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Join coaches nationwide elevating their skills with a USA Football Coach Certification and License
Join coaches nationwide elevating their skills with a USA Football Coach Certification and License
As coaches, we know our athletes come first. From health and well-being to performance, everything we do is to help them succeed. Staying on top of our game is crucial for that success.
That’s why USA Football has delivered over 1.2 million coach certifications since 2012. Coaches pledge to make athletes their top priority. Certification is a great way to prepare for the season and offers new and useful videos, resources, and tools to enhance your game.
Our athletes and their families deserve our best, and our expectations couldn't be higher. Step up to the standard and earn your USA Football Coach Certification today.
From head, heart and heat lessons to Emergency Action Planning (EAP) and athlete communication strategies, coaches can gain insights to prepare them to deliver a best-in-class athlete experience. Certified coaches also get access to Football Development Model age-based videos, resource guides and more.
You can alternatively pursue certification through the Coach & Commissioner Membership, bundling both youth Certifications with other benefits, including the Youth Tackling & Contact System ($30 value) for only $25 more.
- Principles of Safer Contact
- Practical Coaching & Team Management
- Health & Safety
- Abuse Prevention
- Tackling & Blocking: Skills & Drills
- Health & Safety*
- Abuse Prevention**
- Elective: Effective Practice Planning or Communication Strategies^
If you completed a Youth Coach Certification in 2024, you are eligible for the Level Two Certification using your registered email (using a different email will require full Certification again). After passing the one-time assessment, you can take the required Recertification courses at no extra cost.
If you change your game type from flag to tackle or choose both, you will take the necessary courses based on your current registration or transcript.
- Foundations of Flag Safety
- Practical Coaching & Team Management
- Health & Safety
- Abuse Prevention
- Flag Skills & Drills
- Health & Safety*
- Abuse Prevention**
- Elective: Effective Practice Planning or Communication Strategies^
If you completed a Youth Coach Certification in 2024, you are eligible for the Level Two Certification using your registered email (using a different email will require full Certification again). After passing the one-time assessment, you can take the required Recertification courses at no extra cost.
If you change your game type from flag to tackle or choose both, you will take the necessary courses based on your current registration or transcript.
* Health & Safety must be passed every four years regardless of Certification Level. In addition, a user must pass a quiz testing their knowledge if they completed and were certified in the previous year. If a user passes the quiz, they will not need to retake Health & Safety in that year.
** Abuse Prevention must be completed every two years regardless of Certification Level.
^ A coach may select one of these two options in 2025. If they are eligible for a Level Two certification next year, they must complete another elective course that year.
Become a Member and get access to flag and tackle certifications plus the Youth Tackling & Contact System ($30) value and more!
Learn advanced concepts, drills, schemes, and safety practices for the next level of coaching flag or tackle football.
This training is designed for coaches of a travel or school-based flag team and/or a high school or college flag program to help teach key concepts in:
This License will help prepare you for the next level of flag football coaching, give you a competitive edge, and equip you with the tools to develop and protect athletes on and off the field.
This License also fulfills one of the coach requirements for the National Team Development Program.
This all-in-one two-year Certification is designed for high school coaches to help teach advanced concepts and drills for:
This will help you coach your players with the latest and proven techniques from USA Football's Premium Systems.
If you become a Member, you get the Coach Certification, the Youth Tackling & Contact System, drill videos, X’s & O’s and Community access for only $40.
We asked real coaches what they thought about USA Football's coaching certification programs. The results speak for themselves.
of coaches feel they could transfer their knowledge to their field
of coaches believe the certification aids in keeping athletes safe
found physical safety courses beneficial across all four USA Football Certification modules
(Source: 2024 Certification Response & Surveys)
The most important information you should know about USA Football Coach Certifications.
USA Football currently offers the following Coach Certifications and Licenses:
Youth Tackle Online Certification: This Certification is tailored for coaches involved in youth tackle football and includes courses on Safer Contact, Practical Coaching, Health and Safety, Abuse Prevention, and more.
Youth Flag Online Certification: Designed for youth flag football coaches, this Certification covers Foundational Flag Safety, Practical Coaching, Health and Safety, Abuse Prevention, and other relevant topics.
Advanced Tackling & Contact Certification: This Certification is intended for high school football coaches and focuses on advanced techniques and drills, such as Run Blocking, Defeating Blocks, and Shoulder Tackling, using USA Football's Coach Systems.
Advanced Flag License Certification: This License prepares coaches of high school-aged and older athletes for the next level of 5v5 flag football by teaching Abuse Prevention, Coaching and Managing 5v5 Flag Football, Health and Safety, and Principles of 5v5 Flag Football.
Each Youth Coach Certification costs $15. The Advanced Tackling and Contact Certification is $49. The Advanced Flag License is $30.
The time it takes to complete a Youth Coach Certification varies depending on the coach's familiarity with the material and the specific certification level. On average, it can take 2 to 3 hours to complete the required courses for a Level One Youth Coach Certification and 1 to 2 hours for a Level Two Certification. Since the Youth Coach Certification is 100% online, coaches can work at their own pace, completing the Certification in one sitting or over multiple sessions.
The time required to complete the Advanced Flag License or the Advanced Tackling and Contact can vary. Since both are 100% online, coaches can complete their Certification or License at their own pace—either in one sitting or over multiple sessions—on their own schedule, so the total hours required to complete the courses will differ for each coach.
A Coach Certification or License from USA Football is valid for the calendar year it is completed. For instance, if a coach completes their Certification or License on August 1, it will be valid until December 31. After this period, coaches must renew their Certification or License by completing the required courses to stay up-to-date with the latest coaching practices, safety protocols, and other essential knowledge.
The Level One Youth Coach Certification is for coaches NOT certified in the previous year (2023). It covers foundational courses, including safer contact principles, practical coaching, and Health and Safety.
The Level Two Youth Coach Certification is for coaches certified in the previous year (2023). It builds on the Level 1 foundation by focusing on more advanced topics, such as skills and drills, with the addition of elective courses like Effective Practice Planning or Communication Strategies. Level Two Youth Coach Certification is a recertification that allows coaches to continue their education and stay updated on best practices while expanding their knowledge through elective courses.
For coaches seeking Level Two Youth Coach Certification, you need to be eligible by completing the Youth Coach Certification the previous year. The Level Two Youth Coach Certification costs $15, and you must use the same account as the previous year.
No, the reassessment quiz is not the only thing you must complete for the Level Two Youth Coach Certification. While the quiz is part of the process, you will also need to complete additional courses. These additional courses should be in your account dashboard after you have completed the reassessment quiz. If they don't, please call the USA Football team at (317) 614-7750 or email us at support@usafootball.com if you have questions.
If you fail the Recertification assessment, you won't be able to retake it. However, you can still complete the Health & Safety module and the other required Level Two courses to earn your Youth Coach Certification. Be sure to check your account dashboard for any remaining modules that need to be completed. If you're unsure which courses to finish or have any other concerns, please call the USA Football team at (317) 614-7750 or email us at support@usafootball.com if you have questions.
If you're not currently associated with an organization, it may prevent you from using a promo code for Certification registration or from being tracked by your administrator on the Certification report. You can associate with your respective organization via your USAFB account under the "Organizations" tab. Simply search the name of the organization and click "Associate" for your respective organization. To confirm you're correctly associated with the organization in the system, contact your organization's administrator. If you continue to experience issues, please call the USA Football team at (317) 614-7750 or email us at support@usafootball.com.
No, having a USA Football Membership does not mean you are automatically certified. While the Membership gives you access to the necessary certification courses, you still need to complete and pass those courses to earn your Certification. Your USA Football Membership provides the best-in-class tools and resources, but your Certification is only granted after completing the required coursework.
No, the 2024 Youth Coach Certifications are non-refundable. If you failed to use a promo code provided by your organization, you will need to contact them directly for reimbursement.
If you encounter technical issues while completing your Certification, such as a course showing as incomplete on your account dashboard, or you have completed all of the courses but do not see your completed certification status, please call the USA Football team at (317) 614-7750 or email us at support@usafootball.com.
Their prior year's work determines each coach's certification pathway. Because of this, there are multiple pathways. As long as a coach uses the same account each year to certify, they will be given the proper courses to complete when registering.
USA Football has introduced several new features to enhance the Youth Coach Certification experience. This includes the Practical Coaching & Team Management Course, designed to help you sharpen your skills in instructing and supporting players and managing practices, games, and logistics more effectively. Additionally, there are more Certification options, including elective courses and dedicated flag and tackle paths, to better serve your specific coaching needs.