CYO Coaching Certification

Earning a Certified Coaches Lanyard

In order to leave a certification class with the Certified CYO Coaches Lanyard, a coach must have already previously submitted his or her NFHS Concussion Awareness Online Certificate to the CYO Office within the last 3 years. In addition, a coach must have already previously completed the online Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Class that became law on August 1, 2017. Directions are below for both courses. Otherwise, the coach will leave certification without their lanyard and only receive it once the Concussion Certificate of Completion has been submitted to CYO.

Instructions to take NFHS Concussion Course

Link to Online Sudden Cardiac Arrest Course

2023-2024 Certification Schedule

Initial Certification - Dates and Locations:
  • Sat, Mar 23 from 9-1:30pm - Location: CYO Offices

"Initial Certification" Registration Link!

Fall Recertification Dates:
  • Sat, Mar 16 at 10:30am (Via Zoom) - Morning Session
  • Sat, Mar 16 at 6:00pm (Via Zoom) - Evening Session

"Recertification" Registration Link!

CYO Coaches Lanyard

What does a CYO Coaches Lanyard signify?

It means that the person wearing a lanyard is committed to ministering to youth through coaching in the CYO program. It also means these people have met several diocesan requirements for coaching kids.


FAQ

Q: Why does a coach need to attend certification?
A: It is a requirement of the Diocese of Toledo that all coaches (including high school students serving as coaches for service hours) must be fully certified.

Q: Which class does a coach need to attend?
A: Coaches who are new to CYO or have not attended a certification class in the past 12 months must attend an INITIAL certification class (weekend classes). These classes generally are 4 ½‐5 hours in length. If a coach has certified in the past 12 months, he/she must attend a RE‐CERTIFICATION class (weeknights and/or weekends). These classes generally are 2 ½ ‐3 hours in length.

Q: Does a coach have to be present for the entire class?
A: Yes. If a coach is attending an INITIAL class, he/she must be in attendance from beginning to end. The only exception to this would be if the coach attended a “Protecting Youth and Those Who Serve Them class” (PY) within the 12 months prior to the INITIAL class. PY is the last session of an INITIAL class. If the coach has taken PY previously, but not within the past 12 months, the coach must stay for PY to be considered certified.

Q: Is attending a certification class make a coach fully certified?
A: No. Coaches must be current in the class attendance (every 12 months), have been electronically fingerprinted (once, unless changing parishes), received a favorable Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) report, and submitted a Certificate of Completion for the free online NFHS Concussion Awareness to the CYO Office (every three years).

Q: What if a coach misses all the certification opportunities before the start of their season? A: Unfortunately, the coach will not be permitted to coach. The schedule of CYO certifications includes at least two opportunities before each season (Fall, Basketball, and Spring) to attend an INITIAL class and at least four re‐certification classes before each season. No classes will be added to the certification schedule and no individual meetings with the CYO Staff will be arranged.

Q: What if a prospective CYO coach also coaches high school sports and therefore already has a Pupil Activities Permit (PAP). Will this exempt the coach from attending CYO Certification?
A: CYO will accept a copy of a current Pupil Activity Permit to get started, but the coach will need to take Protecting Youth & Those Who Serve Them and also attend a CYO Re‐certification session before they will be issued a lanyard and therefore eligible to coach in the CYO program.