BAHL Coaching

USA Hockey and the Coaching Education Program require both certification and registration to be eligible to coach. Registration is done online on a yearly basis. Certification is also required. A few basic steps requirements are as follows:

USA Hockey Requirements (Must be completed before participating in any team activities)

• Register as a member of USA Hockey. (Cost is $52 plus any affiliate fees if applicable).
• Complete the background screening.
• Complete the USA Hockey Safe Sport Training. (Required every year and cannot be added to a roster until completed). 
• Complete the online age-specific module(s) for the age level of play you are coaching. (Cost is $20 for the 6u/8u module all others are $25. All modules only need to be completed once per age level. Must be completed PRIOR to participating in any team activities and cannot be added to a roster until completed).

Coaching Education Program Certification Clinic Requirements (Must be completed before Dec. 31 each season)

• Find, register and attend the required certification clinic. The Cost is $65. You can only attend one clinic per season and all coaches must enter USA Hockey's Coaching Education Program at the 6U/8U clinic if coaching at the Learn To Play/Learn To Skate/6U/8U classification or Level 1 if they are coaching 10U classification and above. You can take clinics from June 15th-Dec. 15th each season.

Important USA Hockey rule, no exceptions!

"All coaches must enter USA Hockey's Coaching Education Program at the 6U/8U clinic if coaching Learn To Skate, Learn To Play, and/or 6U/8U classifications or a Level 1 clinic if they are coaching 10U classification and above." 

This rule is fully supported, and strict compliance is expected by all who wish to coach for the Billings Amateur Hockey League.

First and most important, thank you for coaching. While you all have regular day jobs, you are choosing to help our athletes and community have something special. Without you, we cannot provide this great service and opportunity to play hockey. Because we know our coaches give so much of their time, skills, and talents, we aim to provide something back to them. Below are the benefits provided; all of these benefits are subject to change by the Hockey Program Director and/or the Board of Directors' discretion.

• Each head coach is provided a $150 gift card to Pure Hockey
• Each head and assistant coach is provided a $200 gift card to use at Centennial Ice Arena. Practice coaches are not eligible to receive this benefit.
• Non-parent coaches provided a stipend to supplement travel costs.
• Additional money may be fundraised by a team to pay for the travel expenses of their coaches; the teams may choose to do this for either non-parent or parent coaches or both.
• All head and assistant coaches will be reimbursed for up to $175 for costs to register with USA Hockey and for their certification classes and modules. If a coach is required to take additional classes or modules, additional reimbursement funds may be approved by the Hockey Program Director.

A practice coach is not a rostered coach of the team; however, they are still expected to follow all USA Hockey Coaching Education requirements. Reimbursement for memberships and certifications of practice coaches is not provided at this time.

To be rostered as a Head Coach or an Assistant Coach, you must be on the bench for at least 75% of games. To qualify for all of the benefits listed above, a rostered Head Coach and Assistant coaches must attend a minimum of 75% of all practices and games.

Each team should have a minimum of one Head Coach and two Assistant Coaches, with a maximum of 4.

Each team should have a minimum of one Head Coach and one Assistant Coach, with a maximum of 4.