Coach volunteers, Board members and all other adults taking a significant role in club activities are required to complete four safety requirements before being authorized to participate.

Coaches must also register via pinelanders.org for the upcoming season.

1. Fingerprinting Background Check - Valid for 3 Years
2. NJ Youth Soccer Coach Registration & Risk Management - Once Per Season
3. SafeSport - Annual Update Required
4. Heads-Up! Concussion Certificate - One Time Requirement

Please note:

• Pinelanders can’t see that you have completed SafeSport or Concussion until you upload these to NJ Youth Soccer’s platform. Please upload/submit safety documents as soon as you complete them so that we know you are making progress toward being eligible to coach.
• Please email us your Fingerprinting receipt from IdentGo ASAP after your appointment so that we
  • Know you have completed this step and
  • Can look out for your background check results in the mail. 
• All coaches please keep a record of all certificates and submissions.

1) Background Check – Valid for Three Years

• A detailed overview of the background check process is available via this document.
• Coaches that have been fingerprinted and approved by Pinelanders or any other Howell Township Youth Sports Organization can check the expiration date on the Howell website by viewing this document. No action is needed, however if you are new to the club we ask you to email us to confirm your status.
• If you are a new coach or your background check is expired, you must make an appointment to be fingerprinted at location (Brick and Ocean Township are the closest locations).
  • View this document for instructions on making your fingerprinting appointment.
  • DON’T DELAY. THIS CLEARANCE TAKES TIME TO RECEIVE, AND APPOINTMENTS MAY BE LIMITED.  
• Once you have completed you finger prints, please email a copy of the receipt to pysc.safety@gmail.com (Please put in the email’s subject line: Finger Print- Last Name)

2) NJ Youth Soccer Recreational Coach Registration & Risk Management

• All Pinelanders coaches must register directly with NJYS at njyouthsoccer.com.
  • How to Register with NJYS (PDF) 
  • Be sure you are registering for Recreation Coaching
  • Be sure to select 'Pinelanders' as your club ... Keep scrolling we are on the list of clubs!
• NJ Youth Soccer requires that all coaches register directly once each ‘season.’ The NJYS season runs along with the school year, Fall through Spring. Coaches who coach in Fall do not need to complete a new registration for Spring. 
  • Pinelanders Spring 2025: 2024-2025 NJYS
  • Pinelanders Fall 2025 & Spring 2026: 2025-2026 NJYS
  • Fall Registration Typically Opens in Late June/Early July
• Coaches will upload SafeSport and Concussion certificates directly to the NJ Youth Soccer platform.
• This platform runs a separate background check required by NJ Youth Soccer. This background check approval is different than Requirement 1, which is a Howell Township requirement.

3) SafeSport

• The SafeSport Training requirement must be completed on an annual basis, with a certificate dated after January 1 for the start of the seasonal year in which the coach applies (e.g., Jan. 1, 2025 for the 2025-2026 seasonal year). The NJ Youth Soccer Coach Registration platform will indicate if any a SafeSport update is needed when you register related to Part 2 above. 
• SafeSport requires an initial 90-minute course in Year 1, then a 30-minute refresher course in Year 2, Year 3, and Year 4. Please only take one course per year. In Year 5, you will restart the process.   
• These are the ONLY SafeSport courses that meet this requirement:
  • SafeSport Trained - U.S. Soccer Federation (YEAR 1)
  • Refresher 1: Recognizing and Reporting Misconduct - U.S. Soccer Federation (YEAR 2)
  • Refresher 2: Preventing Misconduct - U.S. Soccer Federation (YEAR 3)
  • Refresher 3: Creating a Positive Sport Environment – U.S. Soccer Federation (YEAR 4)
• Returning Coaches (with previous SafeSport training)
  • Visit https://safesporttrained.org
  • Log in and complete the next course required.
  • If you have questions about which course to take, please contact us for guidance!
• New Coaches
  • Use this link to create an account.
    • Enter N/A in field for ‘Organizational Member ID’
    • Please wait several seconds …
    • .... and accept terms & conditions
    • Click “My Courses” and start “SafeSport Trained – U.S. Soccer Federation”. 
  • When completed, uploaded your SafeSport Certificate (or refresher certificate) via the NJ Youth Soccer Coach Registration platform. 

4) Heads-Up! Concussion Awareness Certificate

• Required to be taken before first coaching season. Pinelanders recommends coaches retake this course once every three years to stay current. 
• Complete this course from the CDC: https://www.train.org/cdctrain/course/1089818/details
• When completed, upload a copy of your Heads-Up certificate via the NJ Youth Soccer Coach Registration platform. 
• Coaches should keep this certificate in their coaching bag.

Please contact us at pysc.safety@gmail.com with questions about Coach Safety!