Volunteer as a Coach
Coaches are integral to the success of the AYHA mission of providing youth hockey in southeast Ohio, and they are probably the most visible volunteer position of a team. Head and assistant coaches in the AYHA come from a variety of backgrounds: some have prior youth hockey or juniors experience, some have coached before in other organizations, while others are putting on skates for the first time. No matter the background, the overwhelming majority of coaches have children who are youth hockey players in the AYHA, and being a coach is a great way to spend more time with your child. The AYHA also welcomes Ohio University students with hockey backgrounds who want to gain coaching experience.
Head Coach Duties
- Lead the team at practices and at games.
- Create and implement practice plans based on the ADM and other resources.
- Work with other coaches to provide a fun, respectful, and safe environment on and off the ice.
- Keep open communication with players and their families.
Assistant Coach Duties
- Support the head coach at practices and at games.
- Provide locker room monitoring at practices and games.
- Organize equipment on the ice during practices.
- Manage a bench door at home and away games.
Student Coach Duties
- Regularly attend practices and home games, with the understanding the academics must be prioritized.
- Provide the same duties as an assistant coach.
- Assist the head coach by demonstrating hockey skills related to skating and puck handling.
- Manage a bench door at home games.
How to Volunteer
Prior to the start of the season, prospective coaches, assistant coaches, and student coaches shall email the current AYHA Board of Directors Executive Committee members, stating the desire to coach one of the youth teams. The email should include which team the coach wants to work with, whether the coach has any children on the team or within the AYHA, prior coaching experience (if any), and prior hockey experience (if any). Approval of a coach for a team requires the majority approval vote of the AYHA Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will notify coaches whether they have been accepted or not after the vote is completed.
Registration Requirements
The following registrations, screening, and training are required prior to stepping on the ice in any capacity as a Coach. Please note that both the USA Hockey registration, SafeSport training, concussion awareness, and sudden cardiac arrest awareness require yearly updates, while background screening is good for two years. Evidence that all registrations and trainings have been completed must be forwarded to the AYHA Registrar prior to the start of the season.
Register w/USA Hockey
Background Screening
SafeSport Training
Age-Specific Modules
Concussion Awareness Training
Lindsay's Law (Sudden Cardiac Arrest)
In addition to the above registration and training, all Coaches must complete a USA Hockey Coaching Clinic each year before December 31st. USA Hockey provides multiple online coaching clinic opportunities, which are typically posted in September. Coaches that do not complete the yearly clinic by December 31st will not be permitted to continue working on the ice with the team. Once a coach reaches Level 4 of the Coaching Education Program, 5 credit hours of continuing education within each subsequent three-year period must be completed.