2151.2P Procedure - Interscholastic Coaching Requirements

Coaches are primarily responsible for imparting valuable educational experiences to student participants. Therefore, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) believes that all coaches should have training in at least the essential areas of study required for a physical education teacher's endorsement in Washington secondary schools and the NFHS Coaches Education Program.

 

No school team or individual contestant shall be eligible to represent a school in an athletic contest unless the coach is an employee of the school district in which he/she coaches. This requirement applies to all paid coaches.

 

Coaching stipends and all gifts to a coach exceeding a total of $500 in a season must be approved by the Board of Directors.

 

A school appointed coach, or another appointed member of the school faculty, must accompany any school team or individual at any time in connection with school sponsored interscholastic competition.

 

Described below are the minimum standards for a paid and/or volunteer interscholastic coach:

A. Hold a valid current First Aid certification, have completed a school district approved athletic training/sports medicine course equivalent to the Red Cross First Aid Card training, or be enrolled in a First Aid class. A sports medicine course is to include prevention of injuries, recognition of injuries, emergency on-site procedures including transporting the injured, and rehabilitation of injuries. If a sports medicine course is used to fulfill this requirement, it must be renewed every three (3) years.

B. Hold a valid, current CPR certification, which must be renewed every three (3) years, or be enrolled in an approved CPR Course.

C. Have successfully completed concussion recognition and management with Return to Play Protocols training as required by Washington State law. This is an annual requirement for Franklin Pierce Schools.  

D. Have successfully completed Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness and Training as required by Washington State law. This is an annual requirement for Franklin Pierce Schools. 

E. Before the beginning of the third year of coaching, a school coach (paid or volunteer) must complete school district approved Coaching Principles training.  This requires a minimum of five (5) hours of instruction.  After initial completion, coaches will be required to repeat this training every three years. The training may include, but is not limited to:

1. Each team must have a certified swim coach on site during practice and competition in order for an athlete(s) to be eligible to participate in swimming.

2. Each team must have a certified dive coach on site during practice and competition in order for an athlete(s) to be eligible to participate in diving.

 

G. “Hands on” pole vault coaches training is required for pole vault coaches.  Coaches must be recertified every three (3) years with “hands on” training to be required the first year and either the “hands on” training or completion of WIAA-approved online courses in subsequent years.

1. Each team must have a certified pole vault coach on site during practice and competition in order for an athlete(s) to be eligible to participate in pole vault.

 

H. Stunt certification is required for cheer coaches and dance/drill coaches who intend to have their cheer or dance/drill squad(s) perform stunts. The certification program must be approved by the Washington State Cheer Coaches Association, the Washington State Dance/Drill Coaches Association, and the WIAA.  Coaches must be recertified every three (3) years with “hands on” training to be required the first year and either the “hands on” training or completion of WIAA-approved online courses in subsequent years.

1. Each team must have a stunt certified coach on site during practice and competition in order for an athlete(s) to be eligible to stunt.

 

I. All middle school and high school football coaches must complete school district approved technique-specific safety training similar to “Heads Up Football”.  The training must include, but is not limited to, safer tackling techniques and drills, helmet and shoulder pad fitting, concussion management with Return to Play Protocols following a concussion, heat and hydration training, and sudden cardiac arrest training.  Football coaches will be required to repeat this training every three years.                 

The employing school district will require the Washington State Patrol Criminal History Information Form required by RCW 43.43.830 for paid and/or volunteer coaches.

 

The Coach Must Satisfy the Following Requirements:

1. Be a high school graduate or have completed a graduation equivalency diploma (GED) program, except as in d. below, plus:

a. Be at least 21 years of age to be a head coach.

b. Be at least 19 years of age to be an assistant coach except as in d. below.

c. Hold a valid current First Aid certification and “hands-on” CPR certification, or be enrolled in a First Aid certification and “hands-on” CPR course.

d. High school students may serve as middle level volunteer assistant coaches during the designated middle school season when under the direct supervision of the middle level coach.  These high school students must meet WIAA coaching standards’ minimum requirements to hold a valid First Aid certification and a valid CPR card.

 

2. All high school coaches and head middle school coaches must annually complete the WIAA general rules clinic and the WIAA approved rules clinic for the sport being coached prior to the end of the third week of the sports season.

a. DEFINITION OF A HEAD COACH: A head coach is that person in charge of the highest level team for that building (e.g.), the person responsible for the highest level (varsity) team in a building that houses grades 10-12 is the head coach; the person who is responsible for the highest level team in a building that houses grades 7-9 is the head coach.

 

3. Middle Level Head Coaches and High School and Middle Level Assistant Coaches: The WIAA recommends, but does not require, that the head coach at the middle level or junior high level and the assistant coaches at both the high school and middle level or junior high level annually complete the WIAA general rules clinic and the WIAA approved rules clinic for the sport being coached prior to the end of the third week of the sports season.

 

Date: 5/12/92

Revised: 12/14/99; 9/9/08; 9/12/17