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Seneca Valley Soccer Association

Seneca Valley Soccer Association

Volunteering to Coach

Thank you for volunteering to be a coaching volunteer for SVSA!  There are a requirements from multiple different agencies and organizations.  We will summarize them into these categories:

  1. Background Checks & Clearances
  2. SafeSport Training
  3. US Soccer Licenses

Background Checks & Clearances

In order to be a coach, either a head coach or an assistant coach, the volunteer must obtain certain clearances and background checks.

  1. Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check*
    1.  There is no fee for this record check.
    2. If you have this check from another sport or school, you may use the same form as long as it has not expired.
  2. Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance*
    1. There is no fee for this clearance.
    2. If you have this check from another sport or school, you may use the same form as long as it has not expired.
  3. FBI Criminal Background Check* OR PA Volunteer Qualification Affidavit*
  • If you have lived in the state of PA for the last ten (10) consecutive years, you can use the Volunteer Qualification Affidavit.  Please download the form and have it notarized.  You may incur a notary fee to have this form notarized.
    •  If you have this check from another sport or school, you may use the same form.

*These clearances and checks can be used for school, other sports, and other volunteer activities.  Therefore, Seneca Valley Soccer Association does not reimburse any fees associated with obtaining the documents.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport

In 2017, the Federal Safe Sport Act was passed to protect young victims from sexual abuse.  The law requires all volunteer coaches to complete the SafeSport training.  The training is an online training course which takes approximately 90 minutes to complete.  The training course costs are covered by the US Soccer Federation for it's coaching volunteers.

Click here to begin the SafeSport Training.

Once you access the website, you will need to select "U.S. Soccer" from the Organization drop down menu.  Next you will need an "Access Code".  Please use this access code: YC3E-6P5G-YYIL-CS2M
  

US Soccer Grassroots Licenses

PA West and the US Soccer Federation require all coaches to obtain a coaching license.  The coaching licenses provided by US Soccer are called Grassroots licenses.  There are two components to each course:

  1. Introduction - this part of the license is free and can be completed online (20 minutes)
  2. In-Person Course - all of the In-Person courses cost $60 and require your attendance at a course that includes classroom and on field experiences (4 hours).
    1. 4v4 - suitable for U5 (Micro), U6, U7, and U8 in-house soccer
    2. 7v7 - suitable for U9 and U10 in-house and travel soccer
    3. 9v9 - suitable for U11 and U12 travel soccer
    4. 11v11 - suitable for U13 and up travel soccer

Each of the courses cost $60 and is reimbursed by the association upon your successful completion of the course.  If you are planning on coaching for multiple years, you do not need each course.  The 11v11 In-Person license would be sufficient for the levels below it.  (We would not recommend taking all four courses over the course of your coaching career.  The courses are not very different from each other and it would save the association money to take less courses.)

To begin your licensing journey, you should go to the US Soccer Learning Center.  At this website, you can create an account.  One of the first things your can do first and most easily is take the online introduction.  

Once you complete the introduction, you are eligible to register for on the In-Person courses.  The registration for the In-Person courses are also processed through the US Soccer Learning Center website.

PA West Risk Management Website

After you have obtained all of the following:
  1. Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Check
  2. Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
  3. FBI Criminal Background Check OR PA Volunteer Qualification Affidavit
  4. SafeSport Certification
  5. US Soccer Grassroots License

The next and last step is to create an account on the PA West Risk Management website.  This website is used as a clearinghouse for our state governing office to approve each and every coach and volunteer who comes in contact with children through soccer.  The website listed above for the PA West Risk Management page has step-by-step instructions on how to create an account, how to upload your documents, and tips.  

The website above has a link for you create an account on PA West Risk Management Registration, this website is also refereed to as Affinity.

Help

If you are have any questions about the process, please don't hesitate to ask.  We are here to help you through the process.  Send us an email at [email protected] and one of our board members will assist you.

Thanks again for volunteering your time with the association.  The board and the players THANK YOU!

US Soccer Coaching Pathway

Contact

Seneca Valley Soccer Association
P.O. Box 1459 
Cranberry Twp, Pennsylvania 16066

Email: [email protected]

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