MSHSAA By-Law 125 provides that a school may employ as an assistant athletic coach, with the approval of the MSHSAA Board of Directors, an individual who possesses a valid substitute or provisional (temporary) teacher’s certificate if evidence of need is verified by the school to affirm that the position is required to maintain the existence of the program and/or necessary to maintain safety. Likewise, By-Law 153 provides that a school may employ as a cheerleading coach/sponsor an individual who does not possess a valid professional teaching certificate, under requirements similar to an assistant athletic coach.

Any non-faculty assistant coach who does not possess a professional teaching certificate or any non-certificated cheerleading coach may be approved to serve as a coach at a member school for one school year, however, such coach must complete the MSHSAA Coaches Education Program before approval will be granted to serve as a coach at any member school during any subsequent school year. Completion of the MSHSAA Coaches Education Program includes attending MSHSAA approved courses in Coaching Principles (an eight hour course) and in Sport First Aid (a four hour course) and passing the required three take-home, open-book tests. The required tests are ASEP (American Sport Education Program) Coaching Principles, ASEP Sport First Aid, and MSHSAA By-Laws/Policies. The course fee for Coaching Principles is $95 and the fee for Sport First Aid is $80.

2008-09 Coaching Principles Course Schedule & Registration Info.
2008-09 Sports First Aid Course Schedule & Registration Info.