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Coaches Corner
COACHES CORNER
Thank you to all of our coach volunteers. Your time and commitment play a huge role in the development of our young girls on and off the field. This page is designed to provide a central location for hosting information that will help you and your fellow IGHSF coaches be successful. Please review all the links and information below and let us know of any additional information that we can share on this page that will benefit all of our coaches. Contact us via email with any information that you want posted to this page spartansfastpitch@outlook.com.
Calling all Coaches - We Need You!! Whether you have many years of previous coaching or this would be your first time, we are here to help you as a parent coach volunteer. Over the last three years, we have been very fortunate to find parents excited to coach and will need the same support in 2022.
For those interested in coaching, please select that when you register you player for the 2022 season. You can also contact us via email at spartansfastpitch@outlook.com.
BACKGROUND CHECKS
A background check will be needed from all coaches and assistant coaches to ensure the safety of our players. The background check needs to be completed prior to the first practice. Please complete the ACE background check. IGHSF will reimburse you.
ACE & SAFESPORT CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED FOR COACHES
As the National Governing Body of Softball, it is USA Softball’s responsibility to ensure that coaches achieve a certain level of understanding of what their duties are as coach of a youth softball team.
The ACE (Aspire, Challenge, Encourage) Coaching Program is a coaching education program, developed and designed to provide softball coaches of all levels – from beginning coaches to experienced veterans – an opportunity to be educated as a coach with a national softball organization.
SAFESPORT
USA Softball, under USOPC Bylaw Section 8.7.1(c), is indeed under more stringent requirements from the USCSS in regard to implementing abuse prevention training and other measures to reduce one-on-one interaction between adults and minor athletes. However, this should be viewed in a positive light as we continue to set the standard for athlete safety and well-being.
We take protecting our members both on and off the field seriously and are dedicated to building and maintaining a supportive and nurturing environment in which our participants may flourish and grow. We are the leaders in the sport of softball and as such our commitment to athlete safety is unmatched. Simply put – USA Softball will not tolerate ANY abuse whether it is emotional, physical, mental and sexual.
You will be able to complete both certifications in the link provided below. IGHSF will reimburse coaches for ACE & SAFESPORT training costs.
ACE Background and Safesport Certifications
CONCUSSION TRAINING
Completing the concussion training is a very important and mandatory step in being a IGHSF coach. All coaches must complete the FREE on-line HEADS-UP Concussion training course before their first 2021 game. The State of Minnesota requires all coaches of youth sports teams complete concussion training prior to working with athletes. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has provided the required training program that coaches will need to complete for certification. The training will take about 45 minutes to complete. There is a test at the end of the training you are required to take to complete the training. You will be presented with a certificate once finished. When you finish the training, you will need to forward the Certificate of Completion to spartansfastpitch@outlook.com.
If you have already completed this for another sport, you should already have a certificate and can forward it to the Board.
USA SOFTBALL FUNDAMENTAL TRAINING
Learn softball fundamentals by watching instructional videos for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Topics cover infield, outfield, baserunning, bunting, throwing, catching, and hitting.
