Education Standard

Education Standard for USATF Coaches Registry

To further elevate the professional credibility of the USATF Coaches Registry and its members, USATF established the Education Standard for qualification into the USATF Coaches Registry (effective January 1, 2019). The Education Standard provides for a baseline standard of professional education or coaching accomplishment in the sport of track and field for coaches seeking admission to the Registry. 

By establishing a baseline standard of professional education or coaching experience, the Education Standard aligns with the best practices for professional certifications in other fields, within the coaching industry at large, and with licensing protocols of other Olympic family national governing bodies.

Submission (applies to all approved pathways)

All coaches seeking to complete verification of the Education Standard of the USATF Coaches Registry must submit verification under “Coach Certifications” on USATF Connect. Coaching certifications and career achievements will not automatically import to fulfill the Education Standard.

Submission of the Education Standard is in addition to achieving USATF 3-Step Safe Sport Compliance and all other stated USATF Coaches Registry requirements.

The Education Standard is a one-time requirement, subject to any applicable recertification requirements of the respective course of education. Once a coach has met the Education Standard, he or she has fulfilled the requirement for as long as the coach is part of the Registry.

Meeting the Education Standard 

There are two different paths to meet the Educational Standard for the Coaches Registry: Complete a verified educational course (Path 1), OR achieve a specified coaching accomplishment (Path 2). 

Path 1: Complete a verified course of education.

Complete any one of the following options: 

• Level 1 of the USATF CE Professional Pathway of Coach Certification (certificate must be current to be recognized).
• Level 2 or Level 3 of the USATF CE Professional Pathway of Coach Certification.
• USATF Cross Country Specialist Course.
• USATF Marathon Specialist Course.
• Completion of a USATF Event Skill Specialist Clinic (Learn By Doing Clinic).
• Completion of approved NFHS sport-specific course in conjunction with any course on USATF Campus (online option).
  • NFHS Coaching Track and Field OR NFHS Coaching Cross Country are the only approved NFHS sport-specific courses—no exception.
• USTFCCCA Technical Certification (201 or 251), Event-Specialist Certification (302-306), or Master's Certification (501-514) courses only. Strength and Conditioning (310) is excluded.
• IAAF Level I, II, III, IV, or V certificate holder.

Certificate of completion for any of the above courses serves as verification of Education Standard.

Path 2: Accomplish an Education Standard equivalency during one's coaching career, through a body of work, a career honor, or demonstrated professional coaching career.

Demonstrate any one of the following: 

• Member of an international coaching staff selected by USATF over the last 5 Olympic quadrennials. 
• Primary coach of record of a top eight placer at the Olympics, Youth Olympic Games, World Marathon Major or an IAAF World Athletic Series competition, that includes:
  • IAAF World Indoor and Outdoor Championships
  • IAAF U18 Championships
  • IAAF U20 Championships
  • IAAF Continental Cup
  • IAAF World Cross Country Championships
  • IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships
  • IAAF World Half Marathon Championship
  • IAAF World Relays
• Primary coach of record of a top three placer at USATF Indoor, Outdoor, U20 (Junior) Championships, USATF Running Circuit Championship or Pan American Games.
• Primary coach of record of a top three placer at NCAA, NJCAA, or NAIA Championships for cross country, indoor or outdoor track (credential, link to result and verification letter from Athletic Director or Director of TF/CC must be uploaded to application).
• Elite technical coach of USA National Team athletes over a 10-year period (coach must list athletes' names and contact information).
• Hall of Fame Coach for USATF, USTFCCCA, National Scholastic Track Coaches Association or NFHS.
• National Coach of the Year for USATF or USOC.
• USTFCCCA National Head or Assistant Coach of the Year for men's or women's (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA) cross country, indoor or outdoor track & field.
• Employment as a head or assistant track coach at a scholastic, collegiate institution or USATF registered/approved club for a 10-year period verified by employer human resources department. 

The USATF National Office staff will provide oversight of all components of the Coaches Registry. An oversight subcommittee from the Coaches Advisory Committee will review and evaluate any issue with a coach's education standard. 

For more information, contact coachesregistry.verifications@usatf.org.