Coaching Compliance
All coaches, business managers, and locker room monitors must complete required certifications before participating with a SHAHA team. No credentials — no ice. Use this page as your step-by-step guide.
Your responsibility: It is YOUR responsibility to maintain your credentials and meet all deadlines. SHAHA staff cannot inquire about your screening status on your behalf for security reasons — you must contact the relevant agency directly if issues arise.
Who Needs What
Use this table to confirm which requirements apply to your role before working through the steps below.
Everyone Must Complete
These requirements apply to all coaches, business managers, and locker room monitors before the season begins.
All coaches, managers, and volunteers must be registered with USA Hockey for the current season. Registration renews annually and must be completed before any on-ice or off-ice activities.
Register at membership.usahockey.comMandatory online training to protect athletes from abuse and misconduct. Required every year — renew as soon as it expires, not just at the start of the season. You cannot be added to a roster until this is completed.
Complete SafeSport TrainingPennsylvania Clearances
All three PA clearances must be current before submitting your MidAm background screen. You need ALL THREE — do not begin MidAm without them.
Complete PA Clearances FIRST. Your MidAm application requires you to upload all three PA documents. If you submit MidAm without uploading them, your application will sit indefinitely with no notification.
1. PA Criminal Background Check
Visit the PA State Police website and select "New Volunteer Record Check" on the main page. Follow the online instructions to complete and download your record.
Submit completed record check to your business manager.
2. Child Abuse History Clearance
Visit the PA CWIS portal. New users click "Create Individual Account" and follow the setup steps. Once logged in, follow these steps:
Click Access My Clearances
Click Continue on the next screen
At the top, click Create Clearance Application
For Application Purpose, select: "Volunteer having contact with Children"
Complete the application — there is no charge for volunteers
Submit completed clearance to: registrar@shaha.org
3. FBI Criminal Background Check
Lived in PA for 10+ consecutive years? You may sign the Act 153 Volunteer Affidavit instead. Submit the completed form to your business manager. Find the form at usahockey.com →
Lived in PA for less than 10 consecutive years? You must complete a fingerprint-based FBI criminal background check through IdentoGO, Pennsylvania's authorized provider. This is a multi-step process — begin early.
Submit completed record check to your business manager.
MidAm Background Screen
Required every 2 years for coaches, managers, and locker room monitors. Cost: $30. Deadline: August 1. You must have all three PA Clearances complete before starting.
Do not start this step until your PA Clearances are complete. Submit without uploading them and your application will sit with no action and no notification. No one will contact you.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Confirm you have all three PA Clearance documents ready to upload — Child Abuse History Clearance, State Police Criminal Background Check, and FBI check or Volunteer Affidavit.
Go to usahockey.com/backgroundscreen and begin your application.
Upload all three PA clearance documents during the application. This step is mandatory — do not skip it.
Allow up to 10 business days for processing after submitting with documents uploaded.
If more than 10 days have passed since submitting and uploading documents, contact support@ncsisafe.com directly. SHAHA cannot inquire on your behalf for security reasons.
Already submitted but forgot to upload clearances? Go to this link, choose "Resume Application", and upload your documents there.
Coaching Certifications
In addition to all requirements above, coaches must complete both of the following. Failure to maintain these results in removal from the bench.
Register for the module corresponding to the age level(s) you are coaching. Modules must be completed before you can participate with your team — you cannot be added to a roster until this is done.
There are currently three modules: 8U, 12U, and 13+. Each module only needs to be completed once per age level. You may complete more than one module in a season if coaching multiple levels.
Co-ed teams: If you coach a co-ed team you must also complete the girls' module.
Note: The USA Hockey Learning Center login for modules is separate from your USA Hockey member registration login. Make sure you're using the correct account.
All coaches must be certified through USA Hockey's Coaching Education Program (CEP). Coaches begin at Level 1 and advance annually until reaching Level 4. Only one clinic may be taken per season.
Clinic seats are limited — register early. If your CEP expires, you will not be permitted on the ice or bench starting January 1 for the remainder of the season with no exceptions.
CEP Level Summary — updated 2025-26:
Level 1: Entry level. Required for all new coaches at 10U and above. Valid for 1 year. Must progress annually until reaching Level 4. As of 2025-26, Level 1 coaches must continue advancing each year until they reach a higher age classification or Level 4.
Level 2 & 3: Valid for 1 year each. Attend annual clinic to advance.
Level 4: Valid for 3 years. Before expiration, must earn 5 continuing education credits to renew. Level 5 clinic also counts as CE credit.
Level 5: Valid for 4 years. Requires 5 continuing education credits before expiration to renew.
8U / Mite Coaches: Begin at the 6U/8U clinic level. Do not take Level 1 until you move up to 10U or above. The 6U/8U level must be renewed every 5 years if you remain at that classification. Coaches who received Level 1+ prior to Jan 1, 2025 may continue coaching 8U even with an expired level.
New coaches coaching 10U and above: complete Level 1 as soon as possible, no later than December 31.
Finding clinics: Clinic listings are no longer on a public webpage. Log into your USA Hockey Coaches Dashboard to see available clinics. You may attend any clinic hosted by any district or affiliate nationwide.
Deadline Summary
Mark these dates now. Missing a deadline can keep you off the ice for the rest of the season.
Need Help?
Contact Lindsay Riether with any questions about compliance requirements. Remember — it is your responsibility to maintain credentials, but we're here to point you in the right direction.
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