Sideline Access for Coaches at USA Ultimate High School, Youth, and College Championship Events
Updated: April 2012
During games at USA Ultimate Championship events where field access is restricted (e.g. semifinal and finals of the USA Ultimate Regional HS Championships, Youth Club Championships, and all games at the College Championships), sideline access will only be granted to players, coaches that are designated on the team roster and have completed the USA Ultimate Coaching Ethics Workshop, USA Ultimate event staff, and official media.
To be listed on the team roster, coaches must have passed an NCSI background check and be USA Ultimate Coach or Coach/Player members.
All other non-player support staff, including additional coaches that have not completed the USA Ultimate Coaching Ethics Workshop, must read, sign and agree to abide by the USA Ultimate Coaching Ethics Code and USA Ultimate Spirit of Coaching statement (at minimum, one coach per team must complete the USA Ultimate Coaching Ethics Workshop).
Limits on number of coaches and other non-player support staff will be determined by specific event guidelines.
Updates to the sideline access for coaches were implemented in April 2014 to align with evolving Athlete Protection standards. The original sideline policy was approved by the Board of Directors in December, 2008 and was implemented for the 2009 youth and college championship events and beyond.
The original Coaching Certification policy, which required Level I certification, was approved by the Board of Directors in the summer of 2006 as an incentive for coaches to get Level I certification as well as to ensure compliance with USA Ultimate standards of knowledge and behavior at USA Ultimate's highest profile games. Recognizing the need for increased access to the clinics, and wishing to align the specifics topics of coaching ethics and professionalizing with the sideline requirement, the policy was revised in 2008.
Coaches should make plans to attend the Coaching Ethics Workshop between January and March of each year in order to ensure access to the sideline for all games at the Championship events.