Coaches
VMSA Coaching Standard
VMSA supports and adheres to Softball Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development Matrix (LTADM) and uses Softball Canada’s Timbits Learn to Play Manual for our LTP levels.
Coach Expectations
Coaches are expected to:
- Sign off on the Coaches Code of Conduct (online)
- Complete a free Criminal Record Check through our portal
- Complete at least the Softball Canada Foundations of Coaching online learning
- Learn enough about the game rules, strategy and skills to teach players at the level they coach at
- organize weekly practices to develop softball skills. NCCP considers softball/baseball among the most technical sports. Skills like throwing and catching are hard to learn, and hard to teach, so you need to know how to teach the basics at least
- coach games
- be supported by assistant coaches for practices and games, and by the manager to organize parents to do things like field preparation
- Ensure that team members have completed a medical release form in a sealed envelope, and to keep these in case of emergency
Coaches are also encouraged to enter their team in at least one tournament. VMSA will pay the registration fee for each "C" team to enter one tournament per year. Provide a receipt to the VMSA Executive to receive a 100% refund. You can ask other coaches for good tournaments or look at these places:
Coach Training
VMSA expects coaches to complete at least Foundations of Coaching Softball (FOCS). FOCS is Softball Canada’s online National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) modules, developed to introduce new and experienced coaches to the foundational skills of coaching and softball-specific coaching concepts. The self-paced online courses are hosted by the Coaching Association of Canada through their Locker training portal. More hands-on courses are offered for the competition stream, and any coach would be well served by taking these courses. The Softball BC website has dates and locations, which are typically between January 1 and March 31 each year.
Criminal Record Checks
VMSA volunteers are required to complete a Criminal Record Check (CRC) every five years. Go to the BC Government’s online Criminal Record Check website HERE and enter the Access Code WFH6J2HJHU.There is no cost unless you are required to attend the Police Station for fingerprinting. This happens rarely and only if there is someone with a similar name/birth date to you floating around out there. VMSA will reimburse for the cost of the fingerprinting with a receipt.
If you have already completed one for another organization, there is the option online to "share" your CRC with the VMSA . If you prefer, you can also send a scanned copy of any Criminal Record Check to registrar@vmsa.ca.
Deadline: You must apply for the CRC no later than April 10, 2022 so the check is completed before the season starts.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact registrar@vmsa.ca.
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