2025 Coaches Thanksgiving Eve Game

Coaches got a chance to show their players some of their skills! It was a packed crowd and fun was had by all! Thanks for all who attended and helped to make this a fun family event that went smoothly.

Coaches played a friendly game on Thanksgiving Eve! It was fun to see them in action!

2025 Coaches Game Thanksgiving Eve!

2025 Coaches Game

Thanksgiving Eve Coaches Game

NCYHA Coaching

The Newport Whalers rely on an all volunteer coaching staff. If you would like to volunteer, USA Hockey and RI Hockey require that you complete the annual requirements.

In addition, please contact the Level Director for the age group that you would like to coach.

Prior to and during the evaluation process the applicants for coaching positions are reviewed and Head Coaches are then identified by the Level Director and recommended to the Board.

All Head Coaches for all NCYHA travel teams then must be approved by the Board of Directors. Assistant coaches are nominated by head coaches and also require board approvals.

Your time is valuable!

Board Members that are not on-ice coaches:

Requirements	Minutes
USA Hockey Registration	5
Whalers Coaches Registration	5
Background Screening	10
Safesport Initial (first time ONLY)	90
Refresher (maintenance, second year+)	30
Approximate Total Time	~1.5-2 Hours (First year will take a little longer)

On-ice coaches:

Requirements	Minutes
USA Hockey Registration	5
Whalers Coaches Registration	5
Background Screening	10
Safesport Initial (first time)	90
Safesport Refresher (maintenance)	30
Coaching Modules	120
Continued Education Program (CEP)	480
Approximate Total Time	12 hours most of the requirements are for Continued Education Program (CEP).

Screening Volunteers

STEPS TO BECOME A NCYHA COACH

1. Get a USA Hockey number here.

2. Complete a background check here.

3. Register for a USA Hockey Coaching Education Program (CEP) clinic here.

4. Complete the SafeSport training (good for two years) here.

5. Complete the USA Hockey age specific module here.

USA Hockey Coaches home page. Use this as a guide for background screening status, CEPs, Module & SafeSport

My tip for you is this, leave your position and your ego at the door any time you go into a session or are listening to somebody speaking

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Mike MacMillan, USA Hockey’s coach-in-chief, welcomed the more than 530 coaches to the 2025 USA Hockey Long Drink Level 5 Coaches Symposium on Thursday night with a simple request. MacMillan said, “Your brain will learn more and more, and you will evolve as a coach. We need you as leaders to evolve and get better.”

The minute you think you have it figured out as a coach, you are dead in the water,”

“The game is in constant evolution. It changes all the time. It changes a number of different ways. It can be coaches’ staffs that come up with and design different tactics. A lot of times it is the savants of the game, the players themselves. The game evolves through them with some of their creativity and the things they do on the ice. The Importance of Coaching Education; Marquee coaches Mike Sullivan and John Tortorella stress the importance of coaching education at 2025 USA Hockey

Register: 2025-26 Coach Volunteer and BOD Registration

The Whalers will reimburse for any background checks, Coaches CEP Clinics & Modules, and Safesport. We do not reimburse for USA Hockey Registration.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION SAFE SPORT:

For those renewing their Safe Sport Training, the course will only be available to the member 60 days prior to their expiration date.

USA Hockey is sending an email to the member's primary email 30 days prior to reminding them to take the training.

If they do not take the training another reminder is sent 15 days prior and the day of expiration.

If member does not take training, then they will receive an email on the day of expiration indicating they are no longer eligible for participation with USA Hockey and member programs until they renew the training.

If a member goes to take training too early a course will not appear for them.

Continuing Education Program and Credits (CEP)

Coaching Education Information

Level 1, 2, 3 will be valid for one season

As of the 2021-22 season, coaches who obtained Level 4 are part of the continuing education path.

Their education will be valid for three (3) seasons; coaches needs to take 5 credits for continuing education to advance the expiration to the next three-year cycle.

If Level 5, valid for four (4) seasons.

Grandfathered Level 4 & 5 coaches; if the coach had their Level 4 or 5 prior to January 1, 2021, and was not a coach on a category Tier I or Tier II roster since that date, they are grandfathered into the system and their expiration remains as 12/31/2099.

If they do coach on a category Tier I or Tier II roster from the 2020-21 season or after, the expiration changed from 12/31/2099 to the three-year or four-year expiration and they are now on the continuing education path.

Once a grandfathered coach is on the continuing education path they will remain on that path.

Season 2025-26

Continuing Education courses will be virtual or in-person courses, online videos, or clinics.

Additional information can be found online https://www.usahockey.com/coaching-continuingeducation

The Registry/Admin will include information on the CEP Level as well as how many earned credits a coach has available. This will be shown in reports, in personnel and in roster views.

A coach who is on continuing education path is required to earn 5 credits before their expiration date; if they earn more than 5 credits once they reach their expiration date all earned credits will go to zero and the expiration will move out to a new expiration date (3 years for Level 4, four years for Level 5). Extra credits over 5 will not carry over.

Other Requirements for Coaches

Coaches MUST have the appropriate module completed PRIOR to being placed on a roster.
If a coach already has a 10U module and coaching a 10U team, they do not need to take the new 10U/12U module. However, if they are coaching a 12U team and did not have the 12U module then they would need to take the new 10U/12U module.
Remind your coaches that they must have current CEP completed by 12/31 or they will be redlined as of January 1st.

Please encourage coaches to use their legal name when registering so their coaching education (clinics and modules).

Example if history is: Michael Smith

and new registration is: Mike Smith

the system will create a new record and not connect previous education and compliance.

Team Composition

Rule 201 | Composition of Teams (click here for more details)

(a) A team must start a game with a minimum of six players.

Any time that a team has been reduced to less than four players, the game shall be declared a forfeit.

A maximum of 20 players, in which not more than 18 are skaters, shall be permitted to play in the game.

(b) Each team shall designate on the scoresheet a Head Coach prior to the start of the game.

The Head Coach shall be in control of and responsible for the actions of all team personnel, including players.

A team may have up to four Team Officials on the players’ bench.

Only players in uniform and properly rostered Team Officials may occupy the players’ bench.

Injuries

Coaches Corner