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Student Coaches
Attention All AHYHA Coaches
The AHYHA supports the use of student coaches on our youth teams. However, there are USA Hockey guidelines in place that must be carefully followed:
- A Student Coach must be between the ages of 13 - 17 years old and currently registered through USA Hockey.
- Student Coaches may only work with players at least ONE full playing age level down (i.e. a Peewee age player (who has reached age 13) may be a Student Coach at the Squirt or Mite level.)
- Must complete the USA Hockey Student Coach Information Form
If you are interested in having a Student Coach on your team, please submit the required form with the appropriate signatures to the Registration Director so the paperwork can be processed and the student coach can be added to your teams roster. The "association" signature on the form should be the Coaching Director who will sign it after conducting the USA Hockey mandated training program.
This process should be done before the District 10 roster signoff date, which is in mid-November for most travel teams.
Rules Governing Student Coaches
AHYHA appreciates the time and commitment that all of our coaches give to the program and do not want to make our hockey lives any more difficult, but we need to adhere to the rules regarding kids on the ice.
For consistency and fairness to all members we must enforce the student coach rules from USA and Minnesota Hockey. A player between the ages of 13 and 17 who is currently properly registered with USA Hockey may serve as a student coach under the following conditions:
For consistency and fairness to all members we must enforce the student coach rules from USA and Minnesota Hockey. A player between the ages of 13 and 17 who is currently properly registered with USA Hockey may serve as a student coach under the following conditions:
- Must attend a training session conducted by AHYHA.
- Must always be under the supervision of a carded, screened adult coach during all practices, clinics, try-outs, and in the locker room.
- May help out at practices, clinics, try-outs only. (May not play during scrimmages or games).
- May not act as the head coach or assistant coach during practices or games.
- Must wear a helmet with full face shield, gloves, and skates while on the ice. Must wear helmet during games while on the bench.
- May only work with players at least one full playing age level down.
- The organization that is using the student coach must provide a form indicating on what team he/she is participating as a student coach, and, if applicable, what team he/she is properly registered/rostered as a player.
- Upon reaching the age of 18, the student coach must comply with all USA Hockey coaching and screening rules and regulations.
In addition all student coaches who meet the above criteria must be listed on the team roster for which they are a student coach.
