I Want to Coach
Coaches are an integral part of the soccer landscape. While some coaches start as athletes, most are parents, teachers, sport fans, and community members who want to be a part of a sport they love and make a difference. Coaching offers enormous benefits for coaches and participants alike.
Coaches can:
| Build exceptional planning skills |
| Create engaging activities for participants |
| Help others get active while remaining active themselves |
| Teach important physical skills |
| Promote safety in sport |
| Promote diversity and inclusion |
| Model respectful behaviour and problem-solving |
| Model community-building behaviour |
| Help others improve their performance and build their confidence |
| Learn effective ways to persuade, offer constructive criticism, and provide advice |
Where can I find a team to coach?
If you would like to get involved in coaching, your first step is to connect with your local SSA Member Organization.
What training do I require in order to coach?
Ahead of the start of the 2023 soccer season, all member organisations that offer soccer programing in a Canada Soccer Member Association Province and Territory will be required to meet the Minimum Coaching Requirements outline in the Safe Sport Roster.
As such coaches will be required to complete the following:
- The appropriate Canada Soccer Coach Education Program workshops for the age and stage of their athletes;
- The following Coaching Association of Canada’s National Coaching Certification Program workshops:
- “Make Ethical Decisions” to further safeguard athletes by ensuring that coaches are fully equipped to handle ethical situations with knowledge and confidence;
- “Making Head Way” gives coaches a greater understanding of how to prevent head injuries along with the knowledge and skills to manage them properly; and,
- “Emergency Action Plan” that prepares coaches to respond calmly, quickly, and effectively if a sport participant is seriously injured during practice or competition;
- Respect in Sport online training to educate coaches to recognise, understand, and respond to issues of bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination.
In addition, member organisations will be required to ensure that all team staff adopt the requirements of the Responsible Coaching Movement:
- The “Rule of 2” (New CAC training related to the Rule of Two) which requires that all one-on-one interactions between a coach and an athlete take place within earshot and in view of another trusted adult, except for medical emergencies; and,
- Background screening, which can include criminal record checks, interviews, job postings and reference checks.
