Osseo Maple Grove Football Association

Starting with the 2010 Season, all head coaches will be required to participate in a background screening with the National Center for Safety Initiatives (NSCI) and a certification through USA Football.

The National Center for Safety Initiatives will conduct a comprehensive background screening for all head coaches and provide OMGFA with a red light or green light for all coaches. If there are any issues that come up during the screening, the NSCI will contact the coach in question to gain further details prior to providing us with a red or green light.  This is similar to the background check done for coaches in most other sport associations in Osseo and Maple Grove.

Your grade level director will contact you with information on how to register for the background check.

• Know and follow OMGFA Philosophy, Rules and Guidelines.
• Contact players and parents within 2 days of receiving your team roster to let them know they are assigned to your team.
• Find assistant coaches and meet to determine assignments, responsibilities, etc. 
• Schedule and plan a parent meeting (before first practice)
• Prepare team season schedule including dates and time for Games, Practices,
• Events, etc. and distribute to parents at Parent meeting (Calendar Creator, Works Calendar, etc. work very well).

• Introduce all coaches and their assignments, responsibilities.
• Distribute player and coach contact information for all team members.
• Distribute team game and practice schedule.
• Determine best method to communicate with parents (phone, email, etc.)
• Discuss the following:
  Team Goals-Learning the Game and having Fun.
  Policy on missing practice / games, late for practice / games, etc.
  Playing time and Position Assignments
  Sideline behavior (coaches, players and parents)
  Sportsmanship,
  Trash-pickup and parking
• Recruit at least one Team Manager at the parent meeting. Tasks you may need help with include:
  Creating and Maintaining Team web page
  Reporting game scores
  Communicating with parents
  Fitting jerseys and player names on jerseys
  Beverage / snack list
  Gopher Ticket coordination
  Team party
  Other items

Individual team web pages are provided on the OMGFA web site. This can be used by teams for coaches contact information, team roster, game and practice schedule, team pictures / logos, etc.  Coaches will be able to update the page themselves or provide access to a team manager or other parent to do so.

Immediately following each game winning teams must report game scores on the web site. Standings are updated automatically once  games scores are reported. Your head coach or team manager with access to the team website can report game scores. Follow these steps:

1. Login to your team website
2. Set the website to "Edit Mode"
3. Click the Game Schedule bitton on the top of the team webpage
4. Under the Status column, click the Schedule button for the game you would like to report scores.
5. Click the Edit Team Stats button
6. On the new panel, enter the cores by quarter (or all scores into the last quarter if you are not tracking by quarter)
7. Push the Save Team Stats button on the bottom of the panel
8. Change the game status from Scheduled to Final.

• Keep it simple: Be a teacher, the best coaches are teachers with whistles. Positive methods only!!!
• It is best to spend most of your practice time on basic fundamentals and skill development. Scheming is a fun part of the game but introduced too early, kids will depend on using the easy way out instead of technique, solid fundamentals and execution. The team that blocks and tackles best will usually win.
• Daily Talks With Team: Emphasize sportsmanship, integrity, humility, responsibility, intensity and discipline.
• Practice Plans:   Be organized. Plan every practice before you get on the field. Establish a routine for your practices and drills. Eliminate standing around. Must have multiple drills going at all times. Include “fun” activities to break-up the routine.
• Games: Be prepared. Organize lineups for playing time requirements, injuries, etc. Be positive!!! It is all about the kids. Let them play and have fun.

Many good books and 1,000’s of web based resources are available. A very good resource for Youth Football is located at

, under Coaches Section, Play The Game.

Email Server List: Sign-up for the email server list on the website list to receive updated information.

USA Football ( http://www.usafootball.com ) offers a certification program that can be completed from your home PC. The certification takes approximately 1.5 hours and each coach receives the following benefits:

• $1M in personal general liability insurance for youth and amateur football related activities
• Click ’N Create Playbook where you can build your own playbook online. You will be able to craft and animate plays, print out your playbook and email it to players and assistant coaches. The Click ’N Create Playbook will help organize your practice week, and prepare your team for game day.
• Online Practice Planner gives coaches the ability to format, print-out and email detailed practice schedules
• Online Drills Library gives USA Football Coach members access to over 150 practice drills broken down by position
• Film Room offers hours of fundamental coaching instruction for offense, defense, speed training, and strength training.

OMGFA strongly encourages coaches to take the class and become certified.  We will pay for the cost of coaches to register.  Your grade level director will provide coaches with instructions on how to register.

Coaches may reserve practice fields at Maple Grove parks through the Maple Grove Park system.  The attached document outlines the procedures for reserving fields.  If you do not have a reservation you must vacate the field for another OMGFA coach or coach from another sport who does have a reservation.