Volunteer Coach Certification and Requirements
As part of the certification process for all volunteer coaches, each coach must secure negligence liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $1,000,000.00. This insurance is required at the volunteer’s own expense. Volunteers are representing the Clayton County Department of Parks & Recreation, and as such, there is an expectation that they be held accountable for any actions or negligence directly related to their role. To meet this requirement, volunteers are encouraged to purchase the necessary coverage through the National Alliance for Youth Sports.
Message to Volunteer Coaches:
Our organization is committed to providing the best experience possible to the youth participating in our programs. With this in mind, we have partnered with the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS) and are offering its NAYS Coach Training & Membership program for all of our volunteer coaches. NAYS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving youth sports by providing training, resources, and support for coaches, parents, and administrators to create positive, safe, and fun experiences for all young athletes. They have been around since 1981 and over 4 million volunteers have gone through one or more of their programs.
NAYS training includes valuable information on coaching youth sports as well as sport-specific information about the sport you are coaching. In addition, it meets a number of requirements of our volunteers concerning safety, basic first aid for serious issues like concussion awareness, heat illness, sudden cardiac arrest and even AED use.
As a member of the NAYS Coach program you will also receive $2,000,000 of excess liability insurance coverage and several other NAYS Coach member benefits. We are confident that you will agree with us that these trainings are useful no matter the level of sports experience you might have had in the past.
Registration information for your NAYS Coach Training is included below. Once you click on the link to the registration page you will need to know two things when prompted:
1) Your Role which is listed as: NAYS Coach (or the Custom Role that you have created)
2) The name of our organization in the NAYS system which is: Your Organization Name
Once on the Registration Page:
1) Click “Register”
2) Fill out your information
3) When prompted, search for our Organization Name and select it to affiliate
4) Select your Role
5) Select the appropriate sport specific training and Add To Cart (the cost will be updated at checkout)
6) Make certain to Checkout & Process your order even if the price is $0.00
You will be directed to start your trainings in the Training Portal or come back any time to complete the trainings.
Head Coach Additional Requirements:
In addition to obtaining liability insurance, Head Coaches must complete two additional training components:
- CPR & First Aid Certification – This ensures that coaches are prepared to handle any medical emergencies that may arise during practices or games.
- Team Management Training – All head coaches must attend a mandatory 2-hour class with the Athletic Superintendent and/or Athletic Supervisor. During this session, coaches will learn about:
- The core philosophy and values of Clayton County Parks & Recreation
- County expectations and best practices for coaching
- Key topics including practice planning, depth charts, time management, conflict resolution, and risk management
Your role as a volunteer coach is invaluable, and we are grateful for your commitment to supporting Clayton County youth sports. Thank you for being a vital part of our community!
