| Coaching Progression in the United States |
The NSCAA receives a number of inquiries each week from coaches or potential coaches who are curious about making soccer coaching a career. The information below, compiled by NSCAA Director of Coaching Development Jeff Tipping, is a rough overview of the various soccer coaching capacities in the United States.
Youth Club Volunteer Coach
Frequently a parent, teacher, or novice coach breaking in to coaching to get experience. - coach who volunteers their time coaching a club. Sometimes has little or no soccer experience either as a player or a coach. Often coaches young children or a team that their child plays on.
Length of season – varies according to region in the country and governing association. Often runs as two separate seasons, one in the fall (late August to early November) and one in the spring (late March to early June). Some indoor play during the winter months.
Reports to: Director of Coaching.
Terms of Service: None.
Recommended Qualifications: 5- to 11-year-olds – NSCAA State, Regional and National Youth Diploma, NSCAA Child Safety training; 12 years old and up – NSCAA Advanced Regional Diploma.
Youth Club Coaching Professional
When players pay a training fee to belong to a club, the club hires coaching professionals to train the players. Each club has different methods as to how to do this. It is recommended that the coach have a contract with the club describing terms of service and compensation. To avoid potential conflicts of interest, it is not recommended that the coach have contracts with the individual team or parents.
Reports to: Director of Coaching.
Terms of Service: Negotiable.
Recommended Qualifications: NSCAA National Youth Diploma, NSCAA Premier Diploma, Child Safety Program.
Length of Season: varies. Either fall or spring depending on the age group. normally designed not to conflict with high school season.
Youth Club Director of Coaching
Responsible for club curriculum development, hiring and training of staff, fundraising, budget, competitive calendar, parent education, etc.
Reports to: Usually a board of directors comprised of club members either chosen by the president or elected by the club.
Terms of Service: Negotiable.
Salary Range: $10,000 - $120,000 plus benefits (depends on the size of the club).
Recommended Qualifications: NSCAA National Youth Diploma, NSCAA Premier Diploma.
High School Coach
Frequently a full-time teacher either at the high school or an affiliate (i.e. elementary school). Responsible for selecting and training players, communicating with school administration, parents and booster clubs, local media etc.
Reports to: Athletics Director.
Terms of Service: Seasonal.
Salary Range: Normally paid extra ($2,000-$7,000) on top of regular teaching salary.
Recommended Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in appropriate teaching area; NSCAA Premier Diploma, NSCAA High School Coaches Diploma.
Length of Season: Six to 12 weeks, depending on playoffs. Seasons vary from state to state. Boys and girls may play in opposite seasons (i.e. boys in the fall, girls in the spring) or they may compete during the same season.
Variation: Non-Teacher hired for the season, frequently a local club coach, player etc.
Reports to: Athletics Director
Terms of Service: Negotiable with athletics department.
Recommended Qualifications: NSCAA Premier Diploma, NSCAA High School Coaches Diploma.
Length of Season: Same as above.
College Coach
Colleges in the United States basically are divided into four-year schools (referred to as senior colleges) and two-year schools (referred to as junior colleges). NJCAA which are residential or Community College which are non residential.) Senior colleges are affiliated with a national association such as the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and National Christian College Athletics Association (NCCAA). Junior colleges are generally affiliated with the National Junior College Athletics Association (NJCAA) with the exception of two-year schools within the state of California.
Full-Time
NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA and NJCAA. Some coaches are responsible only for their program and have no other responsibilities to the institution. Other coaches are responsible for another sport, physical education or other teaching activities or other assignments from the Athletics Director (equipment room, facility supervision, etc.). Duties include recruiting, coaching players, fundraising, budget, choosing and training staff, planning the calendar, summer camps, and oversight of academic progress of players.
Reports to: Athletics Director.
Terms of Service: Salary negotiable ($25,000-$100,000+ at some institutions) benefits, nine- to 12-month contract.
Recommended Qualifications: NSCAA Premier Diploma.
Length of Season: Traditional, mid-August to mid-November or December (depending on playoffs). Non-traditional, winter and spring depending on division.
Part-Time
Normally responsible only to train and recruit for the squad. The amount of time and energy depends on the coach. Frequently a high school teacher, local player or privately employed individual.
Reports to: Athletics Director.
Terms of Service: Salary negotiable ($3,000-$15,000), no benefits.
Recommended Qualifications: Same as above.
Length of Season: Same as above.
Private and Specialist Instructors (Goalkeeper Instructors, Conditioning)
Individual coaches who work with individuals and/or small groups or hire themselves out on a temporary basis to institutions.
Reports to: Negotiated.
Terms of Service: Negotiated.
Recommended Qualifications: Goalkeeper Specialist – NSCAA Goalkeeping diplomas, other NSCAA diplomas depending on age of players.
Length of Season: As negotiated.
Soccer Coaching Specialist Companies (Pro-excel, Challenger, UK Elite Soccer Camps etc.)
These organizations normally employ large numbers of coaches for the summer camp period and retain a small number of them to perform contractual services with local clubs or educational institutions for all or part of the year. A large number of international coaches enter the USA for the summer camp period and either return to their native land or remain in the U.S. on a work visa.
Reports to: Director of Company.
Terms of Service: Normally weekly stipend paid by the company, plus room and board for the summer, frequently a home stay. Some benefits if hired beyond the summer months.
Recommended Qualifications: NSCAA diploma and/or English FA certificate.
Seasonal Camp Coach
Summer Camp months, consist of college players and recent graduates and, charge a spectator fee. The players are paid if they have graduated from college and the range varies tremendously. The teams are sometimes affiliated with a youth club (Williamsburg Legacy) or operate individually and are owned by an individual or group of owners. Coach is responsible for selecting team, training players, selecting coaching staff, planning calendar, budget, some fundraising, promotion of program, etc.
Reports to: Owner or Board of Directors
Terms of Service: Negotiable ($5,000-$10,000), some benefits.
Recommended Qualifications: Premier Diploma.
Length of Season: Late May through August.
Semi-Pro (A League, W League, PDL)
Coaches are frequently former college or pro players who are coaching professionals. These leagues run in the summer, normally from April to early August. Some coaches are full time, but most are part time, serving as Directors of Coaching, high school or college coaches.
Professional Coach (MLS, MISL)
Coaching full-time professional players. Duties include staff and team management, drafting and training of players, public relations, trades, budgets etc.
Reports to: General Manager
Terms of Service: Contract period one to three years, $75,000-$125,000 plus benefits.
Recommended Qualifications: NSCAA Premier Diploma
Length of Season: Seven months, tours, off-season training.
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