All coaches must meet the requirements established by Milwaukee Kickers and any applicable governing organizations before participating as a coach.

At a minimum, coaches must:

• Complete the proper coaching courses for your age group (minimum Grassroots Course or Y1).
• Complete all required background screenings.
• Complete required SafeSport training.
• Complete required Risk Management training.
• Follow all Milwaukee Kickers policies and procedures.
• Maintain current certifications and training throughout the season.
• Follow all applicable league, tournament, U.S. Soccer, and governing-body requirements.

Coaches who have not completed required requirements or training may not be permitted to participate in team activities until their requirements are satisfied.

SafeSport and Risk Management training is a fundamental component of our commitment to player safety.

Coaches must complete all SafeSport and Risk Management requirements applicable to their role and maintain current training as required.

Coaches are expected to complete the coaching education required for their position and age group.

Depending on the program, this may include:

• U.S. Soccer coaching courses
• Grassroots coaching education
• Age-specific coaching education
• Regional coach meetings or training sessions
• Additional education required by a league or governing organization

Coaches are encouraged to continue developing their coaching knowledge beyond the minimum requirements.  Below are courses provided in Wisconsin.

Grassroots Courses:  https://www.wiyouthsoccer.com/grassroots-courses/

Y Courses:  https://www.wiyouthsoccer.com/y-courses/

D Courses:  https://www.wiyouthsoccer.com/d-courses/

C Courses:  https://www.wiyouthsoccer.com/c-courses/

Female Coaching Education:  https://www.wiyouthsoccer.com/female-coaching-education/

Being a Milwaukee Kickers coach means more than running practices and games. Coaches are representatives of the club and are expected to create an environment where players can learn, compete, develop, and enjoy the game.

Coaches are expected to:

Put players first.
Make decisions based on the development, safety, and overall experience of the players.

Be positive and encouraging.
Use coaching methods that build confidence and help players learn from mistakes.

Treat everyone with respect.
Players, parents, referees, opposing teams, volunteers, and fellow coaches should all be treated professionally and respectfully.

Be prepared and dependable.
Arrive on time, be prepared for practices and games, and communicate promptly when circumstances prevent you from fulfilling your responsibilities.

Create an inclusive environment.
Every player should feel welcome, valued, and supported regardless of ability or background.

Model good sportsmanship.
Coaches set the tone for their teams. Celebrate effort and improvement, respect opponents, and demonstrate appropriate behavior toward officials.

Follow club policies.
Coaches are responsible for knowing and following Milwaukee Kickers policies, procedures, and applicable league rules.

Coaches hold a position of trust and responsibility. Maintaining appropriate boundaries with players is essential.

Coaches must:

• Maintain appropriate coach-player boundaries.
• Follow SafeSport standards regarding one-on-one interactions and communication.
• Use appropriate language and physical contact.
• Never engage in abusive, threatening, humiliating, or degrading behavior.
• Never use physical punishment as a coaching method.
• Never discriminate against or harass a player.
• Follow applicable rules regarding communication with minor athletes.
• Follow club requirements regarding transportation, locker rooms, team travel, and other team activities.
• Report suspected abuse, misconduct, or other serious concerns through the appropriate channels.

When in doubt, coaches should choose the approach that provides the greatest level of safety and professionalism for the player.

Coaches are expected to represent Milwaukee Kickers positively at practices, games, tournaments, and other events.

Coaches must:

• Respect referees and their decisions.
• Never threaten, intimidate, or verbally abuse an official.
• Avoid arguing with opposing coaches, players, or spectators.
• Keep communication with players constructive and appropriate.
• Encourage players rather than criticize or embarrass them.
• Demonstrate good sportsmanship regardless of the score or outcome.
• Follow league and tournament rules regarding sideline behavior.

Disagreements or concerns should be addressed through the appropriate club or league process rather than through confrontation during a game.

Clear and professional communication is an important part of coaching.

Coaches should:

• Communicate important information in a timely manner.
• Provide families with appropriate notice of schedule changes.
• Use club-approved communication platforms and methods when applicable.
• Maintain professional communication with players and parents.
• Avoid inappropriate or unnecessary private communication with minor players.
• Direct significant concerns involving a player or family to the appropriate Regional Director.

Coaches should remember that communications representing Milwaukee Kickers are a reflection of the club.

Coaches have a responsibility to speak up when they see something that may compromise the safety or well-being of a player or the integrity of the program.

Concerns may include:

• Suspected abuse or misconduct
• Unsafe behavior
• Inappropriate coach or player conduct
• Bullying or harassment
• Discrimination
• Serious parent or spectator behavior
• Repeated violations of club expectations
• Field, facility, or equipment safety concerns
• Any situation that may place a player at risk

Coaches should report concerns to their Regional Director or the appropriate Milwaukee Kickers leadership contact.

If a situation involves immediate danger or an emergency, contact emergency services first.

Milwaukee Kickers expects all coaches to meet these requirements and uphold these standards.

Failure to complete required training, follow club policies, or meet coach expectations may result in additional training, corrective action, suspension, or removal from coaching responsibilities.

Depending on the nature and severity of an incident, Milwaukee Kickers may take immediate action while an issue is reviewed.

Our goal is not simply to enforce rules. Our goal is to ensure that every coach understands the responsibility that comes with working with young athletes and that every player has a positive and safe experience with Milwaukee Kickers.

The Milwaukee Kickers must be informed of all game cancellations. You will be responsible for paying referees if teams do not show up and the Milwaukee Kickers were not contacted 48 hours prior to the scheduled game.

Games may not be moved to a different location without approval from Jaclyn Theune, Rental and Scheduling Coordinator at the Milwaukee Kickers office. The assigned home teams are responsible for the communication and arrangements on cancelled and rescheduled games.

All reschedule game requests must be made at least five days prior to the potential new game date. For example, to reschedule a game on a Saturday, it must be approved by Monday of that week; Sunday, Tuesday of that week, and so on.

To reschedule a game:

Step 1 – Talk to your opponent and agree upon two or three dates and times that work for both teams.

Step 2 – Please email your request to Jaclyn Theune, the Milwaukee Kickers’ field scheduler. Please include all of the original game information (date, time, field, league and opponent) and the suggested new game information in order of preference when contacting any of the people above. JaclynT@mksc.org                        

Step 3 – Jaclyn will review the reschedule options and notify you if the reschedule is approved or not.

Step 4 - Once the game is approved, the Milwaukee Kickers will update the schedule and take care of all appropriate referee assignments.

NOTE: If your team participates in the State League or the SECL, you must receive approval from Patrick Hodgins before cancelling a game and making reschedule arrangements. Jaclyn Theune can make field arrangements for the rescheduled game, but the schedules will not be updated with new game details until the State Office has approved the change. If a game is cancelled due to weather/field conditions, approval from Patrick is not necessary.

This policy is ONLY for teams participating in MKSC Recreational League.

Milwaukee Kickers Soccer Club works with its ref assigners to do its best to ensure a referee is assigned to every recreational game.  We understand with the ongoing referee shortage that there are some games that go uncovered.

What happens if there is no referee for a game?

1. Head Coaches should meet before the match to confirm no referee is present.
2. See if there is a mutual option that both coaches can agree upon.
3. If no mutual option is agreed upon, it is the HOME team's responsibility to fill the referee.
4. Use a pre-designated coach or parent if possible.
5. If no pre-designated coach or parent is available, find a volunteer to referee the game (i.e. parent, spectator, older player, etc.)

WYSA has created the Zero Tolerance Policy in an effort to decrease the abuse of referees. The purpose of this policy is to make clear that verbal abuse or negative criticism of referees is as unacceptable as verbal abuse or negative criticism of players.

This policy adopts basic standard sanctions for improper conduct. This policy is not intended to imply that referees are always “right” and the spectator or coach is always “wrong”. Just as players make mistakes during play and coaches may err in strategy or methodology, referees will make mistakes in officiating, particularly in the younger divisions where they are learning how to referee. Due to a persistent shortage of referees, a referee may be officiating at a higher level game than they are comfortable with. They must receive positive support from coaches and spectators to continue to grow as an official.

A coach or spectator may only communicate in a positive way with a referee. The coach is responsible for ensuring all spectators associated with his/her team follow these guidelines relating to communication with a referee; especially a referee. A coach/spectator may not express any disagreement or dissatisfaction with the officiating to the youth referee. A coach/spectator may not, before, during, or after a game, discuss with a referee their critique of the referee’s performance, other than to thank and compliment the referee.

If a coach, player or fan is harassing a referee, the referee has the right to take the following measures to cease harassment:

1. Go to the offending team's coach and ask them to control themselves or their personnel.
2. If the problem persists after the above measure is taken, the referee may go back to the coach and ask the offending party to remove themselves from the game.
3. If the problem persists after the above measures are taken, the referee may stop the game and the outcome of the game will be determined by the competition authority.

Please note, coaches, players and /or parents/spectators are highly discouraged from approaching or confronting referees at halftime or after the match for any reason other than retrieving player pass cards or saying ‘thank you’ and/or shaking hands.

Any concerns or feedback regarding referees must be submitted in writing to the Administrator of that Competition. Concerns related to referee performance or behavior will only be accepted from a Club Official (i.e. board member), Director of Coaching or the team’s coach. The claim must provide details specific to the complaint and cite examples where referee performance or behavior was inadequate or improper. The Competition Administrator will engage the appropriate parties in investigating and taking disciplinary action. (In cases of egregious referee abuse (e.g., physical confrontation), information will immediately be forwarded to the WYSA Executive Director for investigation and discipline decisions.)

The referee fees can be found below.  For the recreational league, the HOME team is responsible in paying the entirety of the fees.  Referee fees are often distributed to teams 2-3 weeks before the first game.

Competitive Teams (Youth Academy & Select):  Responsible for half the amount at each game

Recreational:  Responsible for the full amount at home games only.

View the MKSC U6 Recreational Curriculum Here.

View the MKSC U7 Recreational Curriculum Here.

View the MKSC U8 Recreational Curriculum Here.

View the MKSC U9 & U10 Recreational Curriculum Here.