The United Soccer Coaches (formerly known as the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)) is an organization of Americansoccercoaches founded in 1941. It is the largest soccer coaches organization in the world, with more than 30,000 members. It offers training courses for both beginning and experienced coaches and a wide range of award programs. Rare among sports organizations, it serves its sport for both men/boys and women/girls. Geoff VanDuesen is the current Chief Executive Officer.[1] The NSCAA was rebranded as United Soccer Coaches on August 2, 2017.[2]
Annual convention
The annual United Soccer Coaches Convention, known as "The World's Largest Annual Gathering of Soccer Coaches" is held in mid-January. The five-day event attracts more than 12,000 attendees for live field demonstration and lecture sessions, networking socials, coaching diploma training classes, and a large soccer-only trade show, with more than 300 companies displaying soccer equipment, technology and services.
As the group announced its new name in Chicago on August 2, 2017, it also listed the sites for the annual convention through 2032:[3]
Philadelphia– 2018, 2023, 2026, 2030
Chicago– 2019, 2025, 2031
Baltimore– 2020, 2028, 2032
Anaheim– 2021, 2024, 2029
Kansas City– 2022, 2027
On August 26, 2020, the association announced that the 2021 United Soccer Coaches Convention would take place online, in a digital format. The 2021 Convention was originally scheduled to be held in Anaheim, California, but the organization decided to cancel the in-person event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]
Awards programs
United Soccer Coaches operates a wide variety of awards programs. These include:
NCAA Division I men and women and Divisions II/III men and women
NAIA men and women
NCCAA Divisions I and II men and women
Junior College Division I and III men and women
Scholar All-America teams
NCAA Division I men and women and Divisions II/III men and women
NAIA men and women
NCCAA Divisions I and II men and women
Junior College Division I and III men and women
All-Region Awards
NCAA Division I men and women and Divisions II/III men and women
NAIA men and women
Junior College Division I and III men and women
National Player of the Year
Division I men and women – Between 1996 and 1998, the NSCAA recognized an outstanding collegiate player of the year. Since 1999, the NSCAA has coordinated its NCAA Division I Player of the Year program with the Missouri Athletic Club. They now present the joint NSCAA/MAC Hermann Trophy to the outstanding men's and women's player of the year.[5]
NCAA Divisions II/III men and women
NAIA men and women
NCCAA Divisions I and II men and women
Junior College Division I and III men and women
College Player Award of Distinction
National Coach of the Year award
NCAA Division I men and women and Divisions II/III men and women
NAIA men and women
NCCAA Divisions I and II men and women
Junior College Division I and III men and women
Regional Coach of the Year award
NCAA Division I men and women and Divisions II/III men and women
NAIA men and women
NCCAA Divisions I and II men and women
Junior College Division I and III men and women
1 National Assistant Coach of the Year award
4 Regional Assistant Coach of the Year awards
Team Academic Award
Awarded to all teams meeting the criteria
Team Ethics and Sportsmanship
Gold, Silver, or Bronze awards to all teams meeting the criteria
Team Pinnacle Award
Awarded to teams who have earned the "...Team Academic Award, earned a Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award, and achieved a team winning percentage of .750 or higher during the season of the academic year for the award."
Bill Jeffery Award
Awarded annually to one individual for "...long-term service to collegiate soccer."
High school awards
All-America teams
Scholar All-America teams
All-Region Awards
National Player of the Week
State Player of the Week
High School Coach of the Year
1 National & 4 Regional awards
High School Assistant Coach of the Year
1 National & 4 Regional awards
Robert W. "Robby" Robinson Award supported by the American Youth Soccer Organization
Awarded annually to one individual for "...long-term service to scholastic soccer."
Senior Excellence Award
Awarded to high school seniors nominated by their coaches to honor "...exceptional contributions to the team while exemplifying the finest attributes of a high school student-athlete."
High School Team Academic Award
Awarded to all teams meeting the criteria
High School Team Ethics and Sportsmanship
Gold, Silver, or Bronze awards to all teams meeting the criteria
Youth awards
National Youth Coach of the Year
Regional Youth Coaches of the Year
Youth Coach Award of Excellence
Charlotte Moran Award
Awarded annually to one individual who has "...raised youth soccer to new heights through his or her long-term dedication to the game."
Youth Player Award of Excellence
Youth Participation Certificate
Awarded by coaches to their team members
Rankings
United Soccer Coaches also publishes weekly rankings for intercollegiate and high school soccer during the fall seasons and less frequently during the winter and spring high school seasons.[6]
