New Coach

A lot depends on where you want to take your coaching, what ages and levels you want to coach, etc.

You are on the right track right now taking the G and then F. Your would then be looking at the E and the highest license you can get in your state is the D. You can receive a State D or a National D if you do a great job. You will need to pass for your National D and then wait a year before you can take any of the USSF National C, B, A courses and each has a year wait in between.

The courses will be good becasue it will get you thinking about how to get organized in practice planning, season planning, topics planning, and feedback focus.

Also, there is nothing like experience as well - so don't wait to take all these licenses before you start coaching in some capacity, even if you start with a local youth team.

Search the forum for the differences between USSF and NSCAA.

Good luck!

 

Check out the US Youth Soccer's National Youth License, http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=6&url_article_id=1313&change_well_id=2. For financial aid go to the Chris Nedelcovych Soccer Foundation, www.cnsfund.org.

Good luck

 

If the G and F are the courses for below U10, they are what, 4 hours each?

I'm not knocking them, they are great for parent coaches with little kids and might help you learn how to work with kids.

But you can skip those and go directly to the E with playing experience. That is what, a 2 day course? It gives you a taste of what to expect with the D. Also when I took the D, we had people who were in college taking it without having had the E.

You should look at the Chris Nedelcovych Soccer Foundation for some help. And it might help you pay.

With a National Youth License, you would have some versatility.

BTW: dncm gave you the best advice, start volunteering and coaching.

 

Look at your state coach's page. Which state are you in?

For example, we don't have the G and F. We have Youth Module I and II. You can skip those and start on the E in my opinion. Especially if you are not working with really young kids.

And for Oklahoma:

• There is no prerequisite certification for the ‘E’ certificate course. This course is open to anybody older than 16.

 

Yes, and wow, my D course last year was $165.

Try and take the G and F right after each other. I know when I took the equivalent of the G, they told me I could take the F the next day.

 

In Mass:
The G is geared towards the U6 and U8 player (4 hours)
The F is geared towrds the U10 and U12 player (8 hours)
The E is geared towards the U10/12 player and Up - more tactics, practice planning, etc (16 hours)

I have plenty of college playing experience but I still went through all the courses(they were free since my town reimbursed the cost - all I had to give up was the time) - there was plenty of benefit for new coaches, even if your goal was to coach high school, club, or college. Plenty about dealing with parents, organizaing practice plans, and season plans, etc - all those things that you will definitely face that don't necessarily deal with actual soccer techniques and tactics (although there is plenty of that as well).

There are some waivers if you really want, contact Mass Youth - but personally I wanted to make sure when I got to the D, I was well prepared and passed for the National on the first try. Now I have my National "B" and going for "A" next year.

Good Luck.

 

Does anybody know if in New York you need the "F" to take the "E" course? Or even if I can take the "D" course immediately ?

I emailed the contact they had on the website and they told me that I can take the "F" without any prerequisites, but I was reading about E, and it didn't say anything about needing the "F" certificate.

 

Is there a lot of opportunities out there for a coach with a "B" license ?

 

It isn't the license which gets you work, it is the coaching.

One of the guys in my D License course was taking his team to its second nationals. The lack of the D didn't hinder him coaching them.

I know a coach who got frustrated with getting the same evaluator for the D license and not being able to get past him. So he went and maxed out his NSCAA.

And I know of several coaches with C licenses I wouldn't let near my son.

Get out there coaching first and foremost.

 

Thanks for the reply

I thought maybe colleges and HS for example required a license.

I have been coaching a amateur team for 3-4 years, but was wondering if it's worth paying the money for the license courses, or just keep coaching and get the licenses later if they're required.

 

Look for ads in your area, see what they are asking for.

Talk to coaches that are in these positions, see what they are asking for.

Volunteer to be an assistant coach for someone, that will help you make connections to see what people are looking for.

See if your club will help pay or look the Chris Nedelcovych Soccer Foundation quoted by Dutchviz.

 

Yeah assistant coaching is a huge help. I started out my junior year in high school with a U-15 recreational team. The head coach at the time never played soccer before and he had only learned from reading soccer books. So I helped him out a little bit. The next year, my senior year, I was coaching my own U-15 team. Now this year, my freshman year in college, I was assistant coach for my high school's varsity team and now I am going to be coaching a U-16 travel boy's team.

In short just volunteer mostly, at least it has been my experience. I still need to jump on the bandwagon and start getting my licenses but sometimes I wonder if they're worth it. I don't really know what to expect when I go into the courses but from the sounds of it they are worth it. Good luck man.