Thoughts on new Online Licensing Center

Wow! This is very new. Yes it is the right move, but hard to believe they will actually do it. The F license wasn't "converted" to on-line. It didn't exist before. So there is no controversy. In the past USSF has used on-line education for special topics and preliminary or supplemental matters related to its courses. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the elimination of the residency portion of the A license course. I can think of a number of legitimate reasons why I wouldn't eliminate the residency portions for the A & B licenses. And for the C license, I would probably want a one-day test session.

I have taken many on-line courses on many subjects over the years. Sometimes they are effective and sometimes they are appalling.

For instance, on-line courses on match analysis would work fine. A lot of match analysis is done working with match video recordings so it is realistic. But a computer simulation of coaching a training session is not going to be like interacting with real people. Running a training session is like giving an oral presentation. Writing or reading the presentation is not the same as rehearsing it (doing it). Not at all. And I have given hundreds if not thousands of presentations (some rehearsed and some not). So I speak from experience. Running a computer simulated training session would be about as unlike the real experience as playing FIFA 15 is to playing soccer.

Maybe when pro teams use FIFA 15 to tryout players we will see the A license issued entirely on-line, but not before.

 

PS: I am now an "F License Candidate!"

 

I just finished the F license course. As you would expect with a 2-hour introductory course, it is a bit simplistic for an experienced coach. But it is focused specifically on coaching U6 and U8 players, very much a very complete "how to" presentation. I picked up a few new coaching pointers.

Finally the surprise takeaway is that apparently kids have even less general athletic skills today then when I last coached youth about 20 years ago. This I got from the current technical training doctrine of having players perform each movement without the ball before performing it with the ball. Also they demonstrated how to train focus and attention span. Something else that I didn't have to worry about 20 years ago. All of these things are trained by the classic children's games, which most kids apparently don't play any more.

My conclusion is that I am going to have a talk with my own kids about my grandchildren's activities. One of the other grandparents by coincindence already asked me to mentor one of my kids on the point (the need for more active play). Now I just have to figure out an effective "coaching" plan to get it done.

If parents realized how important kids games were to athletic success (and academic success too), the scholarship-craving parents would be pushing their kids outdoors to play every day instead of watching TV and playing computer games.

Now back to the F license course, there is really no reason why every coach shouldn't take the course (if they haven't had a U6-U8 focused course already). It does cost money, but it only takes about 2 hours total time and an internet connection.

 

I've taken AYSO and USSF Courses.
On the AYSO side, I have taken the u6, u8, u10, u12, intermediate (2 days course) and advanced (3 day course).
On the USSF side, I have only taken the "E" license (2 days + pre-work).
I'd love to get at least my "D" license, but the class schedule is impossible for me to commit to. In Southern California the D class is over 2 weekends which are separated by about 4 months. And for the most part they are in locations that are 70 miles apart from each other (weekend 1 is in City A and weekend 2 is in City B). I'm not going to stay overnight, away from my family.
The USSF course was offered by Cal South.
In my opinion, the difference between the AYSO and Cal South course is that AYSO teaches you how to coach children. And the Cal South courses teach you how to coach soccer.

 

I just learned that effective the 1st of January, USSF changed its waiver policy for license course prerequisites. They will no longer accept completion of NSCAA or other equivalent courses for qualification purposes. This makes getting a D license a long and complicated process (over 2 years including the time for obtaining an E). From the tone of the changes, I don't see USSF ever converting the D course to an on-line course. The plans for expansion of the DCC course offerings this year do not include the E course.

It seems a bit strange to me that USSF will waive prerequisites for the C and B license courses to experienced coaches with foreign licenses or 3 or more years of top level professional playing experience, but there is no provision for such a waiver for the D or other courses. For instance a retired professional goalkeeper cannot waive into the GK license course.

In conclusion, I don't see USSF's DCC as a step in a new direction. It is just a reorganization of their website and a continuation of the trend of adding needless complexity and hurdles to the license process.

My initial impression is that these changes have made the need for coaching education courses greater.

 

Yes, there was an 'F' license in the past. It may have been referred to as 'Youth Module' but I have the certificate to prove it.

Yeah, I am a bit disappointed that they have made it almost propriotary not accepting NSCAA courses. Also, I'd love to see them simplify the the D license requirements. It is a lot of work with taping practices and submitting stuff.

NSCAA seems to be getting simpler and more open about educating coaches. USSF seems to be heading to more of a gated community atmosphere.

As for online, I still feel there is an important aspect to classroom/field gatherings. A good instructor and engaged students makes it a good learning atmosphere. One that you may not get on line. On the plus side, online will follow the course documents, which are often skipped or breezed through based on the instructor do to time or their own personal preferences.

 

I signed up for the D about a month ago and it doesn't look like you have to video tape anymore. Course starts Friday so I'll find out more, but what they are requiring is having some practices evaluated by coaches with "C" licenses or better in person. I'm assuming that would take place of the video recording sessions you are referring to.

 

USYSA has a national youth license, which I suspect covers U6 to U12. USSF does not.

I am just going by memory and this is complicated by constant changes to the structure so it is very confusing. It is also confusing becuase these are all FIFA, USSF organizations. Most state organizations are USYSA, but not all. There is AYSO which is another FIFA, USSF youth organization. Some of the changes were necessary because FIFA wanted licenses (A to E) standardized. I don't remember any prior USSF ("national") F license. USSF has always taught the A and B courses. When I first paid attention to coaching licenses, the state organizations taught the C license and you could be graded as a "national" pass, meaning you were approved to progress to the B course if you wanted. (I believe this was a response to state organizations regulations at that time requiring C licenses for some coaches, and there was a high failure rate for the C course.) Each state organization had its own state license structure, some eventually going as low as G and H. The states simply made up additional courses to supplement the USSF structure. Gradually USSF has extended its envolvement below the B level, now reaching down to its F "national" license. Which I view as a significant change for the better.

This doesn't mean that the state organizations don't handle the C through whatever license courses. It just means that now there is a separate "national" F license that the states don't teach or grade, unlike the C, D, and E licenses.

 

Nope, I pulled the document (from 2004). Everything on it indicates USSF. All the supporting documents and workbooks are USSF. And it is the Youth Module.

 

My recollection is that USSF has had a "youth" and "keeper" license (or certificate) but that they were high level courses in the license process. "Youth Module" has been widely used as a course title. Some older people use youth to refer to teens. Twenty years ago there was no premier soccer for U6, U8, and U10. Just recreational. (The expansion of state cups and travel soccer to younger ages is one the reasons I say we are doing a poorer job of training kids today.) So "Youth" coaching was focused on the older kids. Parents coached U-littles. So I suspect that the USSF youth course in the past dealt with different materials than the more recent licenses below C, which deal with coaching U-Littles.

 

kids want to play,but parents have to lead. If the parents hike, play chase or hide and seek, climb a few trees, the kids will like it more than anything else you can do with them.