[MYSA Coaches] New MYSA Coaching Education Policy - IMPORTANT!

[Mike Baptiste]

Parents and Coaches,

The MYSA is committed to providing the best possible learning experience
for all of our players. This experience is primarily dependent on our
coaches, many of whom are volunteers with little or no soccer experience
when they first start coaching. Coaching development is a top priority
in our league because it ensures our children get the best instruction
and coaching they can and also helps us retain coaches because they can
be more successful and not sometimes feel 'adrift' trying to learn the
in's and out's of coaching on their own.

To help address this, the league has split the Director of Coaching
position into two separate positions. The Director of Coaching (Chip
Foushee - Interim) will be responsible primarily for administering our
coaching development and recruitment. The second position, Director of
Development (Tara Raggett) will now have more time to spend on actually
developing coaches, teaching classes, holding orientations/seminars, and
mentoring - the nuts and bolts of coaching development. One of the first
things both our DOC and DOD did this year is propose a significant
change in MYSA policy which the MYSA Board has adopted.

Starting in the Summer of 2008, all MYSA *Head Coaches* will need to
have a minimum level of certification in order to continue coaching.
This will ensure the head coaches understand the basics of youth soccer
development and also will ensure our team coaches aren't learning by
trial and error - they can rely on a vast collection of knowledge and
experience provided in the USYSA coaching classes as they get certified.

The requirements will be fairly simple. Every coach in the MYSA will
have up to *one year* to achieve their necessary certification. So all
current MYSA coaches, should they wish to continue coaching in the Fall
of 2008, must have the necessary certification by July 31st, 2008.
Coaches who do not get certified on time risk not being able to coach in
the Fall of 2008.

The certification requirements are as follows:

U5/U6/U8 Rec - USYSA Youth I Certification or higher
U10-U14 Rec - USYSA Youth II Certification or higher
Challenge - E License or higher

Information on the USYSA coaching classes can be found at:
http://ncsoccer.org/Education/education%20home.shtml

As part of our commitment to our coaches, the MYSA will pay all course
fees for coaches to obtain their certifications. While certification is
*NOT* required for assistant coaches, we encourage them to also get
certified and will reimburse their certification costs as well (subject
to annual budgetary limits)

Since we have new coaches every year, we will continue to allow them to
start coaching in the Fall or Spring, with the 'next' July 31st
certification deadline in effect. Since coaching classes aren't always
frequent during soccer seasons (vs the summer), we will also be
requiring coaches *who lack their certification* to attend a short
mandatory orientation session before each season. So any current MYSA
coaches who do not have the necessary certification will need to attend
one of three scheduled orientations to be run by our DOD or her
designee. Failure to attend this orientation in the Fall (or Spring for
new Spring coaches) can result in a coach being prohibited from coaching
in the Spring unless they get their certification or make alternative
arrangements with the DOC.

These orientations were actually requested by a number of new coaches,
so while we know everyone is busy, we believe it will help ease some of
the fears newer coaches can have and ensure everyone starts from a
common 'base'. We are still working on the exact times to hold these
sessions, but expect them to be held within the next 4 weeks or so. An
announcement will be sent out shortly. Again, only those coaches who
don't currently meet the certification requirements must attend an
orientation session, though any certified coach is welcome to attend one
if they wish.

We are very excited about this new policy as it will ensure our coaches
meet a minimum level of qualification as they work to develop our
league's soccer players.

If you have any questions about this policy, please contact our DOC,
Chip Foushee (Terry.Foushee at rbc.com) or our DOD, Tara Raggett
(tararaggett at bellsouth.net)

Mike Baptiste
President, MYSA