COACH TRAINING, REFERENCES, AND IHSAA REPORTING | Policy Manual

8455 - COACH TRAINING, REFERENCES, AND IHSAA REPORTING

The School Corporation shall comply with State law governing the training and certification of all coaches and athletic activity sponsors. This applies to all coaches, whether employees, volunteers, or other individuals, who are coaching student-athletes.

The School Board requires that:

Prior to coaching football to students who are less than twenty (20) years of age, all head and assistant football coaches shall complete a certified coaching education course approved by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) not less than once during a two (2) year period that:
1. is sport-specific;
2. contains player safety content, including content on:
  1. concussion awareness;
  2. equipment fitting;
  3. heat emergency preparedness; and
  4. proper technique;
3. requires a coach to complete a test demonstrating comprehension of the content of the course; and
4. awards a certificate of completion to a coach who successfully completes the course.

If the coach receives notice from the Corporation that new information has been added to the course before the end of the two (2) year period, the coach shall complete instruction and successfully complete a test concerning the new information.

Prior to coaching students in grades 5-12, all head and assistant coaches of interscholastic sports other than football, including cheerleading, shall complete a certified coaching education course approved by the IDOE at least once during a two (2) year period that:
1. contains player safety content on concussion awareness;
2. includes content for prevention of or response to heat-related medical issues that may arise from a student athlete's training;
3. requires a coach to complete a test demonstrating comprehension of the content of the course; and
4. awards a certificate of completion to a coach who successfully completes the course.

A head or assistant coach of an intramural sport other than football who is coaching students in grades 5 - 12 may elect to complete the above-referenced certified coaching education course. If compliance with I.C. 20-34-7 is required by the coaching certification requirements for the intramural sport that the head or assistant coach is coaching, the coach shall complete the above-referenced certified coaching education course.
A head coach or assistant coach of an athletic activity, marching band leader, drama or musical leader or sponsor of an extracurricular activity in which students have an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest, as determined by the IDOE, shall complete the sudden cardiac training course offered by a provider approved by the IDOE. The sudden cardiac arrest training course shall include training in the use of an automated external defibrillator. The coach, marching band leader, drama or musical leader, or extracurricular activity sponsor shall complete this required sudden cardiac arrest training prior to coaching or leading the activity.

The Corporation shall receive a certificate of completion from the provider for each coach, marching band leader, drama or musical leader, or extracurricular activity sponsor successfully completing the required sudden cardiac arrest training. The Corporation shall maintain all certificates of completion awarded for each individual who completes the sudden cardiac arrest training. A head coach or assistant coach of an athletic activity, marching band leader, drama or musical leader or sponsor of an extracurricular activity in which students have an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest who provides coaching or leadership services in good faith is not personally liable for damages in a civil action as a result of sudden cardiac arrest incurred by a student participating in an event in which students have an increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest except for an act or omission by the individual coach, leader or sponsor that constitutes gross negligence or willful and wanton misconduct.

Additionally, the Board requires that:

All head and assistant coaches of students of any age participating in interscholastic or intramural sports other than football, including cheerleading, shall complete a certified coaching education course approved by the IDOE at least once during a two (2) year period that:
1. contains player safety content on concussion awareness;
2. includes content for prevention of or response to heat-related medical issues that may arise from a student athlete's training;
3. requires a coach to complete a test demonstrating comprehension of the content of the course; and
4. awards a certificate of completion to a coach who successfully completes the course.

All coaches and athletic activity sponsors of interscholastic or intramural sports for students of any age shall receive training about concussions, sudden cardiac arrest, and heat-related medical issues at least once during a two (2) year period.
All coaches and athletic activity sponsors, other than football coaches, shall be required to complete a coaching education course that contains player safety content on concussion awareness, equipment fitting, heat emergency preparedness, and proper technique. The course shall be completed prior to coaching or serving as an athletic activity sponsor. Each coach and athletic activity sponsor shall complete a course not less than once during a two (2) year period.

The Superintendent shall require that each person employed as a coach or athletic activity sponsor is qualified, has cleared a background check as required by State law and Board Policy 1521 - Personal Background Checks, References and Mandatory Reporting, Policy 3121 - Personal Background Checks, References and Mandatory Reporting, Policy 4121 - Personal Background Checks, References and Mandatory Reporting, Policy 8120 - Volunteers, or Policy 8121 - Personal Background Check - Contracted Services, and has received the training required by State law and this policy. Before allowing an individual to be a volunteer coach, the Corporation shall conduct an expanded criminal history check (as defined in I.C. 20-26-2-1.5) on him/her. Additionally, before the Corporation hires or allows an individual to coach an Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) recognized sport, the Corporation shall take the following steps:

ask the individual:
1. whether the individual is or has been accredited by the IHSAA; and
2. if the individual is or has been accredited by the IHSAA, whether the individual's accreditation has ever been suspended or revoked;
request references from the individual;
contact the references that the individual provides to the Corporation; and
contact the IHSAA to determine whether the individual's accreditation has ever been suspended or revoked.

All coaches and athletic activity sponsors shall be informed of Corporation's policies regarding reporting requirements and investigation requirements for complaints of bullying or harassment and suspected child abuse/sexual abuse.

The Corporation shall report to the IHSAA, in a manner prescribed by the IHSAA, when a nonteaching or volunteer coach accredited by the IHSAA has been convicted of an offense described in I.C. 20-28-5-8(c) or I.C. 20-26-5-11.2(b) or of a known comparable offense in another state.

The Corporation shall make a report to the Department of Child Services if an individual serving as a coach has engaged in suspected child abuse or neglect.

The Corporation shall report to the IHSAA when a professional staff member who is a coach accredited by the IHSAA has been convicted of an offense described in I.C. 20-28-5-8(c) or I.C. 20-26-5-11.2(b) or of a known comparable offense in another state.

The Corporation shall report to local law enforcement any suspected misconduct by an individual serving as a coach that may constitute a crime.