How to Become a High School Soccer Coach

High school soccer coaching jobs become available periodically, but expect stiff competition from several applicants. You do not have to be a fantastic player, but you would better be able to articulate how to perform certain skills if you cannot demonstrate them. If you want to coach high school soccer, you need experience with helping young players become stronger and understand how tactics change a game. At the high school level, your role is to win games, foster an environment where players reach their potential and prepare the strongest players for college soccer.

Familiarize yourself with the game and coaching youngsters. If you have not played before, watch practices and games of recreational and competitive soccer clubs. Even if you have played but have not coached, observe how coaches run a practice. Schedule an informational interview with one of the more successful coaches in your area.

Get experience coaching, starting with a younger age group and working your way up to intermediate levels or middle school kids. Recreational leagues rarely require coaching licenses or even experience from volunteer coaches who supervise elementary schoolchildren, although a background check may be required. You need five years of coaching at any level to be eligible for the certification required to coach a high school team.

Obtain coaching certification with a local organization that is affiliated with a state or federal soccer organization. According to the U.S. Soccer Federation, the certification process starts with the ​​E​​ level for youth soccer, progressing upward to ​​B​​ for coaching high school players and ​​A​​ for college and elite amateurs. At least a year of experience is required at each level before coaches can take the required exam for moving up. The ​​E​​ certification requires an 18-hour course, and ​​D​​ requires a 36-hour course. The ​​B ​​certification requires 20 hours of classroom work and 48 hours in field sessions.

Volunteer as an assistant coach with a local high school until a head coaching job becomes available in your area. During the course of the season, meet other coaches, athletic directors and key people in competitive scholastic soccer to establish a network for future opportunities.

​Tip​: Many school districts give preferential treatment to applicants who are currently teachers in the district and, to a lesser extent, teachers in neighboring districts. If you are not a teacher, bolster your coaching resume by becoming involved with elite summer travel teams or other teams that play year-round, including indoor soccer.