Thank you for volunteering to coach! All of the following applies to head coaches. The first section, risk management, is the only section that applies to assistant coaches.
If you have not done so already, please go to the NCYSA Risk Management site https://www.ncsoccer.org/member-services/background-checks/ to fill out a form that will be used to perform a background check. The form is very easy to fill out and only takes a couple minutes. After your personal information, it will ask for information about the position you are applying for. Make sure when it asks for Type of Affiliation, you choose "NCYSA Member Association." When it asks you to Select the respective Member Association's Name, scroll down and choose "Western United Soccer Club." Then check the Team Official box and you are all set. (If you do not complete the previous steps, your application gets lost in the system and our Risk Management person keeps bugging you to get it done even though you think you have.) Per federal law, you must also complete the SafeSport training program. When you are done with the SafeSport training, you must save a copy of the completion certificate, return to the NCYSA site and add your completion certificate to your profile.
Make sure that you have communicated the day, time, and location that you would be available to hold practice. We will also need your shirt size so that we can order a coach shirt for you.
You will be receiving a coach's bag. The bag will contain cones and pinnies for use in practice (the pinny is also used for the goal keeper during games). U8/10/13 coaches will also receive 1 soccer ball for each player on the team. The players need to bring those to every practice and then get to keep them at the end of the season. The rest of the uniforms (and the balls for U4/U6) will be delivered the week of the first game. The bag also contains a few extra soccer balls in case someone forgets to bring their ball to practice. U6 coaches will receive a pop-up goal for use in practice and games (1 goal from each team are used for the game). U6 coaches will also receive a Dino manual with a suggested seasonal plan for practices. You are not required to follow it, but it may help as you prepare for practices. The coach's bag and equipment (minus the balls for the players) will be returned at the end of the season.
At your convenience, browse through the Rules/Tips web pages for your age group in the For Coaches tab and then look through the Resources web page for lesson plans and additional activities for your practices.
If you have any questions, please contact us at any time. Again, thank you for volunteering to coach!