All on ice hockey coaches and or on ice instructors for youth/high school, disabled, girls, women 19 and under who are registered with USA Hockey must properly wear an approved ice hockey helmet during all on ice sessions including practices, controlled scrimmages, and coach or referee clinics.

USA Hockey coaching clinics provide a universal certification for all coaches no matter where the clinics are held or where the coaches are from. All head and assistant coaches must have a USA Hockey coaching education program (CEP) coaching card with the appropriate level sticker by December 31st of the current season and must also be listed correctly in the USA Hockey coaches certification list at www.usahockey.com. It is the coaches’ responsibility to make sure both of these requirements are met by December 31^st of 2009. Coaching clinics are normally held from September 1^st to December 31^st of the current hockey season.

Coaches that are USA Hockey Members may assume all coaching duties without their proper USA Hockey Coaching Certification(s) from the start of the season through December 31^st only. This provides up to four months during the current playing season for coaches to attend and complete their proper coaching education program level(s).

If a coach is unable to produce a current, up to date USA Hockey coaching card with the appropriate level of certification ( see the coaching grid in this section ) by December 31st of the current season, the coach in question will be INELIGIBLE to coach any on-ice activity on the very next day which is January 1^st. This includes all practices and games. Note that only USA Hockey properly certified coaches are allowed on the ice and or on the bench from January 1^st on. Each USA Hockey roster can have up to 4 coaches listed. No other team personnel (except for players) can be on the ice during practices or on the bench during games. That means no medical person, gate opener, team manager, trainer or any other designated person can be on the bench.

Wisconsin Amateur Hockey Association, Inc. policy concerning evidence of level and compliance/penalty.

Evidence of coaching level: Beginning January 1^st all USA Hockey coaches must possess a USA Hockey coaching program card (with a current validation sticker) indicating the appropriate level they are coaching during all USA Hockey games. The USA Hockey Coaching Program (CEP) number, coaching level (1-5) and the year attained must be recorded on all game score sheets for all of the coaches on the bench. The head coach must also list their name, signature and phone number on the score sheet. If a coaches do not have their proper coaching card but have their current CEP number, valid level, and the valid year attained ( which can be obtained from  www.usahockey.com with a “coaches certification list” search) at the start of the game, all can be entered on the score sheet. 

Compliance/penalty: It is the responsibility of the local association registering the team to enforce the evidence of level and remove coaches on their teams that do not have the proper certification level or do not have a current validation sticker.

For the 2009 -10 playing season, a current level sticker must dated 2007-08 or later to be valid. Note also that stickers can have the expiration date on them.

Any level sticker dated 2006-07 or before is considered expired and is not valid for the 2009-10 playing season. Coaches must complete the next level of certification to reactivate their coaching card.

Example 1:A coach that is coaching squirts for the 2009-10 playing season and has completed the level 2 in the fall 2007 (sticker 07-08) can coach one more season at squirts and does not have to attend clinic.

Example 2: A coach who completed the level 1 during the fall of 2006, must complete level 2 by December 31st of 2009 or the coaching card expires and deactivates.
 
Example 3: A coach who completed level 2 during the fall 2006 must attend a level 3 clinic by December 31^st of 2009 or the coaching card expires and deactivates.

Example 4: A coach who completed a level 1 and or 2 during the fall of 2005 is considered expired or deactivated but only has to complete a level 3 by December 31^st of 2009 to activate the coaching card.

Example 5: A coach who completed a level 2 in 1999 (expired) can complete a level 3 by December 31^st of 2009 and his coaching card is reactivated and is good for the next three playing seasons (2009-10, 2010-11, and 2011-12).

Coaching Program Requirements Grid (for all USA Hockey Tier 1 and Tier  registered travel, recreation or in-house

This grid represents minimum certification. Coaches can advance higher

Clinic Format - Special Instructions – What to bring to the clinic
A coach may attend one coaching clinic per day in order (level 1, 2, 3…). Clinic check-in is 8:00-8:45 AM and class is from 8:45 AM-4:30 PM. Always check the clinic detail where you registered at www.usahockey.com for any changes in dates and locations.

Coaches must attend the entire clinic in order to get their certification. If a coach is unable to attend, arrives late or leaves early, no certification will be awarded and there is no refund . Coaches should not register for any clinic if they cannot commit to the entire day.

It’s mandatory to bring a government photo id, pen/pencil, notepad, skates, stick, and gloves to the level 1 clinic. Coaches will be issued a level 1 USA Hockey coaching card when they complete the clinic. Helmets are mandatory for on-ice.

No on-ice session for level 2 and higher. Bring a government photo id, pen/pencil, notepad, and a USA Hockey coaching card. If coaches lose their coaching card, they can still attend the clinic if they are listed in the coach’s certification list at the previous level and have successfully completed their online registration for the next level. See also the USA Hockey Coaching Clinic Online Registration and Lost/Damaged Coaching Card Replacement.

USA Hockey Coaching Clinic Online Registration Requirements
Wisconsin has mandatory online registration at www.usahockey.com using credit card, debit card and gift card for the exact amount. No manual registrations or walk ups with cash or checks will be accepted. Successful online registration is the only guarantee that a coach will have a seat at the clinic. If coaches need online payment assistance they must contact their local hockey association. All Wisconsin USA Hockey hosted coaching clinics will be available for registration on August 1st. See clinic level registration instructions below and read all the information before registering.

USA Hockey online coaching clinic fees are as follows: Level 1= $30, Level 2 = $40, Level 3 = $50, Level 3 Recertification = $55, Level 4 = TBA and Level 5 = TBA

All current coaches plus existing coaches that attended coaching clinics before USA Hockey online registration was in place, must do a search on the “coaches certification list” at USA Hockey prior to any online clinic registration. New coaches that complete clinics will not see there names in the coaches certification list the same day because it takes a reasonable amount of time to update the USA Hockey database.

If a coach is listed in the coach’s certification list but their coaching card is expired, they must register for the next level clinic and complete that clinic by December 31st of the current season to reactivate the card.

Coaches can attend one clinic per day. USA Hockey online registration allows a coach to register and attend up to 3 coaching clinics in order by December 31st. Coaches can register online for multiple clinics (in order) before they attend.

Coaches who need to complete multiple levels by December 31^st of the current season should register for all the clinics (in order) right away. Do not register and complete one level at a time. If a coach waits, the next clinic maybe full. Also the coach’s new level may not be uploaded fast enough to USA Hockey and the system may deny your registration for the next clinic.

Clinics may close one week prior to the clinic date and will close when the clinic is full (maximum number of seats has been reached). Once the limit has been reached the clinic will not accept any more coaches. No exceptions.

Coaches must not be a “no show” at clinics. They may be denying another coach from registering and attending a clinic. No shows are not eligible for a refund or a transfer to another clinic location.

Coaching Clinic Online Registration
New coaches must not make any errors on their name, zip code, and date of birth. Errors are the number one reason why coaches fail the level 2 online registrations. USA Hockey software must see a match on all three items every time a coach registers for a clinic. The USA Hockey online clinic registration and the coach’s certification list tract all coaches using the three categories. The level 1 registration will accept the errors but all subsequent clinic registrations will fail because the coach is not recognized.

Names should be first and last only. Do not use middle names or middle initials. Last names should not be followed by Jr., II, etc. Mistakes are made on the date of birth pull down because coaches go to fast or do not verify what’s entered. Coaches should do their own clinic registration.

The coaches’ certification list has the coaches date of birth hidden from view. Date of birth errors cannot be corrected at the clinic. Corrections have to be done by USA Hockey. DOB errors can take up to 4 weeks to correct during the season.

Print confirmation form, if successful on registration. Also click and print the registration form – see highlighted words on the confirmation form. Coaches can use the form to check for any errors on their name, zip code, date of birth, etc.

To register for a coaches clinic(s) www.usahockey.com point cursor toward the “Coaches” banner,
Click “coaching clinics”
 
Do not click “register online”. This is for USA Hockey membership only

Coaching Certification List – Reporting Certification List Errors to USA Hockey
The coach’s certification list serves as an aid for verifying the coach’s certification. It is not intended to serve as a record. The Coaching Education Program (CEP) card reflects the most current and accurate certification level attained.

If a coach’s name does not appear on the list or the information does not accurately reflect the current certification level, please contact the USA Hockey National Office as follows:

Fax or email a copy of the front and back of the CEP card to USA Hockey coaching department. Insure that the CEP number, name, and certification sticker(s) are all visible and legible. Also include your full name, current address, date of birth, telephone number, and email address. Please send to Alison Raines via fax at 719-538-1160 or email as follows to AlisonR@usahockey.org

 To register for a USA Hockey Coaching Clinic or view any other subjects below go to www.usahockey.com and point the cursor toward “Coaches” banner.