Here you will find information that will help you with coaching your team!
We recommend reviewing the Laws of the Game (LOTG),
checking out our “Resources” tab for practice plans,
and confirming you have all the required courses under the “Courses” tab.
We are so grateful that you chose to volunteer with us!
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us!
See you on the field!
Soccer for Life is required for all coaches of levels U14 and higher.
Respect in Sport for Activities is required for all coaches of levels U8 and higher.
FUNdamentals (U6-U8), Learn to Train (U10-U12) and Make Ethical Decisions are optional.
Background Info – Soccer Canada Licensing!
Canada Soccer now implements a club licensing process in conjunction with their provincial counterparts to promote Safe Sport. PMSC is in the process of becoming licensed.
All clubs associated with Ontario Soccer must obtain a minimum level as a Quality Soccer Provider. There are many requirements that must be fulfilled to obtain this status. Among them are minimum requirements for coaches. Below are the requirements we must now implement for recreational soccer. There are also optional courses for those who wish to go an extra step or may be interested in coaching at a competitive level or taking teams to competitive sanctioned festivals/tournaments.
For more information about the licensing program, please visit Canada Soccer’s website.
Mandatory Requirements for All Volunteers
(exceptions made for those parents only needing access to the pitch in case of emergencies)
These are the 2026 requirements for recreational level coaches:
- Coaching in Canada Module
- Available as part of any Long Term Development course through Canada Soccer.
- Respect in Sport
- All team officials are required to complete Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders (or have a current certificate within 5 years).
Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders is transferable from other sports/organizations, i.e. if you obtained one through Hockey Canada, it is also good for Ontario Soccer.
- All team officials are required to complete Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders (or have a current certificate within 5 years).
- Background Check/Vulnerable Sector Check
- All team officials must submit a background check that includes a vulnerable sector check that is no older than 3 years.
Team officials whose checks are still valid must submit an annual Disclosure Form.
- All team officials must submit a background check that includes a vulnerable sector check that is no older than 3 years.
- Volunteer/coaches orientation
- All volunteers/coaches are required to attend a pre-season meeting to learn policies, requirements and expectations.
Volunteer Screening
Please take a read-through of this document. It outlines a lot of important information that is in place not only for the safety of the kids in our care, but for you, as well.
Vulnerable Sector Checks
A Police Vulnerable Sector Check is required of all persons aged 16 and older.
OPP Police Record Checks are no longer completed at the OPP detachment. Applicants must apply online.
If you reside on Garrison Petawawa, you must visit the MP’s to submit your application.
We have been notified that VSC’s are taking quite a long time to come back at the moment, so please ensure that you apply AS SOON AS POSSIBLE in prep for the upcoming 2026 outdoor season!!
Documents needed:
- Personalized letter (sent by the Volunteer Administrator, please reach out directly)
- Two original forms of ID of which one must be a photo ID:
- Driver’s License
- BYID – Bring Your Identification, issued by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO)
- Military Identification Card
- Canadian Citizenship Card
- Indian Status Card
- Passport
- Permanent Resident Card
- PAL (Possession & Acquisition License issued by the Chief Firearms Office)
- CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) Card
- Ontario Photo ID Card (issued by the MTO)
- NEXUS Card
- FAST Pass
- Photo Student Card (for aged 15 and under only)
Acceptable forms of non-photo identification:
- Birth Certificate
- Baptismal Certificate
- Hunting License
- Outdoors Card
- Canadian Blood Donor Card
- Immigration Papers
Coaching in Canada and Grassroots Coaching Courses
The Coaching in Canada module is part of every Grassroots Coaching course. You will need to purchase the entire course even if you are only doing Coaching in Canada.
FUNdamentals: U6-U8
Learn to Train: U10-U13
Soccer for Life: U14+
To learn more about each course, visit the Ontario Soccer website.
To register for a course, visit Canada Soccer’s shop.
Coaches are reimbursed for the cost of their courses.
To submit a claim, please complete a Request for Reimbursement 2025/2026
Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders
(This is a Required Course)
The Respect in Sport Program assists coaches, referees, trainers and managers with identifying and dealing with abuse, neglect, harassment and bullying in sport.
The online course costs $30 and the curriculum is divided into six modules, which only take 2.5 hours, and can be completed at the user’s own pace. Once completed, certification is portable to other sports involved in Respect in Sport.
If you take Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders as a requirement for the soccer program, your cost will be reimbursed by submitting proof of payment via a Request for Reimbursement 2024/2025.
First: The Laws of the Game (LOTG)
It’s always handy to know the rules of the game you are coaching. Find below the PDFs for both small-sided games and FIFA rules which U14 and older abide by.
For those moments when you are on the field and unsure of why a call was made, you can download the new app here that contains everything you need to know about the FIFA LOTG.
Coaching Courses 2026
Course | Host | Location | Date(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learn to Train | West Carleton Soccer Club | Woodlawn (Ottawa) | 2026-04-11 |
| Soccer for Life | West Carleton Soccer Club | Woodlawn (Ottawa) | 2026-04-18 |
| FUNdamentals | West Carleton Soccer Club | Woodlawn (Ottawa | 2025-04-25 |
| Learn to Train | Ottawa South United Soccer Club | Manotick | 2026-05-30 |
| Soccer for Life | Ottawa South United Soccer Club | Manotick | 2026-05-31 |
| FUNdamentals | Ottawa South United Soccer Club | Manotick | 2026-06-06 |
To check for the most up-to-date course information and to register for a course, please go to CoachCentre. Our district is Eastern Ontario District Soccer Association.
Soccer For Life U14-Up / Learn to Train U9-U13 / Fundamentals U6-U8 / Active Start U4-U5
Please contact us if you are interested in taking one of these courses. Note, we must have a minimum amount of participants in order for Ontario Soccer to send an instructor.
PMSC will cover costs of all courses for Club Coaches.
So you volunteered to coach (or would like to!) and you have no idea where to start?
Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered. Here is where you will find resources and information to support you in your coaching journey… including practice plans based on the different Grassroots programs provided by the OSA.
Soccer for Life is required for all coaches of levels U14 and higher.
Respect in Sport for Activities is required for all coaches of levels U8 and higher.
FUNdamentals (U6-U8), Learn to Train (U10-U12) and Make Ethical Decisions are optional.
Canada Soccer Concussion Policy
The [Canada Soccer Policy] is based on current evidence and examples of best practice taken from soccer organizations around the world and other sports, including the Football Association, the Scottish FA, World Rugby, and the Canadian Concussion Collaborative. They are consistent with The Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport, (Toronto: Parachute, 2017) and the current Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport issued by the Fifth International Conference on Concussion in Sport, Berlin 2017. The Policy has been reviewed and is approved by Canada Soccer Sports Medicine Committee.
As part of a pre-season concussion education strategy, Canada Soccer recommends:
1. Our players and parents/guardians should review as a minimum, the Summary section of this document (page 3), OR both the Respond and Recognize (pages 5 and 6) sections of this document as part of their soccer registration process.
2. All participants in our sport should be encouraged to familiarize themselves with the entirety of our Concussion Guidelines. Baseline (pre-season) testing of youth (<18 years) and adult recreational athletes using any tool or combination of tools is not required for post-injury care of those who sustain a suspected or diagnosed concussion and is not recommended.
Rowan’s Law
The goal of Rowan’s Law is to protect amateur athletes by improving concussion safety on the field of play to help prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future. The legislation includes a number of requirements for sport organizations, athletes, parents, coaches, team trainers and officials to help mitigate concussions in sport.
A concussion is a brain injury that can’t be seen on routine X-rays, CT scans or MRIs. It affects the way a person may think and remember things, and can cause a variety of symptoms. Any blow to the head, face or neck, or a blow to the body that jars your head, could cause a concussion.
The following is a copy of the Table of Contents from Parachute.ca – all links are outgoing and will take you away from PMSC to the Parachute website.
Additional Concussion Resources
A Nurse’s Guide to Sports Concussions | CEUfast.com Blog
Special thank you to one of the Petawawa Public Library summer program students, Oliver, for passing this one along to us 🙂
The Petawawa Minor Soccer Club’s Player Evaluation is designed to provide a consistent and structured approach to assessing individual performance across key areas of the game, including physicality, technical ability, soccer IQ, and competitiveness in 50/50 situations.
The primary purpose of this evaluation is to begin building a year-over-year player database that tracks development, identifies strengths and areas for improvement, and supports informed decisions related to sorting, team placement, and technical development
planning.
By evaluating each player relative to others within their age group, we aim to ensure fair assessments and better guide their progression within the club.
Below are evaluation forms for individual players as well as multiple players.
Please note:
There are online excel fillable forms as well as printable pdf forms to choose from
Now What?
Once you have taken the RIS for Activity Leaders course, completed the Coaching in Canada module and have obtained your background checks, please email the relevant documents to the PMSC Volunteer Coordinator (volunteer@petawawaminorsoccer.com). Be sure to also complete a Request for Reimbursement if you have incurred any related course fees (have your receipt available for upload).
Be sure to check out the coaching resources above. Ontario Soccer has provided many practice plans and there are lots of websites with great ideas, too.