1. Preparing for your sports training season
A season in the life of Pat

2. This is Pat Pat is a local coordinator
Pat is really excited for the upcoming sport season
Pat has a lot of athletes and coaches waiting on them for instruction!
It’s August and the SONC Leadership Conference just happened. Pat needs to let his coaches know about the new updates! But how to tell them….?
Lindsay

3. Getting coaches trained
First Pat needs to make sure coaches that need to attend a training school do so. Pat checks the SONC web page for coach training schools dates. Pat is amazed to find that there are three dates for training schools and coaches could receive training for two sports in one day!
Lindsay

4. Coach Training Schools
Three multi-sport training schools; east, central, west
In-season sports in morning, next season sports in afternoon
Coaching SO Athletes
WiFi so coaches can complete other trainings
August 26 (Asheville), September 9 (Smithfield), September 24 (Greensboro)
Set locations (no TBD)
Andrea

5. Coach Certifications
Levels bringing SONC more in line with other sports organizations
Sport Assistant – NEW - chaperone requirements plus GO & Concussion
Level 1 – like certified coach but without CSOA
Level 2 – like advanced certified coach, but with CSOA
Level 3 – NEW – POC, CPR/First Aid, NGB certification
New SWAG 2018!
Andrea

6. Gather everyone together!
August 15 (ish)
Hold a pre-season meeting with coaches
Let them know of updates and direct them to the sport web page
Have athlete rosters from previous year ready with athlete participation form expiration dates and contact information
Collect VSF for all coaches and ensure PB training is completed/updated
Discuss what competition opportunities will be offered for each sport (invitationals, scrimmages, etc)
Find out sport needs: equipment & uniforms
Inform coaches of local program fundraisers, or collect ideas from coaches on making the program sustainable.
Lindsay

7. Coaches in pre-season
Between August 15 and August 29, Pat should have the coaches contact their athletes and let them know about the first pre-season meeting on August 29. They should also talk to parents or caregivers about any APF’s that are expired, or will expire during the season so they can make arrangements to renew them by the start of training.
Andrea

8. Pre-Season Meeting August 29 (ish)
Collect all APF’s needed for the season
Communicate expectations of athletes and families
Not all athletes will attend the state-level event
Expectations of athletes to attend practice
Discuss competition plans for the season (scrimmages, league play, competition opportunities, etc.)
Needs from families or caregivers
Health & fitness plan
Pat needs to send all collected APFs and VSFs to SONC
Lindsay

9. First practice week!
Start fall sports practices no later than September 9 or 10 to get in at least 8 weeks of practice. Pat’s coaches should collect all athlete and coach names for the roster.
Andrea

10. Training Rosters Due to SONC
It’s September 12 and Pat needs to collect training rosters from coaches and athlete participation forms and submit to Pat knows that athletes not on the training rosters be eligible to attend the state-level event.
Andrea

11. Deadline for all APFs and VSFs
It’s September 26 and Pat needs to submit any changes or updates to the training rosters as well as submit any outstanding APFs, VSFs, or Unified Partner forms to Pat knows that athletes or Unified Partners not on the training rosters and/or lacking updated forms will not be eligible to attend the state-level event.
Andrea

12. Competition for all
It’s mid-season and Pat’s coaches have set up some scrimmages for their teams to get some friendly competition. Some teams are even participating in leagues and invitationals. See Pat’s schedule:
Soccer league with Cumberland and Bladen every third Thursday
Level 4 and 5 golfers going to Johnston county for golf invitational
Golf skills from Bladen coming to Pat’s county for practice on a Friday for a friendly competition
Basketball invitational hosted by Durham county for 5v5 in October; Pat will host 3v3 invitational in February
Tennis athletes playing in parks and rec league with Unified Partners. They will also travel once to Cumberland county for a scrimmage.
Athletes not participating in fall sports play on Unified Sports league with local UNC campus recreation team
By working with surrounding counties, Pat and coaches have secured more competition opportunities for the athletes, some even go past Fall Tournament so athletes get to keep playing.
Andrea

13. Requesting Quota
Pat knows that the quota request is due September 26 as well. Pat has checked with the coaches and has decided how many athletes and teams they want to send to Fall Tournament. Pat requests quota for only the slots the program will send to Fall Tournament because Pat knows there is a $100 quota drop fee for each athlete not registered for Fall Tournament!
Andrea

14. Selecting Athletes
Pat learns how many athletes will go to Fall Tournament. Everyone is reminded of the selection process where quota is limited since they were already told at the start of the season. Pat and the coaches hold a selection party (at practice or separate), where athletes selected are announced.
Andrea

15. Registration due
Pat now knows which athletes and coaches are going to attend Fall Tournament and has received the spreadsheet from SONC on October 3. Pat makes sure the coaches have the sport registration forms so they can fill out the paperwork. Pat makes sure they get it back before the October 10 deadline to
Andrea

16. Getting ready for Fall Tournament
With everyone registered, Pat holds a coaches meeting to go over expectations for the tournament. Pat also makes sure all non-athletes have completed all necessary certifications like Protective Behaviors. Pat and coaches should hold meetings with their athletes and parents/caregivers to go over expectations as well as the schedule for the Tournament.
Lindsay

17. Congratulations to all!
Because of all the preparation Pat and the coaches did ahead of time, everyone has a great time with great memories of the season. Pat and the coaches hold an end of season banquet with all athletes, parents, caregivers, and coaches to thank everyone for their dedication!
Lindsay

18. Looking ahead….
After a season well-run, Pat starts again by checking the SONC web page for any more updates or items on the calendar. Now it’s your turn to be like Pat. Get together in your groups and schedule some fun competition opportunities for your athletes. Please make sure you record future plans on the form at your table. These will be collected and a prize for the table with the most activity!
Lindsay