Shortage of Licensed Coaches

Lots of discussion about lack of licensed coaches. Maybe not the clubs' fault entirely. Just sounds like a pure shortage.

http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/the91stminute/2016/07/the-high-cost-of-american-coaching/?utm_content=bufferefcc9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

I am not sure clubs want to pay for coaches to get licenses, and then watch them leave for another club.

coachdom23 wrote:I am not sure clubs want to pay for coaches to get licenses, and then watch them leave for another club.

Make them sign a reimbursement policy....if they leave the club in a certain time frame...then they are required to pay it back.

Clubs just pass the cost along to the consumer like everything else. Sell some more flowers.

So at some point you decide you decided you want to coach soccer for a living but aren't willing to pay $4000 for licensing? But yet have no problem asking parents of 10 year olds for $3500 to play 1 year of the game.

Everything is starting to become more clear -

topics covered in "D" license:

• Develop the core coaching competencies necessary to effectively teach the 13-14 year old athlete and team.
• Teach the Principles of Play in a training environment (7v7 to 9v9).
• Plan a sequence of training and weekly cycles to complete a season plan.

It appears that a D license costs around $250-$400 and a C license costs less than $2000.

Geesh... A shortage of licensed coaches? I find that hard to believe. I have a 'D' (as well as an 'E' and 'G'). A 'D' does take a commitment of your time BUT if your serious about coaching, that's the MINIMUM you should do. And I do mean minimum. It's a one-time effort and it does help you improve.

I wouldn't sign with a coach that lacks licensing. A license is proof that the coach has invested in himself/herself and the career. Licensing is basically continued education. A coach without a license is basically saying, "I know everything I need to know. I can't get any better and I'm unwilling to try."

Personally... I think coaches shouldn't just get coaching licenses, I think they should also be required to become licensed referees.  

I have also been licensed as a referee.  It takes only 1 weekend and it also adds big value to a coach's understanding of the game.  A lot of confusion during these youth games would disappear if a larger number of the coaches actually understood the rules properly.  (Instead of just their own interpretations.)

bigtex75081 wrote:Geesh... A shortage of licensed coaches?  I find that hard to believe.  I have a 'D' (as well as an 'E' and 'G').  A 'D' does take a commitment of your time BUT if your serious about coaching, that's the MINIMUM you should do.  And I do mean minimum.  It's a one-time effort and it does help you improve.

I wouldn't sign with a coach that lacks licensing.  A license is proof that the coach has invested in himself/herself and the career.  Licensing is basically continued education.  A coach without a license is basically saying, "I know everything I need to know.  I can't get any better and I'm unwilling to try."

apparently not for everyone

bigtex75081 wrote:Personally... I think coaches shouldn't just get coaching licenses, I think they should also be required to become licensed referees.  

I have also been licensed as a referee.  It takes only 1 weekend and it also adds big value to a coach's understanding of the game.  A lot of confusion during these youth games would disappear if a larger number of the coaches actually understood the rules properly.  (Instead of just their own interpretations.)

May not be a bad idea.

Which takes more time to obtain, a Referee License or 'E' Coaching license?

Which cost more to obtain?

Lefty wrote:

bigtex75081 wrote:Personally... I think coaches shouldn't just get coaching licenses, I think they should also be required to become licensed referees.  

I have also been licensed as a referee.  It takes only 1 weekend and it also adds big value to a coach's understanding of the game.  A lot of confusion during these youth games would disappear if a larger number of the coaches actually understood the rules properly.  (Instead of just their own interpretations.)

May not be a bad idea.  

Which takes more time to obtain, a Referee License or 'E' Coaching license?

Which cost more to obtain?

It has been a long time since I got my 'E' so someone is likely to correct me with more current information...

My 'E' took one weekend and was cheap. If you like talking about soccer and hanging out with like-minded people, it's also a lot of fun.

My 'Grade 8' referee license took 2 weekends with studying during the week as to prep for the test. (Grade 9 was easier and cheaper if that was something I wanted to pursue.) It was cheap considering it immediately resulted in a new income stream for the people that completed it. The most expensive part of becoming a referee is all the equipment you have to purchase for yourself at start up.

SickofSilliness wrote:

bigtex75081 wrote:Geesh... A shortage of licensed coaches?  I find that hard to believe.  I have a 'D' (as well as an 'E' and 'G').  A 'D' does take a commitment of your time BUT if your serious about coaching, that's the MINIMUM you should do.  And I do mean minimum.  It's a one-time effort and it does help you improve.

I wouldn't sign with a coach that lacks licensing.  A license is proof that the coach has invested in himself/herself and the career.  Licensing is basically continued education.  A coach without a license is basically saying, "I know everything I need to know.  I can't get any better and I'm unwilling to try."

apparently not for everyone

That's correct. If someone doesn't complete the course the first time with a high enough score, you're compelled to repeat it.

bigtex75081 wrote:

SickofSilliness wrote:

bigtex75081 wrote:Geesh... A shortage of licensed coaches?  I find that hard to believe.  I have a 'D' (as well as an 'E' and 'G').  A 'D' does take a commitment of your time BUT if your serious about coaching, that's the MINIMUM you should do.  And I do mean minimum.  It's a one-time effort and it does help you improve.

I wouldn't sign with a coach that lacks licensing.  A license is proof that the coach has invested in himself/herself and the career.  Licensing is basically continued education.  A coach without a license is basically saying, "I know everything I need to know.  I can't get any better and I'm unwilling to try."

apparently not for everyone

That's correct.  If someone doesn't complete the course the first time with a high enough score, you're compelled to repeat it .

Apparently again, and again . . .

What constitutes a "high enough" score?

SickofSilliness wrote:

bigtex75081 wrote:

SickofSilliness wrote:

bigtex75081 wrote:Geesh... A shortage of licensed coaches?  I find that hard to believe.  I have a 'D' (as well as an 'E' and 'G').  A 'D' does take a commitment of your time BUT if your serious about coaching, that's the MINIMUM you should do.  And I do mean minimum.  It's a one-time effort and it does help you improve.

I wouldn't sign with a coach that lacks licensing.  A license is proof that the coach has invested in himself/herself and the career.  Licensing is basically continued education.  A coach without a license is basically saying, "I know everything I need to know.  I can't get any better and I'm unwilling to try."

apparently not for everyone

That's correct.  If someone doesn't complete the course the first time with a high enough score, you're compelled to repeat it .

Apparently again, and again . . .

What constitutes a "high enough" score?

It's been a long time for me. I do not know the current requirements. I suspect there were lots of changes made since my time coaching.

At that time, if you got a higher score, you'd receive a 'D - National' license and you were done. (This is where I finished. The 'D' license took lots of class time and studying. I had no intention of messing up on that first test.)

If you got a middling score, you were given a 'D - State' license which meant you were limited in where you could coach. I believe you had to retest at some point in the future to achieve your 'D - National'.

If you failed and couldn't even achieve your 'D - State', you weren't licensed and had to retake the course.