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Coaches

Coaching Education Program Changes

Major changes were approved in the Coaching Education Program at the 2010 USA Hockey Annual Congress.  Effective in 2012 a coach may only take 1 CEP coarse per year.  A new coach would start at level 1 and would need to take his level 2 the following year and be required to take the level 3 in the 3rd year of coaching.  In addition a coach would be required to take online age specific training that covers the specific age he/she is coaching that year.  Current plan is that the online course would cost $10 and take approximately 4 hours to complete.  An RFP has been sent out to develop the online age specific courses. The coach would not need to complete the online session in one sitting.  If a coach is coaching two age levels he would have to take both age specific online courses.  For example a new coach coaching a midget team would take a level 1 CEP class and a Midget online course.  If the coach continues at midget the next year he would take the level 2 CEP class, but not need to take another online course.  If that coach moves to bantam in his 2nd year he would take a level 2 CEP class and a bantam on line class.  There will also be a girls specific online course. 

Coaches would be required to move through level 1, 2 and 3 in 3 years. They could not stop at level 2 and continue to coach after his second year. 

A coach could take a level 4 in his 4th year, but is not required to take the level 4 immediately.  The level 3 will be good for 3 years and a coach would be allowed to take up to 2 online level 3 re-certifications before he must take the level 4. 

Current level 4 and 5 coaches would not need additional CEP courses but would be required to take the age specific online course for the age level they are coaching.

John Rader

PVAHA Coach-In-Chief

Phone: Cell: 610-883-2746

Mike Mulligan

Southeastern District Coach-In-Chief

Phone: (703) 508-3357


USA Hockey Certification Database

USA Hockey now has an online searchable Coaches Certification page. Select the link to search the database.

USA Hockey Coaching Education

Click the link above to visit the USA Hockey Coaching Program Website.

USA Hockey Coaching Resources

Click the link to visit USA Hockey's Coaching Resources page!


Coaching Education Required Levels

All team coaches shall meet the coaching education levels as set forth in the current USA Hockey Annual Guide. All coaches (head and assistants) shall have an appropriate level Coaching Education Program card by December 31 of the calendar year. Coaches shall carry their Coaching Education Program card with them to all games and be prepared to show proof of their coaching education level as specified in the USA Hockey Annual Guide. The CEP number, level of certification and date of last certification for all team coaches shall be shown on the score sheet for games played by a team.

In as much as local Associations interview and choose their coaches, it is incumbent upon those Associations to ensure their coaches are certified at the proper level with respect to the age level they are participating. The local Association shall ensure all coaches are properly certified by December 31st of each season.

Beginning January 1 of each year, a coach who has not met the required level of certification with respect to the age level they are coaching, the Association must remove that coach from the roster of that team immediately.

All ice hockey coaches and instructors of registered USA Hockey youth, high school, disabled, girls/womens 19&under and below programs Any team personnel found in violation of this rule by their District/Affiliate may be subject to a recommended of not less than 30 days.