USA Hockey - Coach Registration and CEP Certification

jBlaze3000 · Post by **jBlaze3000** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 11:10 am

Hoping someone with a little more knowledge than myself can lend some insight on this issue:

I currently hold a level 1 coaching card from coaching my younger son's Mite teams the past couple seasons. This year, I was asked to help with my older son's PeeWee B2 team. To do so I need a level 3 card, but must complete my level 2 class before taking level 3. I also see that I need to register with USA Hockey this year and pay $40.

Is it just me or does this system seem counter productive? So, in theory, you would have to take 3 days of classes and pay close to $200 to coach a PeeWee C team if you were a first time coach? My situation is only slighty better than this.

Snowmass · Post by **Snowmass** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:16 pm

The whole situation is complex...but yep, you pretty much pay to coach and spend 2-3 days of your life (8 hours/class) that you'll never get back. For the kids (LOL). This isn't back in the day, it's 2011. Everyone needs a piece of the pie $$$.
They can't just allow anyone to lace em up and go on ice with Billy or Suzie:
*Background checks are needed
*Applications need to be reviewed and approved
*The whole CEP classes (from my limited knowledge) are in place so the coaches can be insured in the event of an injury to that coach as well as in the event of a parent suing the asociation. By having a CEP, the association has covered it's a*&v because without the CEP that coach isn't insured. Something along those lines.
Basically it is what it is, but it would be nice if associations/teams would cover coaches CEP class costs.
I'm sure I'm on the right road with my explanation, but someone else can better explain.

Chalk_Talk · Post by **Chalk_Talk** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:31 pm

The association I coach in covers all of our expenses, CEP classes, and USA hockey registration. I went to level 4 and they paid for my hotel room (wanted to pay for food and gas).

jBlaze3000 · Post by **jBlaze3000** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:37 pm

The whole thing just doesn't seem like it was thought out very well. I was hoping there was a way to "test out" of the lower level class so I only had to take one 8 hour class (on a saturday no less) to get my level 3.

I believe my association does reimburse us for the cost of the classes - but I just went on the USA Hockey website and I can't even find a level 2 class that's not full unless I want to drive to Duluth.

I would hate to deprive the kids of my coaching abilities. What about the KIDS!!!

scrapiron · Post by **scrapiron** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 4:58 pm

After you get level 3 the first time you can renew it on line each time after.

royals dad · Post by **royals dad** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 7:55 pm

They have addressed this for next year, no more 0 to 3 in a year. You will be able to get going with level 1 and then continue the progression to 3 over the next two years. They are also changing recert after level 3 to 2 years.

HockeyGuy81 · Post by **HockeyGuy81** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 8:33 pm

So if you want to coach Peewees you can't do it for 3 years???

jBlaze3000 · Post by **jBlaze3000** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 8:47 am

royals dad wrote:They have addressed this for next year, no more 0 to 3 in a year. You will be able to get going with level 1 and then continue the progression to 3 over the next two years. They are also changing recert after level 3 to 2 years.

Now that makes sense. I haven't been to the level 2 or 3 classes, but if they are anything like level 1 then I think USA Hockey is thinking a little too highly of themselves and the value of theses classes.

royals dad · Post by **royals dad** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 8:16 am

HockeyGuy81 wrote:So if you want to coach Peewees you can't do it for 3 years???

No, you can coach it with a level 1 in the first year, level 2 in your 2nd year... At least that is what we were told was coming for next year in the level 3 class last week.

jBlaze3000 wrote: but if they are anything like level 1 then I think USA Hockey is thinking a little too highly of themselves and the value of theses classes.

I really disagree with you on this, it gets to be a long day but you can pick up something that will help you in all of these classes. I think there really is a sincere effort by USA hockey to improve the level of coaching. Any youth coach who thinks they have nothing more to learn probably needs to rethink things a bit. Coaches should really be looking to improve constantly, try and steal good drills every you time you walk into an arena. Check out USA.com, google, youtube, flexcoach... Make plans and individual/team goals. Use your smart phone to show a kid what he is doing wrong or what a drill looks like. Coaches should be as passionate about getting better at coaching as they expect their players are about improving their skills.