USA Hockey Coaching Certification - Requirements
USA Hockey and the Coaching Education Program require both certification and registration to be eligible to coach. Registration is done online on a yearly basis. Certification is also required.
All USA Hockey Requirements must be completed before participating in any team activities.
All fees associated are reimbursable. Save your receipts and use the online expense reimbursement form.
Step 1
Format: Online
Time: 5 Minutes
Price: Up to $70
Renew: Annually
Register as a coach with usa hockey
The fee for this registration ranges from $50 to $70 depending on the age division you would like to coach (i.e. Mites, Squirts, Peewees, Bantams).
Reminder: This fee, and many others on this list, can be reimbursed by the Club upon submission of an expense reimbursement request
Step 2
Format: Online
Time: 10 min
Price: $30
Renew: Every 2 years
Complete background check
Every person who interacts with players needs a background screening. This takes about 10 minutes to complete online. This is done securely through the National Screening Program.
If for some reason the Self Registration ID Number is blank, please use 35615801.
Step 3
Format: Online
Time: 1-2 hours; refresher 30 min
Price: Free
Renew: Annual refresher
COMPLETE SAFE SPORT TRAINING
Every person who interacts with players needs to complete annual SafeSport training. SafeSport training helps you recognize if an athlete is being abused. Most importantly, you will learn how to prevent this from happening or how to respond and help if the abuse has already happened.
Step 4
Format: Online
Time: 30 minutes
Price: Free
Renew: Every 3 years
COMPLETE CONCUSSION TRAINING
The State of Ohio requires all coaches complete a concussion training module. This course teaches how to recognize a suspected concussion, and provides protocols to manage a suspected concussion with steps to help players safely return to play.
Step 5
Format: Online
Time: 6-7 Hours
Price: $10 per module
COMPLETE USAH ONLINE AGE SPECIFIC TRAINING
Complete the online age-specific modules for the age level of play you are coaching (i.e., 10U, 12U, 14U). The online modules are available from Sep-1 thru Dec-31.
Step 6
Format: In-Person
Time: 6-7 Hours Total; 1-2 Hours On Ice
Price: $10 per module
Attend a coaching clinic
Find, register, and attend the required certification clinic. A coach must enter CEP at level 1 and continue his/her education with a coaching clinic every year until s/he achieves level 3.
A coach may attend only one CEP per year. Once level 3 is achieved, a coach can renew level 3 every 2 years for 6 years, then must progress to level 4. Once level 4 is achieved, no further certification is necessary.
Levels 1-3 officially runs from September 1 to December 31.
USA HOCKEY/MID-AM DISTRICT/CSHL (tjo-8-15-24)
COACHING REQUIREMENTS FOR 2025-26 SEASON
All requirements must be completed for ALL coaches (head & asst) before they may be added to a team roster except req. #5, which must be completed by Dec 31.
Requirements
- Register as a coach with USA Hockey. Cost $51 ($46 to USAH and $5 to Mid Am). It takes about 15 mins all on-line. Good for one year
- Complete the USA Hockey Background Screen Program. Cost $30. It takes about 30 minutes all on-line. Good for two years.
- Complete the USA Hockey Safe Sport Program Training. Free. Must be taken every year. A person must first take the course known as “SafeSport Core Training,” which takes about 1-2 hours online. After that, a “SafeSport Refresher Course” is available each subsequent year for a person that has completed the SafeSport Core Training. The Refresher Course takes 30 minutes or less to complete.
- Complete the USA Hockey Online Age-Specific Module (“ASM”) for the age level you are coaching. Cost $20/module. It takes approximately 6-7 hours, all on-line. An ASM only needs to be completed once per age level. This is not needed to help with beginners.
- Complete the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program (“CEP”). Cost $60. All courses are on-line. It takes approximately 6-7 hours over two nights. There are 5 levels of the CEP starting at level 1 (entry level) and culminating at level 5, the highest level. A coach must enter CEP at level 1 and must continue his education with a coaching clinic every year until he achieves level 4. A coach may attend only one CEP per year. Once level 4 is achieved, a coach needs to take level 5 within 3 years or take 5 credit hours of continuing education every 3 years. Once level 5 is achieved, a coach needs to take 5 credit hours of continuing education every 3 years. This is not needed to help with beginners.
- Complete the Ohio Concussion Training Module. Free. It takes about 1 hour, all on-line. Good for 3 years.
- Comply with Ohio Lindsay’s Law on Sudden Cardiac Arrest (“SCA”). Watch the video. Read the coach information sheet. It takes about 20 min, all on-line. Good for 1 yr.
- Wear a helmet for all on-ice activities. All ice hockey coaches must properly wear an approved ice hockey helmet during all on-ice sessions.
Coaching Resources
- USA Hockey Mobile Coach Application.
- USA Hockey Mobile Rulebook.
- USA Hockey website.
- Mid Am District website.
- Cleveland Suburban Hockey League website.
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