Coaching Courses
The NSCAA Coaching Academy offers a wide range of educational opportunities to enhance the knowledge of soccer coaches. The following is a brief summary of those offerings.
Which course should you take? Click HERE to check out the course menu.
** Click on any of the course names below to see the dates of the upcoming courses.**
Non-Residential Courses
The NSCAA boasts a robust non-residential course program that provides education, support and professional growth for coaches at all levels of the game. Non-residential courses vary in length and are intended primarily for coaches in a particular community and region, so lodging and meals are not part of the course packages. Because the NSCAA appreciates the desire of coaches to take courses germane to the level of player they are coaching, only a few of the courses have prerequisites (noted below). Nonetheless, coaches who progress through all NSCAA courses benefit immensely from the developmental approach taken in our curriculum.
| Course | Coaching Level | Time Commitment |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Level I Diploma | U-5 to U-8 | 2.5 hours |
| Youth Level II Diploma | U-5 to U-10 | 5 hours |
| Youth Level III Diploma | U-6 to U-10 | 13 hours |
| Youth Level IV Diploma | U9 to U12 | 21 hours |
| Junior Level V Diploma | U11 to U18 | 13 hours |
| Junior Level VI Diploma | U11 to U18 | 21 hours |
| Junior Level VI Supplement* | U11 to U18 | 8 hours |
| High School Diploma | High School | 21 hours |
| Special Topics Diplomas | Varies by location | Varies by location |
| Director of Coaching Diploma* | Directors of Coaching and Club Leadership | 21 hours |
| National Diploma | Coaches of U-15 Club or High School players and above | 50 hours instruction, 6 hours evaluation |
| Advanced National Diploma* | Coaches of U-15 Club or High School players and above | 50 hours instruction, 6 hours evaluation |
| * Prerequisites necessary for enrollment. | ||
Residential Courses
NSCAA residential courses are scheduled at predetermined sites for one-week periods of time, and residence on-site or in the area of the course is required. Sites for residential courses in a given year are located around the United States and are usually posted on our website in the autumn of the preceding year. Residential courses are intended to be taken progressively (i.e. National prior to Advanced National, etc.) and it is strongly recommended that coaches wait one full year between these courses so as to be able to learn from using the knowledge garnered in one course before moving on to the next course.
| Course | Coaching Level | Time Commitment |
|---|---|---|
|
Coaches of U-15 Club or High School players and above |
50 hours instruction, 6 hours evaluation |
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Coaches of U-15 Club or High School players and above |
50 hours instruction, 6 hours evaluation |
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Experienced coaches working with advanced players |
50 hours instruction, 6 hours evaluation |
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| * Prerequisites necessary for enrollment. | ||
Residential courses allow coaches to become fully immersed in the learning process of coaching education; to focus exclusively on improving themselves as coaches for a week; to meet, network, and develop friendships with other coaches from across the nation; and to experience, in many of the courses, the amenities of some of the finest educational institutions in the nation.
Goalkeeping Academy
The NSCAA Coaching Academy launched its Goalkeeping Academy in 1998 to focus attention on the education of coaches working in the specialized area of goalkeeper training and to improve the ability of all coaches to integrate goalkeeper training into total team training. Courses are offered both residentially and non-residentially.
| Course | Coaching Level | Time Commitment |
|---|---|---|
|
Team Coaches |
6 hours |
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Specialized goalkeeper and team coaches looking for in-depth knowledge about training goalkeepers |
12 hours |
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Experienced coaches working with advanced goalkeepers |
18 hours |
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Experienced coaches working with advanced goalkeepers |
50 hours instruction, 6 hours evaluation |
Master Coach Diploma
The Master Coach Diploma is the NSCAA's response to a growing trend in coaching education - that of continuous self-improvement. The program, designed to meet the needs of the American coach, offers an opportunity for coaches to develop a mastery of the profession of coaching.
The Master Coach Diploma builds upon the 150 hours of field and classroom learning contained in the NSCAA National, Advanced National, and Premier Diploma courses. The Master Coach Diploma program includes divisions for Youth, High School, College, Club, and Professional coaches, and involves each coach in 20 projects designed to be completed at one’s own pace and to enhance one’s growth as a well-rounded professional. Toward that end, all coaches in the program will have the opportunity to learn and grow in fields such as sport psychology, leadership, team and organizational management, use of technology and nutrition.
The Master Coach Diploma program is designed to be completed over a period of 18 months, with all members of a given Master Coach class beginning and completing the course on the same timetable. While a significant portion of the course involves independent study, candidates will also work with a mentor drawn from current NSCAA National Staff Coaches and will benefit from learning opportunities generated by interaction with other Master Coach Diploma candidates in one’s class.
International Courses and Exchanges
The NSCAA actively works with associations in other countries in the development of international learning opportunities.
Refund and Cancellation Policy
For information about the NSCAA Coaching Academy Refund and Cancellation Policy, please visit this page.