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If you would like to become a fellow volunteer on our Management Team, please contact our director, Gregg Meade, via the email link below. All volunteers who work with our athletes are required to complete the volunteer form, attend a volunteer orientation training session, and must attend concussion training, or complete the on-line concussion training. Coaches have additional training requirements, either in-person sessions or on-line training courses. We strongly urge you to retain copies of you completed forms and training certifications for your records, and to also provide copies to our Area Director, Gregg Meade. Thank you for your cooperation.
SOMD has provided a document outlining the requirements for becoming certified as a volunteer, an assistant coach, or a coach. This document is reproduced below, along with links to supporting documents, forms, and trainings. Once SOMD makes this available on their site, a link will be provided to their document so that you will have access to their official requirements. A copy of the document in Adobe reader format (pdf) is available at the bottom of this page. Note that some on-line training courses have a fee, which will be reimbursed by SOMD up to $20. Our program will reimburse you for the portion not covered by SOMD. We also have a page, SOMD News, where we post trainings that are offered by SOMD for Special Olympics athletes when they are available, along with trainings and webinars for coaches. There are links to that page listed near the bottom of this page.
Special Olympics Maryland Anne Arundel County plans an End of Year party in June. Our policy for attendance at this party is that athletes, volunteers, and coaches must have been active participants in our activities (practices or tournaments) in the preceding 12 months. Family members and caregivers of active participants may also attend.
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SOMD's document states:
Coaching Education & Development Progression
While some volunteers may choose to remain a Sport Volunteer, others may strive to increase their level coaching and sports specific knowledge. Volunteers who wish to increase their coaching skills can progress through the levels of certification outlined below.
SPORT VOLUNTEER (Sport Assistant)
(Entry Level Requirements)
Class A Form Volunteer Unified Partner application (18 or older) Student / minor volunteer references (17 or younger} / Complete Background Check (initiated by SOMD)
Special Olympics General Orientation (conducted by our volunteer co-ordinator, Kyle Hines. See our home page for dates and location)
Protective Behaviors Training http;//resources.specialolympics.org/protective_behaviors_training.aspx
Concussion Course https://www.cdc.gov/headsup/youthsports/training/
ASSISTANT COACH (Level 1 – Certified Coach)
(Core Coaching Knowledge)Traditional Special Olympics
All Sport Volunteer requirements
Coaching Special Olympics Athletes
http://www.asep.com/courseInfo/purchase_courseinfo.cfm?courseID=233&format=&usaw_status=&orgID=5947
(online course via Human Kinetics Coach Education (formerly ASEP)
or in person training conducted by certified trainer)Unified Sports
All Sport Volunteer requirements
Coaching Unified Sports
https://nfhslearn.com/courses/61127/coaching-unified-sports
(online course via NFHS or in person training conducted by a certified trainer)
HEAD COACH (Level 2 – Certified Coach)*
(Sports Specific Knowledge)Traditional Special Olympics
All Assistant Coach (Level 1) requirements
Sport Specific Course
(online for those sports where online courses have been developed or in-person sport specific training (must be hosted or approved by SOMD))Unified Sports
All Assistant Coach (Level 1) requirements
Sport Specific Course
(online for those sports where online courses have been developed or in-person sport specific training (must be hosted or approved by SOMD))* NOTE: Level required of coaches bringing sports teams to any SOMD competition in the specific sport being coached.
Fitness Coach Course – online or in person training conducted by certified trainer
NOTE: Option to become a certified Fitness Coach is not sport specific, but general knowledge applicable to all sports.ADVANCED COACH (Level 3 – Certified Coach)
(Advanced Coaching Knowledge) All Head Coach (Level 2) requirements
Principles of Coaching Course – online via WVU or in person training conducted by a certified trainer
Additional Notes
o All certifications must be achieved prior to the start of the sports season
and valid thru the end of that season’s state championship in order to be valid
for that season.**
o “Sport Volunteer” certification is required to be registered as a volunteer
within any sports training program and as a volunteer in a delegation to any
SOMD competition.
o “Assistant Coach” certification is required to be registered as a coach within
any sports training program and as a coach in a delegation to any SOMD
competition.
o “Head Coach” certification is required to be registered as a head coach within
any sports training program and as a head coach in a delegation to any SOMD
competition.
o Each delegation registering for an SOMD competition must have a minimum of one
certified Head Coach in each sport for which they have entered competitors. For
team sports (basketball, cheerleading, flag football, soccer, softball) a
delegation must have a certified Head Coach for each registered team.
**For the 2019 season for Summer Games sports only
(athletics, bocce, cheerleading, softball, swimming), coaches have until May 6,
2019 to meet the above certification requirements.
Renewing Sport Certifications
o Sport Certifications are valid for three years.
o Assistant Coaches (Level 1)
may renew their certification by completing an approved education &
development opportunity
may advance their coaching knowledge by earning a Head Coach (level 2)
certification, even though their role in their training program is that of an
Assistant Coach
o Head Coaches (Level 2)
Sport-specific course/opportunity Serves to renew a coach’s Head Coach
certification within that specific sport
Courses/opportunities must be either hosted by or approved by SOMD
General coaching knowledge course/opportunity Serves to renew that coach’s
certification in all sports
Courses/opportunities must be either hosted by or approved by SOMD
Must complete a sport-specific course/ opportunity a minimum of once every six
years (i.e., at least once every two certification renewals)
Renewal of a Head Coach (level 2) certification serves to also renewal an
Assistant Coach (level 1) certification, provided the coach has completed either
Coaching Special Olympics Athletes or Coaching Unified Sports at some point in
their coaching career.
Coaches with Existing Sport Certifications
o All currently earned certifications will be honored through their current
expiration dates.
o If a currently certified Head Coach (level 2) has not yet completed Coaching
Special Olympics Athletes (traditional coaches) or Coaching Unified Sports
(Unified coaches), that coach must complete that course for their next
certification renewal.
Coach Education & Development Opportunities
o Coach education opportunities are posted on the new SOMD Coach Resource Page
(https://www.somd.org/coach/coach-resources/) and also included in the SOMD
Sports Calendar distributed as a part of the Area Memo to Area leaders.
o Only courses/opportunities hosted by or approved by SOMD will be accepted for
certification purposes.
o Area programs are encouraged to host courses/opportunities with the approval
of SOMD and utilizing SOMD approved instructors and facilitators (approval must
be obtained for each education opportunity).
o Serving as an instructor/facilitator for a course counts as having completed
that course.
o The pre-season and pre-competition webinars provided by SOMD for each sport
are not considered education opportunities for the purposes of coach
certification or renewal.
SOMD approved training for coaches are listed on our SOMD News page, as are the pre-season and pre-competition webinars for each sport. Click on the links below to go to that sport's current offerings:
Copy of SOMD's document provided here: SOMD Coach Education System as of January 2019