Athletics → Coach/AD → How to Become a Coach

How to Become a Coach

Prerequisites

All MCPS coaches (paid stipend coaches and volunteer coaches) must:

• Complete the MCPS New Coaches' Seminar prior to the start of their first season.
• Complete PE-22 "Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries and CPR/AED", the application can be found online.

In addition, all MCPS paid stipend coaches must:

• Achieve and retain current certification in CPR/AED. Class must be in-person (online only courses are not accepted).
• Complete the NFHS Coach Level 1 certification requirements within one year of the start of the season for which they were first hired.
• Complete the following NFHS Coaches' Education Courses

MCPS Training Information for Non-Employee Coaches

Non-Employee Volunteer Coaches must complete the “Online Training for Volunteers/Contractors: Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect”. Once a coach has completed this training, the date the training was completed needs to be reported to the Athletics Specialist to record in the Athletic Certification and Compliance (Coaches Database). More complete information about this training is available on the MCPS Child Abuse and Neglect webpage. For additional support, please click here. Volunteer Coaches must complete this training annually! 

Non-Employee Stipend Coaches will complete the MCPS Compliance Training using the myMCPS Classroom system. Below are the directions and information for how these coaches can access the training. Supports have been put in place to assist coaches throughout the process including “Forget Password” links and access to the “Help Desk”. The compliance training contains the Districtwide Compliance Training, the required Health Awareness Training for Athletics, and the optional Level 2 Health Training - Diabetes. A Non-Employee Stipend Coach meets compliance once they have completed all of the required training modules. The process for Non-Employee Stipend Coaches is as follows: 

• Non-employee coaches will log into the myMCPS classroom system using their MCPS email and password.
• Non-employee coaches will follow these directions or use this more comprehensive support guide to create their account and enroll in the course.
• The MCPS Department of Athletics will monitor progress of course and upon completion, updated the information within their database.  Coaches may also always take a screenshot or document the completion of their modules and training and provide that information to their athletics specialist (AD) who will record the date of completion in the database.

Forms for Prospective Coaches

• The New Coaches Checklist provides a comprehensive list of items that need to be completed before hire and prior to the start of the season.
• Volunteer Coach Application & Contract -  Document signed by the volunteer coach, head coach, athletics specialist, and principal, certifying that all criteria have been met. This is a great checklist of conditions and requirements necessary to become a volunteer coach. 
•  PE-22 Application - The "Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries" course is required for all MCPS coaches (both stipend and volunteer), as noted in the MPSSAA Handbook, under Coaching Eligibility (item #3). 

Additional Information and Guidelines

The coaching eligibility and restrictions section of the ECA handbook provides additional information on hiring coaches.