Coaching, beside the cost
Cost is half of choosing a club. Each club's page has a Coaching section beside its costs: what the club says about its coaching, and what families on its programs answer. No coach is named, and nothing is scored or averaged.
What the club says
Five things a club can state on its own pages, each linked to the page it came from:
- Names a director of coaching
- Says its coaches hold coaching licenses
- Posts a playing-time policy
- States SafeSport training or background checks
- Posts a parent code of conduct
A club that states none of these shows none. That says nothing about its coaching either way.
What families answer
Parents and guardians of a player on a program answer eight questions about the season being played, by picking, never typing:
- Before the season, did the coach explain how playing time is decided?
- How often did the coach communicate with families?
- Did your player improve this season?
- Does your player want to keep playing on this team?
- Did your player feel respected by the coach?
- Would you choose this program again?
- How did parents on the sideline treat referees?
- Has the club told families who will coach this team next season?
To answer, open your club's page and use the button in its Coaching section. We take answers August 1 through June 30, for competitive programs, U-11 and older, that we can see the club fields.
When answers show
A program's answers can show after a weekly release, once at least five families on it, from five networks and two ages, have answered. Each program shows on its own, such as “U-13 to U-14 · Girls · ECNL”: every question word for word, its most common answer, and the others as ranges like “0–2”. A club cannot edit or remove answers.
Check a coach yourself
U.S. Soccer's license directory and SafeSport's disciplinary database are public. How to check a coach says what each can and cannot tell you, and what only a practice shows.
If something happened to a player
- • In an emergency, call 911.
- • Child abuse: report it first to the police or your state's child protective services. Childhelp, 1-800-422-4453 (any hour, call or text), can help you make that report. Then report to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, 833-587-7233 (weekdays), or its online form, which can be anonymous.
- • Sexual misconduct, and retaliation for reporting abuse or sexual misconduct: the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
- • Other misconduct, or if you are not sure where: U.S. Soccer's reporting form, which routes it, or its voicemail line, (312) 528-7004.
We show who to contact; we receive nothing. Contact them directly.