COACHING REQUIREMENTS
To be a coach at the Upper Dauphin Area School District, individuals must go through an application process (including applicable clearances), a selection and hiring process and an orientation program (new head coaches).
Application Process
To apply for a head coaching position at Upper Dauphin Area, the candidate must submit a cover letter, resume, three letters of recommendation and clearance to Kody Godsey, Athletic Director, Upper Dauphin Area School District, 220 N Church Street, Elizabethville, PA 17023. Applicants for assistant coaching positions must submit a cover letter and resume along with three references and clearances to the above address.
Selection and Hiring Process
After submission of the completed applications for each position by the due date, the applications will be reviewed by, at a minimum, the Athletics Director. For assistant coach positions, the current head coach from within the Upper Dauphin Area School District will take part in the process. Candidates that are selected for an interview will be contacted and an interview will be scheduled and conducted. After all interviews (and possible subsequent interviews) are conducted, the committee will select an individual to recommend to the school board for the position. Only after a candidate is approved by the School Board will the other candidates be notified of the selection.
To be a coach at the Upper Dauphin Area School District, individuals must complete mandatory training. Some of these training classes are required by Pennsylvania Law and must be completed prior to participating in an official capacity as a coach.
Job Descriptions
The job descriptions for UDASD coaches are available through the links below. New coaches must sign the job description acknowledgement page to signify that the coach has read and understands the job description.
Head Injury Protocol
The training for the Upper Dauphin Area School District Head Injury Protocol must be completed each time the protocol is changed. The Head Injury Protocol training may be completed via the SafeSchools training site.
State Required Training
The following courses must be completed prior to coaching each year:
Concussion Recognition Training: Concussionwise
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Training: Cardiacwise
Required PIAA Training
The required PIAA training may be completed via the SafeSchools website for free. New coaches have two (2) years from the date of hire to complete the training. All courses listed under Coaching Fundamentals and First Aid for Coaches on the SafeSchools website must be completed in order for the training to be considered complete. To obtain the login to the website, please contact the Director of Athletics.
After the training is completed, the certificates must be uploaded to the PIAA website by the COACH. The coach must first register for a coaches account on the PIAA website. Once registered, the coach may upload the certificate from the SafeSchools website. The two certificates that must be uploaded are the overall Coaching Fundamentals and First Aid for Coaches certificates provided by the Director, Athletics and Administrative Services once all courses in that category are completed. For questions related to uploading certificates, please contact the Director, Athletics and Administrative Services.