U.S. Soccer Coaching Education has announced the establishment of a new Director of Coaching License. The new license is designed to help candidates develop the competencies needed to complete the tasks of a Director of Coaching, the technical leader of a youth soccer club. The role is defined by a number of objectives: developing a player-centered development pathway, creating player development plans, guiding the club’s teaching methodology, leading and mentoring staff, managing the performance environment, representing the club’s interests and more.
The first pilot course for the Director of Coaching License took place this spring in Sacramento, Calif.
“The inaugural U.S. Soccer Director of Coaching License was a fantastic experience and a glimpse into the future of youth club leadership,” said U.S. Soccer Coach Educator Santo Rivas. “The open interactions, camaraderie and bonds created amongst the DOC’s was tremendous. We all left the course with a feeling that we are all part of a bigger mission, one that starts with our clubs but extends beyond them: a mission to create better environments for our youth players to learn in and fall in love with the game. That mission represents a big step towards making soccer the preeminent sport in America.”
The course’s holistic approach includes two four-day meetings, assignments, webinars and one-on-one discussions with instructors. Between the two meetings, candidates return to their home environments for a development period, allowing them to apply what they’ve learned to their own organization under the guidance of the course educators.
