The Vermont Principals Association
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Coaches Education Program

Rationale: The Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA)and the Vermont State Athletic Director’s Association (VSADA) believe strongly in the importance and value of a coaches education program. To this end, the VPA and VSADA support the following coaches education program.

9-12 Requirements: In order to be a coach in a VPA member school, all coaches in grades 9 through 12 are required to complete the following education requirements.

  1. Coaches Education – Approved Courses: must be completed in the 1st year of coaching. This requirement is mandatory for paid coaches, recommended for volunteers. 
    1. Fundamentals of Coaching – NFHS Coaches Education Program
    2. VPA Foundations of Coaching – 3D Institute, 
    3. Coaching Principles – ASEP/Human Kinetics 
  2. Sport First Aid – Approved Courses:  must be completed in the 1st year of coaching. This requirement is mandatory for paid coaches, recommended for volunteers.
    1. First Aid Health and Safety For Coaches – NFHS Coaches Education Program, 
    2. Sport First Aid – ASEP/Human Kinetics, American Red Cross Sport First Aid, Wilderness (SOLO) First Aid PREPARE (National Center for Sports Safety) Wilderness First Aid (American Red Cross), Sport Safety Training (American Red Cross), Sports Injury Prevention and First Aid (American Red Cross) – Possible Exemptions for First Aid requirement – Proof of License/ Certification/Transcript required
    3. Current Athletic Training certification or licensure in any state
    4. Current Instructor of ASEP, American Red Cross or American Heart Association First Aid Course
    5. First Responder, EMT, Paramedic Licensure
    6. College course in Athletic Training or First Aid
  3. Concussion Education – Approved Courses: must be completed before the first practice of a sports season (VT State Law effective 7/1/13).   Must be renewed every two years.
    1. Concussion in Sports – What You Need to Know – NFHS Coaches Education Program, 
    2. Head Up: Concussion in Youth Sports – Center for Disease Control  – The Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) course “Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports” may also be used to meet this requirement. This requirement is mandatory for ALL coaches, regardless of level or pay status. Coaches should be certified through the end of the season.
  4. CPR/AED/EAP Training – Approved Courses: Anyone Can Save a Life, American Heart Association Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Red Cross Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Wilderness (SOLO) CPR – must be completed before the first practice of a sports season.  Must be renewed every two years. School specific training may also be used, the only requirement is that there must be a hands-on component (AED/CPR) for the training. CPR may be compression-only training. Must be renewed every two years. This requirement is mandatory for all PAID coaches, recommended for volunteers. Coaches should be certified through the end of the season.
  5. NFHS Implicit Bias Course – Mandatory for all coaches and officials.

The first three courses can be accessed at www.nfhslearn.com. The Concussion Course is free of charge, but there is a nominal cost for the Fundamentals of Coaching and Sports First Aid Course. Coaches should check with their Athletic Director to determine how to register for all courses. The CDC courses may be found at www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/Youth.html.  Schools are responsible for the CPR/AED/EAP training that can be done through in-person courses through the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. Online courses DO NOT meet the standard set by the VPA.

Once completed, coaches should notify their Athletic Director, who in turn will register the coach in the state-wide coaches data bank.

Each High School Athletic Director is responsible for maintaining a list of certified coaches employed by the school district.  This list must be submitted electronically to the VPA Coaching Education Coordinator at the start of each season.

Coaches who are not certified (within one year of hire) are immediately ineligible to coach in the regular season and will be ineligible to coach in VPA sponsored post season tournaments or competitions. 

Recommendations: The NFHS Coaches Education Program also offers a number of free and elective courses and a number of sport specific courses to coaches.  These courses can be accessed at www.nfhslearn.com.

CPR AED EAP VT 2016

 

5-8 Grade Requirements: In order to be a coach in a VPA member school, all coaches in grades 5 through 8 are required to complete the following education requirements.

Concussion in Sports – What You Need to Know – NFHS Coaches Education Program – must be completed before the first practice of a sports season (VT State Law effective 7/1/13).   Must be renewed every two years. The Center For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) course“Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports” may also be used to meet this requirement. (mandatory for ALL coaches, regardless of level or pay status).

CPR/AED/EAP Training – Anyone Can Save a Life – must be completed before the first practice of a sports season.  Must be renewed every two years. School specific training may also be used, the only requirement is that there must be a hands-on component (AED/CPR). CPR may be compression-only training. (mandatory for all PAID coaches, recommended for volunteers).

NFHS Implicit Bias Course – required for all coaches before first practice.

Recommendations: The following two courses are recommended for middle school and elementary school coaches:

  1. Coaches Education – Approved Courses: 
    1. Fundamentals of Coaching – NFHS Coaches Education Program
    2. VPA Foundations of Coaching – 3D Institute, 
    3. Coaching Principles – ASEP/Human Kinetics 
  2. Sport First Aid – Approved Courses:  must be completed in the 1st year of coaching. This requirement is mandatory for paid coaches, recommended for volunteers.
    1. First Aid Health and Safety For Coaches – NFHS Coaches Education Program, 
    2. Sport First Aid – ASEP/Human Kinetics, American Red Cross Sport First Aid, Wilderness (SOLO) First Aid PREPARE (National Center for Sports Safety) Wilderness First Aid (American Red Cross), Sport Safety Training (American Red Cross), Sports Injury Prevention and First Aid (American Red Cross) – Possible Exemptions for First Aid requirement – Proof of License/ Certification/Transcript required
    3. Current Athletic Training certification or licensure in any state
    4. Current Instructor of ASEP, American Red Cross or American Heart Association First Aid Course
    5. First Responder, EMT, Paramedic Licensure
    6. College course in Athletic Training or First Aid

Several of these courses can be accessed at www.nfhslearn.com. The Concussion Course is free of charge, but there is a nominal cost for the Fundamentals of Coaching and Sports First Aid Course. Coaches should check with their Athletic Director to determine how to register for all courses. The CDC courses may be found at www.cdc.gov/concussion/HeadsUp/Youth.html.  Schools are responsible for the CPR/AED/EAP training that can be done through in-person courses through the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. Online courses DO NOT meet the standard set by the VPA.

Recommendations: The NFHS Coaches Education Program also offers a number of free and elective courses and a number of sport specific courses to coaches.  These courses can be accessed at www.nfhslearn.com.