As a non-profit organization, the Andover Girls Softball League relies on parent volunteers to serve as head and assistant coaches at all levels. Coaching can be a rewarding experience to help our daughters develop skills and confidence, make friends, and enjoy a great American sport. (There’s also the reward of our ever-popular Coaches Appreciation Night at Oak & Iron Brewery!)
Thinking of volunteering but have no coaching experience? No problem! AGSL offers training to coaches new to softball and unfamiliar with the rules and provides plans to run fun and instructive practices. If you are interested in helping as a coach, please e-mail us and let us know which team you'd like to assist.
To ensure the safety of our young players and adhere to state regulations, all coaches and AGSL personnel who interact with the players directly must complete the following steps every year before they are eligible to take the field:
1) Annual AGSL Registration
To be completed every calendar year. Register as an AGSL volunteer in SportsEngine. We will provide volunteers with the registration link.
2) Annual CORI review
Coaches will need to complete the CORI Form and provide a copy of the front of their driver’s license. If you have been CORI’d by another group in town, you still need to be CORI’d by AGSL. If you completed a CORI form for AGSL last year, you will still need to complete one this year.
The completed form and driver’s license copy should be given to your age group coordinator or the in-town coordinator, e-mailed to cori@andoversoftball.org, or mailed to:
AGSL
P.O. Box 344
Andover, MA 01810
3) Annual USA Softball Background Check
Coaches will need to complete an annual background check with USA Softball once a year. The background check is valid between September 1 and August 31.
To begin the process, go to the following link: https://www.registerusasoftball.com/Account/Login.aspx
Returning coaches: Log in with your username and password. New coaches: Create an account.
Once logged in, go to Background Check Purchase. Complete the registration process and background check application and pay any fees (you will be reimbursed). (PLEASE NOTE: AGSL is strongly encouraging coaches to complete the ACE Certification in addition to the mandatory USA Softball Background Check and SafeSport Certification. To include the ACE Certification as part of a package, purchase the ACE w/Background and then follow the instructions. the background check and SafeSport will be included as part of the ACE process. )
Once you have completed the background check, you will receive a Volunteer Background Check Passed card from USA Softball. Please keep this card with you for all AGSL events.
After you have completed the USA Softball registration and the Background Check, please send the In-Town Coordinator your USA Softball Membership # so we can record it on our master list.
4) SafeSport Certification
A full course or refresher must be completed once a year. Please complete the SafeSport requirements per the USA Softball site. There is a SafeSport tab at the bottom of their home page after you’ve logged in. First-time users will need to create an account and start the certification. Returning users can enter previous login information and take a refresher.
In order to be compliant with the SafeSport requirement for the 2023-2024 season, only one course must have a completion date after 8/25/2023.
SafeSport Certification is free. If you are asked to pay, please contact us and we will assist.
Note: If you’ve done SafeSport for another league, please make sure you have linked your account with USA Softball so they have the previous records
When you have completed the SafeSport certification, please let the In-Town Coordinator know.
5) ACE Education
Once you have completed the USA Softball background check and SafeSport Certification, you can start ACE Education by logging in at RegisterUSASoftball.com. A tab on the bottom of the page will say ACE Education.
AGSL is strongly encouraging coaches to complete the ACE Education to gain a better understanding of the fundamentals of coaching. (You will be reimbursed for the cost of the training.) Instructions on accessing the ACE curriculum can be found here: https://registerusasoftball.com/Content/Files/How-To-Take-An-ACE-Education-Test.pdf
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact AGSL Training and Development Coordinator Michelle Collins at info@andoversoftball.org.
Thanks again for your willingness to commit your time and energy. AGSL would not exist without our hard-working coaches!