Coaching a youth sports team can be a tremendously rewarding experience, giving you the opportunity to help young players learn the game of football in a fun and safe atmosphere. Additionally the bond created by a parent coaching their child is one that will be cherished and remembered for years to come. 

No prior coaching experience necessary - as a Girls Play Flag Football Coach, you will be given all the resources and support you need to help you succeed. Check out our MOJO app outlined below - the best resource to offer new or existing coaches!

Girls Play Flag Football - Coach Description

• Coach your child's team of girls, ages 4-18
• Coach games and practices 1 day per week
• Teach players the fundamentals of the game
• Emphasis on sportsmanship, fair play, and full participation
• Provide a safe and fun environment for the players
• Learn and follow all league rules, policies, and procedures
• Give each player equal playing time
• Puts the feelings of the players ahead of the coach’s desire to win
• Communicate with parents as needed

Qualifications

• Successfully pass a background check
• Be enthusiastic, organized and dependable
• Makes ensuring a positive experience for players a priority over winning
• Be patient, especially with the players
• Have a working knowledge of the sport

How to Volunteer

During your child's registration you will be asked if you would like to volunteer as a head or assistant coach. At that time if you select you do want to be a coach you will be asked for more information including some personal info that will enable us to complete a background check. Once the background check is passed you will be eligible to coach and will be contacted prior to the season beginning to confirm your spot and provide you with details on the upcoming coaches meeting. Information for background checks can be found on this site, below. 

If you have already registered your child, or need to simply register as a coach - please select location above in the team personnel listing. You will be prompted to sign in if you are not already. From there, fill out the information and you are done! To expedite the placing on a roster, please send a quick email containing the players name and location you are looking to volunteer to coach.

Coaching Tips 

KNOW THE RULES!

The players and their parents have placed you in a position of leadership, and you have a responsibility to give them your best effort. Additionally, this football experience will play a significant factor in determining whether the players continue participating in football. If you follow the coaching guidelines and general principles below, you should have a great season!

A coach should be enthusiastic without being intimidating. They should be sensitive to the children's feelings and genuinely enjoy spending time with them. A coach should be dedicated to serving children and understand that football provides physical and emotional growth for its participants. Remember, NFL FLAG is for the children. 

Background checks are REQUIRED for all Assistant Coaches, Head Coaches and Staff.  The organization used by Girls Play Flag Football is Checkr, a background check solution that offers high quality background checks to our leagues. Checkr conducts a national background check service with a national criminal database search, national sex offender check, SSN identity check, and address history, plus a complete re-verification of all criminal hits for guaranteed accuracy on over 900 million national criminal records. 

Girls Play Flag Football has partnered with Checkr, and requires that all coaches and on field representatives pass a background check. All Fees associated with the mandatory background checks are paid by Girls Play Flag Football. 

Background Checks have been implemented by Girls Play Flag Football for the purpose of: 

• Promoting a safe, nurturing, and supportive athletic environment in which youth athletes can pursue their athletic goals
• Providing an environment where parents of children can feel good about allowing their child to participate in the sport of flag football.  Please note; this screening is not intended to serve as a profiling tool nor can screening guarantee that incidents of abuse by coaches will not occur.  Background screening is designed as a preventative risk management tool, but does not insure inappropriate behavior will not occur.
• Girls Play Flag Football has selected Checkr as our provider for background checks.  More information about Checkr is available on their website at checkr.com.

What Coaches can expect from a background check:

1. We require any coach who has access or direct contact with youth athletes (under the age of 18) during scheduled practices or games to submit information for a background check and to review and acknowledge the Coaches Code of Conduct waiver

2. Background checks will require an applicant’s full name, social security number and date of birth.

3. Coaches will be screened for convictions of the following crimes:

   1. Felony (best described as but not limited to, any crime punishable by confinement greater than one year)

   2. Any crime involving force or threat of force against a person

   3. Any crime in which sexual relations is an element, including “victimless” crimes of a sexual nature (including pornography)

   4. Any crime involving controlled substances (not paraphernalia or alcohol)

   5. Any crime involving cruelty to animals.