COACHES AND VOLUNTEERS

• You need to register with USA hockey annually.
• Select the appropriate registration type.  Coaches should choose "coach" and Managers, Board Members, and Locker Room Monitors should choose "volunteer".
• https://membership.usahockey.com/

All adult coaches, officials, board members, employees, volunteers, and anyone else who will have regular contact with, or authority over, athletes under the age of 18 are required to submit to a background screen through NCIS before any such contact with those athletes. You will need to have your PA and FBI Clearances (Items 7-9 below) on hand to upload in order to complete the screening.  This will need to be completed every 2 years.

The code to initiate the screen is:   35615801
link: https://www.usahockey.com/backgroundscreen

USA Hockey has initiated the SafeSport initiative to help create the safest environment possible for the children participating in our programs.  The goal of SafeSport is to create an environment where abuse and bullying (including hazing) is not tolerated thus discouraging attempts of such acts.  It is great to see USA Hockey taking a proactive approach.  All coaches, volunteers and managers are required to be familiar with the SafeSport initiative and complete the online SafeSport training module annually. 

Instructions for accessing the training module (and registering with USA Hockey) can be found at the following link: https://www.usahockey.com/safesporttraining

This link will lay out all of the steps needed to become a USA Hockey Coach: Coaching Certification

• You need to attend an in-person or virtual certification class from USA Hockey's Coaching Education Program.  All coaches must enter USA Hockey’s Coaching Education Program at Level 1, and must continue their education with a coaching clinic each year until, at a minimum, they achieve Level 3, except that coaches of only 8U or younger players may remain at Level 1 or other certification level, even if expired, until such time as they are coaching any older age level of play.  Levels 1-3 are one day seminars that cover topics of all types, ranging from on-ice practice drills, game strategies, etc to handling off-ice issues such as conflicts with parents and teammates. 

Look for a class at http://www.usahockey.com/page/show/892976-coaching-clinics.  If this is your first class, sign up for CEP Level 1.  Level 1 and Level 2 certification are good for one year.  If you did Level 1 last year, choose CEP Level 2.  If you did Level 2 last year, choose CEP Level 3.  Occasionally there is an on-ice portion in these clinics, so you may need to bring skates/helmet/stick/gloves.  The clinic description will usually tell you if there is an on-ice component.

• You also need to complete the age-appropriate online course. This is a web-based training that deals with age and gender related topics that are specific to the age group that you are coaching. The course takes about 8 hours but you do not need to do it all in one sitting. Once you start it, you have 30 days to complete the 8 hours. The course is made up of short video segments (2-10 minutes) followed by multiple choice quizzes. There is a course for every age level (mite, squirt, peewee, bantam, midget). You must complete the courses that are applicable to the group of kids you are coaching.
• To start taking the course, click on this link Age-Specific Modules

Pennsylvania requires adult coaches, officials, board members, employees, volunteers, and who will have regular contact with, or authority over, athletes under the age of 18 to obtain their ACT 153 Clearances. If you already have these clearances for work or other volunteering experiences, as long as they are still valid, you do not have to obtain new ones. Pennsylvania Act 153 screenings must be completed every 5 years.

For the steps and links to all of the different requirements, review this document: Process_for_PA_Act_153_022124

Child Abuse Screen: Required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for any volunteer or employee who works with children.  Go to http://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis .  Create an ID and submit an application for Child Abuse clearance.  This application will prompt you for a comprehensive list of all addresses and household members that you have lived with since 1975.  

Criminal Background Check:  Required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for any volunteer or employee who works with children.  Go to https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp and submit your request.  Responses are immediate.  Print your criminal record check or save it as a PDF.

Federal Bureau of Investigation Background Check and Fingerprinting: Required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for any volunteer or employee who works with children.  There are two options.  

• Option 1: You may proceed with the background check and fingerprinting process.  To begin, go to https://www.identogo.com/  (Volunteer Code: 1KG6ZI)
• Option 2: If you have lived in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the last 10 consecutive years or longer, you can be waived from this requirement.  Simply fill out the affidavit below, have it notarized, and submit it with your other clearances to the background screening site.  (Volunteer code: 1KG6ZJ). Link to download the affidavit for volunteer exemption.