All volunteers (head coaches, assistant coaches, trainers, managers, on-ice & off-ice) require specific certifications in order to be rostered to a team or assist with on-ice practices or volunteer off-ice. Volunteers must be at least 2 years older than the age limit of the division in which they are volunteering. All volunteers must be registered with the WSMHA through the Hockey Canada Registry, have their required qualifications completed by November 30 in order to participate with activities. A CSA certified helmet (chin strap securely fastened at all times), skates and hockey gloves must be worn on the ice. Volunteers 13 years old and younger must wear full player equipment including a neck & mouth guard. On-Ice volunteers can participate in IP instruction and team practices only, they can not be present on the team bench for games. Only rostered staff (coach, assistant coach & trainer) can participate in games.
HOCKEY CANADA REGISTRY (HCR) PROFILE
In order to take any online courses, a HCR profile in your name is required. If you are not sure if you have an existing HCR profile, fill in the HCR Profile Request Form and the hockey office will verify if one exists or a profile will be created for you. If you have played minor hockey in the past, you may have a profile but it may not be in our data base. Fill in the Profile Request Form so that a search of the Hockey Canada data base can be completed. If one does exist, it will be transferred to the WSMHA data base.
Do not take any courses before the profile is created or transferred.
HCR Profile Request Form link
MANDATORY VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS
All volunteers (head coach, assistant coach, trainer, team manager, on-ice & off-ice) must have the following mandatory requirements. Some of the requirements are a one-time only while the VSS, the Yearly Declaration and some of the courses have an expiry date.
1. A HCR Profile - see details above.
2. A Spordle Account - every volunteer requires a Spordle account in order to
(i) Monitor their qualifications and be aware of any expiry dates (if applicable to the qualification). Renewing a qualification prior to the expiry date can save taking the entire course again.
(ii) Find the registration link to access a course they have registered for
(iii) Verify that they have completed a course and have received credit for the completion
(iv) Required when submitting their VSS to the OHF and completing the Yearly Declaration on the OHF website.
(v) Registering themselves as volunteers with the association every season they are involved with a team.
Spordle Account Login link
Spordle - My Account Help Tutorial link
3. Hockey Canada "The Shift Forward" Online Course - New for the 2026 - 2027 season, the Respect in Sport Activity Leader qualification is being phased out and "The Shift Forward" qualification will be required. The RIS Activity Leader qualification will be accepted until the end of the 2027 - 2028 season.
4. Gender Identity & Expression Online Course - This course is required to be taken once and does not carry an expiration date. Use your Spordle credentials to login into the Hockey Canada site to register and complete the course.
Gender Identity & Expression Online Course link
5. Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS) - A valid VSC is required to be on file with the OHF. A VSC is valid for 3 years from the date of issue. Further details, volunteer letter and links can be found on the
VSC Page.
6. Register as a volunteer - Ever season all volunteers are required to register with the association and sign off on the Hockey Canada required waivers in order to be placed on an official team roster. Rep Volunteer Registration link.
Head Coach & Assistant Coaches Qualification
To be a Head Coach or an Assistant coach, age and participant level appropriate certifications are required in order to be rostered as a team official. Some of the certifications have pre-requisite courses that must be completed. As you advance through the different coaching certifications, if you have taken a pre-requisite course before, you do not need to take it again. Only the new course required to receive a higher certification are needed. Also, they may be a survey at the end of the course that needs to be completed before you receive the accreditation. Not doing the survey will leave the course in an "attendee status" meaning it is not complete. More details can be found on the OMHA Coaches Clinics Help.
U7, U8 & U9 MD
Mandatory volunteer requirements above plus the 1 online course below.
Head Coach & Assistant Coaches must have Coach - Hockey Canada Coach 1.
No higher qualification will be accepted.
Coach - Hockey Canada Coach 1 online link
U10 & U11 Representative
all coaches require the Mandatory volunteer requirements above.
Head Coach must be Development 1 Trained
Assistant Coaches must have their Coach 2 - Coach Level Trained qualifications.
Courses required are
Coach - Hockey Canada Skills - Checking link (pre-requisite)
Coach - Hockey Canada Coach 2 link
***If you have previously completed the HU-Online Checking Clinic, you are not required to complete the Coach - Hockey Canada Skills - Checking course below ***
U13 - U18 Rep (AA, A & Below)
Head Coach must be Development 1 Certified. If the Development 1 Trained qualification was obtain in a previous season, the head coach must be Certified prior to being eligible to be placed on a team roster. If obtaining the Development 1 Trained this season, then the head coach must complete the certification process during this current season. Further details on obtaining "Certified" status can be found on the OMHA Support Page
Assistant Coaches must be Development 1 Trained. An assistant coach who is only Development 1 Trained, can not act as a head coach in the absence of the rostered head coach. They may only cover for the head coach should the head coach be removed from a game in progress. Teams are encouraged to have an assistant coach become Certified so they are eligible to cover for the head coach in their absence.