The document outlines four steps for improving youth sports coaches: screening, training, evaluation, and accountability. Screening involves more than just background checks and should include applications, interviews, and reviewing candidates against disqualification criteria. Training provides orientation, sport-specific instruction, behavioral expectations, and continuing education resources. Evaluation gathers feedback from parents through convenient surveys to assess coach performance. Accountability is ensured by codes of ethics, disciplinary procedures, and revoking memberships for those not upholding standards.

1. Kate Dilworth
National Alliance for Youth Sports
Four Steps to ImprovingFour Steps to Improving
Your Program’s CoachesYour Program’s Coaches

2. Harford County ParksHarford County Parks
and Rec Alum!and Rec Alum!

3. Training &
Membership
Programs
Coaches
Parents
Officials
Administrators
Youth
Development
Programs
Start Smart
Hook a Kid on Golf
Ready, Set, RUN!

4. Our volunteer:Our volunteer:
Coach DanCoach Dan
• First year coach
• Father of player
• Played soccer in high
school
What would you do
if Coach Dan were
an employee?

5. 1.1. ScreeningScreening
2.2. TrainingTraining
3.3. EvaluationEvaluation
4.4. AccountabilityAccountability
Compare volunteer coachCompare volunteer coach
management process tomanagement process to
employment processemployment process
Employee Dan

6. Step 1:Step 1: ScreeningScreening
Why screen coaches?Why screen coaches?
• To make an unwelcome environment for anyone who
doesn’t put children’s needs first.
• To keep people who have a history of inappropriate
behavior or who are unfit to work with children out of your
organization.
• To select the ‘best’ volunteers.
• To clarify what the standards and expectations of the
organization are in terms of child protection.

7. ScreeningScreening
it’s notit’s not JUSTJUST a background check!a background check!
• Have a written screeningscreening policypolicy
• Provide job descriptionsjob descriptions
• Obtain completed applicationsapplications
• Have a consent/release formconsent/release form signed and dated
• EvaluateEvaluate application
• Conduct a criminal background checkbackground check
• Review results against disqualifiersdisqualifiers
• InterviewInterview the applicant

8. Step 2:Step 2: TrainingTraining
• Orientation which includes the philosophy of your
program
• Comprehensive sport specific information
• Behavior expectations – Code of Conduct, etc.
• Important needs beyond the training
 Insurance coverage
 Educational Resources
 Coaching Tools

9. Continuing Education…Continuing Education…
• Training Follow Up
• Reinforce learning points from orientation
• Take Homes
• Commitments (Code of Ethics)
• Resources
• Drills & Skills
• Practice Planners
• Peer to Peer Resources
• Coaching Tools
• Communication Tools
• Self Evaluators

10. Step 3:Step 3: EvaluationEvaluation
• How are your coaches doing?
• Feedback from parents
• Type of feedback
• Frequency of feedback
• Evaluations should be
convenient and practical
• Define steps for reviewing and
responding to evaluations

11. Step 4:Step 4: AccountabilityAccountability
• Codes of Ethics
• Established Procedures for Disciplinary Actions
 Reporting
 Responding
 Follow Through
• Coach Accountability Committee/Individual
• Information Sharing

12. 1. ScreeningScreening – Guidelines & Partnership
2. TrainingTraining – Live and Online Clinics –
continuing education – membership benefits
- value
3. EvaluationEvaluation – Coach Rating System
4. AccountabilityAccountability – Code of Ethics Pledge/
Reporting & Revocation Procedures

14. View membersView members
::
All relevant
information is
available in one
database

15. 1.1.
ScreeningScreening
Select aSelect a
member formember for
more detailedmore detailed
information:information:
Edit information,
check
background
information or
initiate an online
evaluation for a
coach.

16. 2. Training2. Training
OR

17. Psychology of coaching
Tips on communication
Sportsmanship
Parents as partners
Child abuse in sports
Injury prevention
Conditioning
Nutrition Hydration
Coaching Youth SportsCoaching Youth Sports
PLUS Sport Specific – 13 SportsPLUS Sport Specific – 13 Sports

18. Every NYSCA member
gets a personalized homepagepersonalized homepage with
additional coaching tools and
resources…

19. Coaching Forum:
Ask questions & share
knowledge with over
150,000
NYSCA members
Coach Ratings:
Provides feedback from
parent evaluations all
season long
SportingKid Magazine:
Youth sport magazine
packed
with news, tips & expert
info
Skills & Drills:
Video and printable
exercises
for practice preparation
Educational Resources:
Additional content
relevant to coaching youth
sports
Member areaMember area
highlights…highlights…

20. Parents canParents can
rate yourrate your
coaches in 14coaches in 14
key areas…key areas…
3. Evaluation3. Evaluation

21. Results are
displayed as
an average
between 1-
10
Or view a
grid of all
scores for
each
question
3. Evaluation3. Evaluation

22. View AllView All
Results:Results:
Historical results
can be exported to
a spreadsheet for
management.
View IndividualView Individual
Results:Results:
Results can be
used to follow-up
with coach
complaints or to
reward coaches
for great service.
““Rate Your Coach” EvaluationsRate Your Coach” Evaluations

25. NationalNational
Guidelines:Guidelines:
Created with input
from youth sports
professionals
Revocation :Revocation :
Coaches not living
up to the Code of
Ethics can have
their memberships
revoked
-permanently
ReportingReporting
Feature:Feature:
Allows NAYS to
keep track of
incidents and
report back to
chapters
4.4.
AccountabilityAccountability

26. www.nays.orgwww.nays.org
kdilworth@nays.orgkdilworth@nays.org
Questions?