ACE Certification !!!!

All those that have no clue about the mandatory certification for coaches this year,and years to come need to go to the ACE website, and watch the video,and take the 50 minute test so that they may fufill the requirement for the new ASA standard as of 2009. New ASA rule this year NO COACH can participate on the field or be in the dugouts without passing Level 1 ACE certification standards. I took it, and it's very informative ,and instructional to help you do a better job as a coach on and off the field. Also it keeps the adults that maybe you would not want your kids around if you get my drift by doing a background check on all participates that attempt to take the test. I highly recommend anybody that would like to better understand fundamentals, or rules of the game to sit down take this internet certification course just to better their own understanding of the game, and help their child become a better player and student !!

Guru Approved

 

I am only aware that the head coach for each team is required to be ACE Certified...

From the NC ASA website (and re-iterated in the ASA meeting held in Burlington two weeks ago):

ASA National has also made it mandatory that the head coach of any team that wishes to continue on to “championship” play, must be ACE Certified. The certification is available online at www.softball.org.

It would be great for every coach to take the ACE Certification, but it is not mandatory as long as you have one coach that does. It is mandatory however that all coaches are background checked.

 

Not What I Was Told !!

Any coach that is in the dugout had to be certified....Rick is that Correct ??

Guru

 

My understanding is only 1 coach per team needs to be ACE certified in NC this year, but I would recommend that all coaches certify.

 

I think the process of the background check and the ACE certification is a great way to ensure quality coaches in the dugout. I enjoyed the Level one on line session so much that I went ahead and knocked out level two and three in the same day. I understand that money is tight, but this is great way to ensure the coaches in your entire organization are credible and safe for the players. The way things are in today's world, you never know who may be coaching your kids. This is a quick way to ensure the "right" adults are supervising our kids. I found the courses to be a great refresher course for the season.
Coach Sherrill

 

Only One ACE Coach Per Team....for Now

I gave the ACE Coaches Certification presentation at the NC ASA Coaches meeting a couple of weeks ago in Burlington. What ASA has recommended that all coaches become ACE certified, but only requires one coach per team to ACE certify......for now.

Along with becoming a more knowledgeable and better coach, there are plenty of other benefits to becoming certified including:

-$5,000,000 Liability Insurance
-Free access to excellet coaching videos
-Merchandise discounts

Note- over 10,000 coaches across the nation have become ACE Certfied.

However beginning this year for ASA, every coach, parent, scorekeeper or anyone who may have contact with a child at a practice or game MUST pass a background check.

As part of the ACE Coach Certification, an instant background check is included. For those who choose not to become ACE Certified at this time, you still must complete a background check through ASA. You will need to sign a a release form and enter your info online. You then need to send Rick McHone the signed release form, a check for $4.25 and a copy of your drivers license. Here is a link to the ACE Certification web site www.ace.usasoftball.com

Something else to consider is that proof of background checks will be required at coaches check in at all NC ASA tournaments and proof of ACE Certification and background checks at all championship tournaments (qualifiers, States, and Nationals)

For those who become ACE Certified, you will receive a card showing you have passed the background check and are also ACE Certified. If you only have the background check completed, you will also get a card to show at tournaments.

The release form and complete instructions for the background check can be found on the NC ASA Fastpitch site at www.ncasafastpitch.com Here are partial instructions from the site-

Starting in 2009, all coaches in NC must be background checked prior to participation in any sanctioned ASA event. The background check is available online through www.registerasa.com for a fee of $4.25. This will be up and running with our new sanction year, available to you on Dec. 15th, 2008. There is also a background check authorization form that must be filled out and emailed or mailed to me along with a copy of your driver’s license. My email address is [email protected] . My mailing address is PO Box 1116, Rural Hall, NC, 27045.

To cut down on the paperwork, I have asked all of my coaches to ahead become ACE Certified. They all really enjoyed the course and it only takes about a 1/2 hour.

If anyone has any questions or needs more info, feel free to give me a call at 336-782-3642 or email me at bmck911@aol.
Ben

 

ACE and the Background Checks

Guru,
BMAC has explained the process to the t.
I have been fielding phone calls and questions about all of the new requirements for several weeks now. Heck, I even got reemed by a coach from SC because of our NC requirements yesterday. Go figure.
I, like you, would recommend all coaches to consider the ACE certification. It only helps "train us up" so to speak.
The background checks are something I wholeheartedly support and every coach that has been contacted has supported this process. I so much appreciate the comments made by Coach S and the others on the board. Its been a trying two weeks or so. I hope everyone can see the value of this and will understand that we only have the best interest of the kids at heart.
FYI, ASA is doing away with the SS# being neccessary for the background check. That has been a bit of a sticking point with some.

 

Question

I think I have read that one person has to be ACE Certified for the team to be allowed to play anywhere in ASA? If you only had one coach ACE Certified and that one coach was kicked out of a game it would become a forfeit. Is that correct?

 

Ace Certified

Get yourself certified, get your coaches certified, and forget it. No big deal. The process is very easy. It's all for the kid's anyway.
Don't sweat the small stuff!!!!

 

Good Question and a Fair One

This is a situation where I would hope common sense would apply. In my opinion, I would think as long as a team began the game with a certified coach in the dugout, there would not be a forfeit if that coach was ejected. But again, this is just my opinion and I am just using a little common sense. The rule book may cover this and I will look into it as my "common sense" could be wrong.

A question I received today was what if for whatever reason, the ACE certified coach of a team is not present at the tournament? Can that team still participate in a championship tournament? Hmmmmmm? I'm thinking probably not, but again, I will get this answered.

One thing to keep in mind here about ACE Certification- certification is only required (for now) for teams that participate in championship play. i.e., qualifiers, states and nationals. So if your team will not participate in any of these tournaments, ACE Certification not a problem or required. However, all coaches must have passed a background check to play in all NC ASA tournaments.

This year NC ASA is just beginning to implement the ACE Certification process. There will be questions and situations we may not have an immediate answer to and these questions are welcomed. I can promise you Rick McHone does a great job working to learn what we all need to know as does Tony Laws. So between the three of us, questions we can't answer will be looked into and the appropriate response will be provided as soon as possible.

But the quickest and easiest way to resolve all these issues is to have all your coaches get certified. The background check is included, coaches become more knowledgeable and the girls benefit.