching Checklist
The following will detail everything that must be completed to be eligible as a coach for the coming season. For the 18U, 16U, 14U and 12U levels, LHA is requiring that all coaches, head and assistant, have the first six items completed by September 10 of the current season. 10U coaches are required to have their requirements done by September 20 of the current year.
USA Hockey requires that the online age-specific module be completed before a coach can be on the bench or ice. If the items are not completed, a coach will not be permitted to participate in sanctioned activities until completed.
All information regarding the coach requirements can be found HERE.
USA Hockey National Background Screening Policy Review Procedure
To confirm your CEP #, completed modules and CEP Expiration, please click HERE.
Explanation on each requirement:
- USA Hockey Registration: Annual registration. You will receive an electronic copy of your registration from USA Hockey.
- USA Hockey SafeSport Certification: A 90-minute video with tests. The Safe Sport Training and Refresher Training are each valid for twelve (12) months beginning on 4/1/22. Safesport is now a yearly requirement and consists of a core course followed by three refresher courses. Every fourth year one must take the core course again.
- USA Hockey Background Screen: Registration fee - $30. You must submit a new background screening every two years. If you are unsure if you need to complete it, please ask the Registrar. Background screening is done through NCSI and takes an average of 10 - 14 business days to be completed. Please plan ahead! You will not be able to be placed on a roster or coach until the screening is complete. We recommend completing your screening by August 1st to allow enough time for it to clear. USA Hockey has already entered your self-registration ID number on the first page of the screen. You do not need to change this number.
- Online Concussion Training: Annual certification with no cost. You must have this completed before you can be added to any roster. You will receive a certificate and email confirmation.
- USA Hockey Age-Specific Modules:
• Coaches MUST have the appropriate module completed PRIOR to being placed on a roster.
• Age Modules did change in the 2023-24 season from the 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U and 16U/18U/19U modules and will combine some age classifications. The new modules are 8U, 10U/12U and 13 Plus.
• If a coach already has a 10U module and coaching a 10U team, they do not need to take the new 10U/12U module. However, if they are coaching a 12U team and did not have the 12U module then they would need to take the new 10U/12U module.
6. USA Hockey Coaching Education Program Clinic:
- This must be completed by December 15 of the current season. Find clinics here. CEP courses will be offered in person and virtually. You can take a virtual course offered by any state.
- All coaches must enter USA Hockey’s Coaching Education Program at Level 1 and must continue their education with a coaching clinic every year until, at a minimum, they achieve Level 4. Coaches of only 8 and Under players, as well as coaches of disabled hockey, may remain at a Level 1 or other certification level, even if expired, until such time as they are coaching any older age level of play or something other than disabled hockey.
Coaching Education Information
• Level 1, 2, 3 will be valid for one season
• As of the 2021-22 season, coaches who obtained a Level 4 are part of the continuing education path. Their education will be valid for three (3) seasons; coach needs to take 5 credits of continuing education to advance the expiration to the next threeyear cycle.
• As of the 2021-22 season, coaches who obtained a Level 5 will be valid for four (4) seasons. If a coach was a Level 4 with expiration of 12/31/2099 then the Level 5 will also stay with the 12/31/2099 unless that individual in the future coaches a Tier I or Tier II team, then they would change to the continuing education based on the grandfather clause below.
• Grandfathered Level 4 & 5 coaches; if the coach had their Level 4 or 5 prior to January 1, 2021, and was not a coach on a category Tier I or Tier II roster since that date, they are grandfathered into the system and their expiration remains as 12/31/2099. If they do coach on a category Tier I or Tier II roster from the 2020-21 season or after, the expiration changed from 12/31/2099 to the three-year or four-year expiration and they are now on the continuing education path. Once a grandfathered coach is on the continuing education path they will remain on that path.
• Continuing Education courses will be provided by the Coaches Section; these could be virtual or in-person courses, online videos, or clinics. Additional information can be found online https://www.usahockey.com/coaching-continuingeducation
• The Registry/Admin will include information on the CEP Level as well as how many earned credits a coach has available. This will show in reports, in personnel and in roster views.
• A coach who is on continuing education path is required to earn 5 credits before their expiration date; if they earn more than 5 credits once they reach their expiration date all earned credits will go to zero and the expiration will move out to a new expiration date (3 years for Level 4, four years for Level 5). Extra credits over 5 will not carry over.
