MEMBERSHIP MATTERS:
UNITED SOCCER COACHES EDUCATION
ALLISON PRONSKE Managing Director
One of the qualities I most admire about soccer coaches is their commitment to continual growth. Whether you’ re taking a selfpaced online course, attending a four-day in-person program or learning at Convention, United Soccer Coaches offers members extensive educational opportunities— often at a significantly reduced cost compared to non-members.
If you’ re not yet familiar with the full range of offerings, this overview will help you explore what’ s available and hopefully inspire your next step in the coaching education pathway.
FLEXIBLE ONLINE LEARNING We understand that coaches have busy schedules, and adding a course can feel daunting. If flexibility is what you need, our self-paced online courses are a great option. These offerings allow you to start, pause and complete coursework on your own timeline.
TOPICS INCLUDE:
» Foundations of Coaching
» Goalkeeping Level 1
» Attacking and Defending Principles of Play
» Sports Psychology
» Key Moments of the Game
» And many more
At any given time, at least three online courses are available at no cost to members, making it easy to continue learning without added expense.
STRUCTURED ONLINE COURSES For coaches looking for a more guided online experience, United Soccer Coaches regularly offers:
» Performance Analysis( Levels 1 – 3)
» Developing Your Game Model
» Analyzing Goalkeeper Performance
Each course totals 7.5 hours, delivered in 2.5-hour Zoom sessions, and is led by Ian Donnelly, Coach Education & Development Manager with the Scottish FA.
The Performance Analysis pathway begins with foundational video and data analysis( Level 1), progresses to detailed individual and team analysis( Level 2), and concludes with using data to enhance coaching understanding and player performance( Level 3). The Developing Your Game Model course ensures that video and data analysis align with your game model, maximizing player and team development. The Analyzing Goalkeeper Performance course focuses on evaluating and measuring goalkeeper performance using video and data.
FOUNDATION AND GRASSROOTS COURSES Our Foundation courses are designed to help coaches understand why children play soccer and how to best support their motivation and development. These courses emphasize safe environments and recognize key cognitive, physical and socialemotional developmental milestones.
» State Diploma: 4-hour, in-person course focused on 4v4 training
» Regional Diploma: 6-hour, in-person course centered on the 7v7 and 9v9 game
» Advanced Regional Diploma: 6-hour, in-person course focused on the 11v11 game model
GOALKEEPING EDUCATION PATHWAY For coaches specializing in goalkeeping, United Soccer Coaches offers a four-course progression:
Goalkeeping Level 1( online or in person): Empowers the coach with knowledge and practice methods enabling the coach to evaluate a goalkeeper in game situations and then design an appropriate practice plan. Goalkeeping Level 2: Offers coaches real-world solutions on how to create an optimal learning environment for this specialized position.
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