News & Info

 

National Youth License Being Offered
PA West is offering a National Youth License July 31 - August 4, 2013 at Slippery Rock University. Pre-requisite is a minimum "D" License or a waiver from the PA West Director of Coaching and must be at least 18 years old. Cost per coach is Resident $755 or Commuter $585. For full details and how to register click here (PDF).

Coaching Courses For a complete list of our current course offerings go to our Coaching Calendar page.

SportsPath Offers Online Coaching Course
Coaches can learn the simplest ways to improve their team’s performance online from SportsPath. 

Guest Players Permited
PA West Soccer rules permit guest players to be added to game day rosters.  Coaches should add the players to their game day roster before printing it; names written onto a game day roster will not be accepted.  They must also present the player's pass from his/her other team in the club at the time of team check-in.

For instructions on how to add a guest player to the game day roster click here. 

Printing Game Day Rosters
Click Here for step by step instructions for printing game day rosters.

US Youth Soccer Announces Release of Player Development Model
The Player Development Model features a simple structure to help guide coaches through the steps of training players and preparing for games. The model provides a curriculum for clubs from the U-6 to U-19 age groups. Check here to access the US Youth Soccer Player Development Model.

Coaching Courses Online
To check out the latest list of coaching courses search the Affinity Online Registration System.   You can access the list from this link or from your club's web site.

Goal Safety
- Coaches need to inspect portable goals for anchoring prior to any activity taking place on the fields. This should include goals that may be located directly outside the field of play. Portable goals of any size need to be anchored in accordance with the Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines for Movable Goals.
- Players and parents need to be warned of the dangers involving unsecured portable goals with zero tolerance for any horseplay on or around goals.
- Portable goals that have been moved (by either the club or field owner i.e. municipality, park & rec department) need to be immediately re-anchored after simple field maintenance has been accomplished.
-Portable goals should always be moved by adults.

Concussion Safety:  US Youth Soccer And CDC Team Up
US Youth Soccer and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are proud to be teaming up to help protect participants of all youth sports who may be at risk of concussion. The campaign, is an expansion of the "Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports," and will help get concussion information into the hands of coaches, parents, and school and health care professionals who are on the front-line to help identify and respond appropriately to concussions among young athletes.

Coaches...US Youth Soccer Needs Your Help
US Youth Soccer is building a national database of coaches.  The goal is to establish accurate contact information to share information with coaches about programs, benefits and educational opportunities offered by US Youth Soccer to those who impact the game daily, specifically at the grassroots level.

The National Coaching Database is live.  The information is for internal use and not intended for sale to third parties.  The privacy policy can be found on the US Youth Soccer web site.

• Emphasizing that playing soccer should be made an enjoyable experience.
• Encouraging the creation of age-appropriate environments through the use of small-sided games.
• Asking coaches to utilize appropriate teaching methods (age-appropriate activities and games), whilst letting the game be the teacher.
• Increasing the awareness of safety issues/adult behavior issues.
• Allowing participation in that level of competition that enables players to be challenged at their appropriate level....including the elite player.
• Emphasizing player development over winning/losing, especially amongst younger players.

Coaching Development

• Improve the soccer education of coaches working with recreational players, with specific focus on those coaches new to soccer (U6 and U8).
• Support the development of coaches working with 10-14 year olds, who are emphasizing "technical development in the game," through the provision of PA West Coaching Schools.
• Identify and educate coaches who can enhance coaching development and player development programs.

• Enable 4 to 10 year old children in recreational soccer to have fun, to develop a passionate desire to play and to acquire new skills in age-appropriate environments.
• Enhance the technical development of players by offering player development programs.
• Support the player development efforts of clubs in older age groups by reducing conflicts/overlap with programs like the PA West Olympic Teams.
• Make PA West Olympic Teams identification orientated, competitive and inexpensive.

• Aid in the creation of "Fear Free" and age-appropriate environments for our younger players that prioritize player development over winning and/or large-sided games.
• Develop competitions/awards that encourage/recognize skill development and the promotion of other "task goals" amongst PA West clubs and players.
• Lobby clubs with older teams (U15+) to participate in the highest level of competition available (e.g. for elite players, regular participation in recognized regional leagues/tournaments).
• Help the spread of soccer into all communities regardless of race, gender, disability, etc.
• Encourage and nurture a passion for soccer amongst our member players, so that retention rates improve and the continued growth of the Amateur Division is enhanced.