Thinking about coaching your child’s soccer or basketball team? How about lacrosse or softball? If you are, it is mandatory to go through our coaching certification program that has been developed by the National Youth Sports Coaches Association. Volunteer coaches begin by taking an on-lie course teaching coaches how to conduct fun and effective practices, offer positive coaching philosophies, deal with the importance of being a role model for children and adhering to a strict code of conduct. The training session also contains some specific sports information also that helps volunteers understand more about the game they are coaching by offering practice templates, drills and other valuable information. The training session can be taken on line at www.nays.org.

The NYSCA and Westport Parks and Recreation’s goal is to make all youth sports programs as safe and as positive as we can for our Westport children. We believe it can only happen if the children are provided with a positive introduction to the sport and that their administrators, coaches and officials are well trained.

Volunteers who are interested in coaching for the Westport Soccer Association, Westport Little League, Westport Softball, Westport Basketball Association, Westport Lacrosse, Westport Field Hockey, Westport PAL Football or travel basketball or the YMCA travel basketball program either as a head coach or an assistant, and are not currently certified,  must participate in the on-line training class which can be found at www.nays.org. Go to the NYSCA page and click on “Initial Level Coaching Clinic”. The cost is $25.