Our sports programs depend on volunteers as coaches and your support is needed! 

You will experience the joy of seeing players learn and develop self confidence, learn teamwork, participate in games and thoroughly enjoy playing youth sports.

As a volunteer coach with ASA you can help further the Mission of ASA to be the place Where Kids Come to Play!

At ASA coaching is a privilege and not a right. All coaches should read and  know our Vision & Mission Statement as well as our Core Values and Behaviors. In addition, coaches must read and adhere to the ASA Universal Code of Conduct. 

ASA Vision & Mission Statement

ASA Core Values & Behaviors

ASA Universal Code of Conduct

As a co-sponsored organization of the City of Allen, we are required to provide a coach certification process for all coaches in all sports. There are several steps to the coach certification process outlined below. This is the basic ASA coach registration and certification process. Some sports programs require additional training and/or certifications. Please check the individual sport webpage for information on any additional coaching requirements.

STEPS TO COMPLETE YOUR COACH CERTIFICATION PROCESS:

1. Register
2. Complete Annual Criminal Background Check
3. Complete Child Abuse Prevention Training
4. Complete Concussion Training
5. Pick Up Coaching Badge

*Soccer coaches should check the soccer page for complete information on requirements

 

All coaches will be placed as draft/unassigned upon registering. This allows ASA staff to check the status of the coach for the upcoming season before gaining access to a team roster and athlete personal information. 

• Coaches must be 21-years-old to coach in any ASA sports program.
• All coaches must register online every season for every sport they will be coaching.
• Returning coaches can log in to their Demosphere household account and register. 
• New coaches who do not have a Demosphere Household account can create a new account. Once the household account is set up they can register to coach.
• Coach Registration can be completed by clicking the link at the top of the website that says "Registration".

 

After completing an online registration, every coach must complete an annual criminal background check.There is a $5.40 fee for the criminal background check, which is the responsibility of the coach when completing the criminal background check.

• All new coaches will receive an email from the current ASA background check provider requesting completion of and payment for a criminal background check.
• Returning coaches who have an expired background check will also receive an email from the current ASA background check provider requesting completion of and payment for a criminal background check. 
• Returning coaches whose background check has not expired should not receive a request.

Once a criminal background check has been completed, a team invitation code will be emailed to coaches in all sports with the following exceptions, as these sports do not use the team invitation code for team formation.

• Soccer 
• Track
• Girls Lacrosse
• Inline Hockey

 

In addition to an annual criminal background check, we require all coaches to complete an online child abuse prevention training course. This course is FREE for all coaches by using the ASA code available in the instructions below.

What do I need to do if I’m an ASA coach or plan to coach?

All registered coaches, head and assistant, must complete the 90-minute online training course before getting approved to coach for the upcoming spring season. The training will be good for TWO (2) years from the date of completion.

Exceptions:

• Current ASA Soccer coaches must complete US for SafeSport child abuse prevention training and are not required to complete the Safeguard From Abuse training.
• Tackle football coaches from the previous fall season who have completed the USA Football tackle certification training, which includes the US for SafeSport child abuse prevention training, are not required to complete the Safeguard From Abuse training.

*ASA keeps training records for all coaches and will notify coaches each season by email if they are required to complete the training.

To complete the training at no cost, please follow the instructions below:

Access Safeguard From Abuse training at:  https://safeguardfromabuse.digitalchalk.com

1. Select CREATE ACCOUNT
2. Complete the sign-up form
3. Enter ALLEN SPORTS ASSOCIATION as the name of your organization and the following Registration Code: ASAATX
4. Click on your course play button to begin training

Why is Child Abuse Prevention Training important?

Many believe that child sexual abuse can’t happen in their organization, or that no one they know could be an abuser. This illusion of safety is often found in schools, camps and many other child-serving organizations.

This illusion is dangerous to both the organization and the children it serves. Sexual abusers find those places where the barriers of protection are lowest, where people are more trusting and where fewer barriers exist between service applicants and children.

In our culture, barriers to entry tend to be lower in child-serving organizations. We want to ‘raise the bar’, and the first step is to better understand the problem.  When volunteers and staff members learn the facts, they are better able to protect children in their care.

Child Abuse Prevention Training is key in equipping staff members and volunteers to better understand the risk of child sexual abuse. Typically, our beliefs are shaped by our personal experience, the experiences of our friends and family and the media. For most of us, sexual abuse of children is not a reality we want to confront, so many of us choose to remain uninformed. Media coverage is incomplete, leaving us with an inaccurate picture of the scope, breadth or shape of child sexual abuse.

To better protect children in our programs, we must realize that the problem is significant and growing, and that abusers have no visual profile. We must be able to recognize predators behaviorally. This Child Abuse Prevention Training equips employees and volunteers with the 'eyes to see' the grooming process of an abuser and key indicators of child sexual abuse.

Why are children at risk in youth sports?

Young athletes are taught to trust the coach, an adult in a position of authority. The right coach can have an incredibly positive impact on a child’s life—teaching and modeling sportsmanship, competition and teamwork. The wrong coach can cause serious damage.

Unfortunately, a growing number of sexual predators are using youth sports to gain access to children.

This training is the single most important step an organization can take to reduce the risk of child sexual abuse. When staff members and volunteers are equipped with the ‘eyes to see’ the grooming process of an abuser and key indicators of child sexual abuse, we are better able to protect children in our care.

 

As part of our co-sponsorship agreement with the City of Allen, our coaches are required to follow the City of Allen Parks and Recreation Department Concussion Policy. 

Coaches are asked to follow the City of Allen's policy as outlined below:

The City of Allen Parks and Recreation Department Concussion Policy

The City of Allen’s Concussion Policy defines the process for identifying and treating concussions, as well as reducing serious health risks related to head injuries sustained in City-sponsored events. This policy shall be enforced for all youth and adult athletic programs sponsored or coordinated by the department and/or occurring on City park property.

Concussion Overview

According to the CDC, a concussion is a traumatic brain injury typically caused by bump, blow, or jolt to the head or impact to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth.

• Concussions may chemically change the brain by stretching or damaging brain cells
• Effects of a concussion can be serious
• Athletes who have had a previous concussion have a higher chance of getting another concussion; repeat concussions may lead to more severe symptoms and longer recovery
• Children are more at risk for long term effects from concussions due to their brains still being in development
• Most concussion injuries in sports are caused by player-to-player contact

Preventing Head Injuries

• In order to prevent head injuries and concussions:
• Foster an environment and enforce rules that limit the risk of impact to the head
• Talk to athletes and their families about head injuries and review common signs and symptoms
• Encourage concussion reporting – remind athletes that you expect them to report blows, bumps, or jolts to their head
• Regularly check and inspect equipment and facilities for hazards before play
• Post CDC Heads Up concussion awareness and prevention posters at facilities
• Make CDC Heads Up information available to participants and parents each sports season

In addition, any Parks and Recreation staff, including full-time, part-time and seasonal/temporary, as well as department volunteers, that work in a recreation facility or with athletics programming, are required to complete a free CDC Heads Up Online Concussion Training annually.

Youth sports associations, leagues, and other organizations conducting athletic programming in partnership with the City must:

• Provide to the City annually a copy of their concussion protocol (which meets or exceeds the standards detailed here), as well as display it on their website
• Staff, coaches, and volunteers will complete training as required by their association/league’s concussion protocol
• If no concussion protocol exits, or if protocol does not include concussion training, association/league staff and volunteers must complete a free CDC Heads Up Online Concussion Training annually

Identifying Concussions

Athletes who experience or exhibit one or more of the signs or symptoms listed below after a bump, blow, or jolt to the head/body may have a concussion.

Signs observed by coaches, parents, or teammates:

• Appears dazed, stunned or confused
• Forgetfulness
• Clumsy movements
• Slow to respond to questions
• Mood, behavior or personality changes
• Inability to recall events prior to the hit or fall or Inability to recall events after the hit or fall

Symptoms reported by athlete:

• Headache or “pressure” feeling in the head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Balance problems or dizziness
• Double or blurry vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy
• Concentration problems, memory problems, or confusion
• Just not “feeling right” or feeling “down”

 Call 911 immediately if athlete displays signs of a more serious brain injury:

• Loss of consciousness (passing out) even for a moment
• A headache that gets worse and does not go away
• Significant nausea or repeated vomiting
• Unusual behavior, increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation
• Drowsiness or inability to wake up
• Slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination,
• Convulsions or seizures (shaking or twitching)

Suspected Concussion

An individual with a suspected concussion needs to see a medical provider right away.

• Remove athlete from play immediately. Keep an athlete with a possible head injury out of play until he or she is cleared by a healthcare provider. Only a medical professional should assess a concussion. When in doubt, sit them out.
• Notify a minor’s parent/guardian.
• Be prepared to share the following information with a medical provider:
• Any medications, including prescriptions or over-the-counter medicines, the injured athlete is taking
• Cause of injury
• Any loss of consciousness (passed out/knocked out) and duration
• Any memory loss immediately following the injury
• Any seizures immediately following the injury
• Number of previous concussions, if applicable

Returning to Play

Recovery from a concussion may take weeks or months. An athlete should follow all steps advised by their medical professional, but if symptoms are still present 4-6 weeks after the incident, he or she should return to a medical professional for evaluation.

An athlete should only return to sports participation (including practices and games) with the approval of and under the supervision of their health care provider.

More Information

For more information regarding head injuries and concussions, visit the CDC Heads Up website or review their Concussion Information Sheet.

 

All coaches are required to display their coach badge at games. This means, it should always be displayed around your neck on the sideline, in the dugout, on the field/court or on the bench. 

Please follow the steps below to make sure you will get your badge in time for the Spring 2024 season.

Only registered coaches who have completed their criminal background check, child abuse prevention training, have uploaded a photo and have been moved to the team roster will be issued a coaching badge.

BADGE PHOTOS

Every coach must upload a yearbook style, head & shoulders photo to your registration profile.

• No other person, pet or object should be in view.
• Plain background preferred.
• No hats, sunglasses or other headwear, except for religious or cultural reasons.
• Subject should be seated or standing only.

To submit your photo: Log in to your Demosphere household account and upload a photo to your profile.

 

BADGE DISTRIBUTION

All coaches who have completed a criminal background check, child abuse prevention training and have uploaded a photo will have a photo printed by the ASA office staff prior to the current season coaches meeting. Badges will be brought to the coaches meeting so that one representative from the team can pick up the badges for the entire team staff.

Any coach who does not complete any of the required steps above at least 3 days prior to the coaches meeting will not have a badge printed and available for pick up at the coaches meeting. Those coaches will have to come to the ASA office during business hours after they’ve completed all the requirements to pick up their coaching badge prior to the season beginning.

OTHER INFORMATION

• Soccer badges will be good for one year (Spring/Fall).
• All other sport badges will be good for three years.
  • Coaches will still need to register and complete any required background check and child abuse prevention training each season.
  • A new badge sticker will be issued annually if all steps have been completed.
• There will be a $5 fee for lost badges.

How to Coach Kids

https://www.howtocoachkids.org/

Positive Coaching Alliance

https://devzone.positivecoach.org/

Project Play

https://projectplay.org/coaches-resources

North Texas State Soccer Association

https://www.ntxsoccer.org/coaching/coaching-education-program/

U.S. Soccer

https://www.ussoccer.com/coaching

USA Basketball

https://www.usab.com/coaching/coaching-resources

USA Football

https://www.usafootball.com/coaches-organizations/coach-tools

USA Volleyball

https://usavolleyball.org/resources-for-coaches/coaches-tools/

 

 

The Student Athlete Mentor program is available to qualified high school & college student athletes who are 15- to 20-years-old. Student Athlete Mentors should be currently playing the sport they will be mentoring in or have a solid background playing the sport for no less than 2 years.  Student Athlete Mentors must apply at the ASA office and be approved to receive a Student Athlete Mentor badge. 

• Mentors should maintain no less than a 2.0 GPA while participating in the program.
• Badges must be renewed annually.
• Badges must be worn to all practices & games.
• Student Athlete Mentors do not hold a position of authority with players or parents of the team. All coaching authority remains with the Head Coach and Assistant Coaches of the team.
• Mentors should never be left alone with players during practice or games.
• Mentors may attend practice and help in the dugout during games.
• Mentors may NOT sit on the bench in a coaching capacity (volleyball/basketball).
• Mentors may NOT stand in as a base coach on the field (baseball/softball).

Student Athlete Mentor Application 

(Must be submitted to the ASA office for approval)