Oregon Athletic
Coaches Association

Coaches

School coaches are tremendously important educators who have the opportunity to make lasting impressions on students as they learn lifelong lessons through participation in activities. Thank you for your efforts in developing your students. We hope you'll find this page helpful in reaching your goals.

Coaching Information

Coaching Requirements Policies, Forms & Links Additional Resources

Professional Organizations

The OSAA works closely with several professional organizations that provide excellent resources for high school coaches. Follow the links below for additional information.

Beyond High School

Coaching Requirements

This page highlights the certification and training program requirements for Oregon high school coaches. Full details on AD and Coach certification requirements can be found in the OSAA Handbook.

For athletics (football, volleyball, soccer, cross country, basketball, swimming, wrestling, baseball, softball, track & field, golf, and tennis), coaches must complete required certifications before interacting with participants during that sport's season.

Cheerleading and dance/drill coaches must complete required certifications by the first day of the association year (the first practice date in the fall).

Required Certification/Training for Oregon High School Coaches

OSAA Policies, Forms, and Links

OSAA policies and forms can be found by using the Governance navigational bar at the top of every OSAA webpage. Most of the questions we receive from coaches are on the following topics.

Useful OSAA Website Links

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Q. Does certification through the American Sport Education Program (ASEP) satisfy the one time requirement for NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching?
   
   A. Yes, so long as the athletic director or coach was certified through ASEP prior to August 1, 2007. Thereafter, only the NFHS Coach Education Program "Fundamentals of Coaching" will satisfy this requirement unless an exception is granted in writing by the OSAA.
2. Q. When must a coach be certified?
   
   A. All coaches must be certified prior to assuming coaching duties unless an emergency exception is authorized in writing by the OSAA. This includes cheerleading coaches, dance/drill coaches, and choreographers at schools that do not participate in competitions.
3. Q. Is certification required of volunteer coaches?
   
   A. Yes.
4. Q. Must a "guest" coach be certified?
   
   A. No, but if the coach has contact with students more than three times in a sport season, the coach shall no longer be considered a "guest" and must be certified. A non-certified "guest" coach may not serve as a coach at a contest.
5. Q. May a school bring in alumni or other non-high school personnel to scrimmage with teams or individuals as "guest coaches" if those personnel are limited to student contact on no more than three occasions during the sport season?
   
   A. No. The "guest coach" exception is intended to allow a limited number of visits by a guest instructor; it is NOT intended to allow coaches to bring in coaches or players to participate in drills or scrimmages against teams or individuals. Any attempt to circumvent the Participation Limitations by calling practice participants "guest coaches" would be a violation of OSAA rules.
6. Q. In individual sports, may a parent or non-certified coach accompany a participant to a contest as the school representative if that person is an authorized representative of the principal?
   
   A. Yes, but the authorized representative may not coach the participant unless specific permission has been granted in writing by the Executive Director.
7. Q. Does the OSAA require high school coaches to have current first aid certification?
   
   A. No. However, coaches should check with their athletic directors as most high schools have this as a requirement.

Additional Resources

The following additional resources provide quality information on pertinent subjects for high school coaches.

Title IX Resources

Karin Moscon, ODE Education Specialist, Civil Rights, (503) 947-5706,
Tim Sell, Office for Civil Rights, Seattle Office, (206) 607-1639,

Lookup a Coach's Certification

Online Training Course Help

Answers to common NFHS online course questions, logins, etc.