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, complete the HCR Profile Request Form and the hockey verify if one exists or create a profile for you. If you have played minor hockey in Canada, a profile probably does exist. If required, the HCR profile will be transferred to the associations database. Do not take any courses before the profile is created or transferred.
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 VSC, 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 VSC 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 Check (VSC) - 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 webpage.
6. Yearly OHF Declaration- Every season a Declaration is required to be submitted to the OHF through their online portal. If you have a valid VSC, the Declaration needs to be completed. If you are uploading a new VSC to the OHF portal, the Declaration can be completed at that time. Further details and links can be found on the
VSC webpage.
7. 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.
House League 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 House League & Select
All coaches require the 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 - U21 House League & Select
All coaches require the mandatory volunteer requirements above plus the 2 online course below.
Head Coach & Assistant Coaches must have Coach - Hockey Canada Coach 2.
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.
Development 1 Trained or Development 1 Certified qualifications are also accepted for u10 - U21 HL and Select
Certification Reimbursement
The WSMHA provides 100% refund of certification course fees and Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) fee for volunteers in our hockey program. Reimbursement will be for the minimum qualifications required for the team you will be rostered on. Expenses such as lunch, parking, or mileage are not refunded. Refunds will be for expenses incurred for the current season, past seasons expenses will not be reimbursed. Further details and the Certification Reimbursement Form can be found on the Certification Reimbursement page.