Bench Staff Requirements
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The GTHL will be following Hockey Canada and Ontario Hockey Federation (OHF) requirements* for coaches entering the 2025-26 season.
The outlined requirements will be for all coaches (house league, select, A, AA, & AAA) who wish to be rostered to a team. Previously trained coaches may have attained many of the requirements.
- Head Coaches taking a clinic for the first time will not be required to have a certified status.
- All Head Coaches who require a Development 1 – Certified status but do not have one, can be approved to a roster and considered “in-progress” if they have submitted the 3 certification steps for an in-season evaluation. For information click HERE.
- Coaches with an expiring or expired certified status are required to participate in professional development to maintain their certified status. For more information on certification maintenance click HERE.
- A Head Coach can be conditionally approved if they are enrolled in a GTHL Development 1 clinic or a Development 1 clinic within the Ontario Hockey Federation before December 31st.
- *Requirements are subject to change

Registration for clinics and to check qualifications will be done through the Hockey Canada Registry (HCR 3.0).
If you have been registered for hockey previously as a Player, Coach, Official, or Trainer you will be able to view your profile and sign up for a clinic by creating an account in the Hockey Canada Registry. If you are new to hockey you will be required to create a new account and profile.
U9 & Below Programming
HEAD COACHES – U7 and Below
- Hockey Canada Coach 1 – must complete U7 Pathway Module (4 hrs $103.68 tax incl) OR previously obtained Coach Level 1
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hr No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2 hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
HEAD COACHES – U8/U9
- Hockey Canada Coach 1 – must complete U9 Pathway Module (4 hrs $103.68 tax incl) OR previously obtained Coach Level 1
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hr No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2 hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
ASSISTANT COACHES & MANAGERS
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1hr No cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
TRAINERS
- Hockey Trainer Level 1 online (6hrs $22.60 tax incl) or Level 1 Recertification (3 hrs $8.47 tax incl)
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hr No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2 hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
U10 & Above Programming
HOUSE LEAGUE/SELECT – HEAD COACHES – U10/U11
- Hockey Canada Coach 2 -must complete U11 Pathway Module (4 hrs $115.20 tax incl) OR previously obtained Coach Level 2
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1hr No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
HOUSE LEAGUE/SELECT – HEAD COACHES – U12/U13
- Hockey Canada Coach 2 -must complete U13 Pathway Module (4 hrs $115.20 tax incl) OR previously obtained Coach Level 2
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1hr No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
HOUSE LEAGUE/SELECT – HEAD COACHES – U14-U18
- Hockey Canada Coach 2 -must complete U15/U18 Pathway Module (4 hrs $115.20 tax incl) OR previously obtained Coach Level 2
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1hr No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
HOUSE LEAGUE/SELECT – ASSISTANT COACHES & MANAGERS
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hr No cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
HOUSE LEAGUE/SELECT – TRAINERS
- Hockey Trainer Level 1 online (6 hrs $22.60 tax incl) or Level 1 Recertification (3 hrs $8.47 tax incl)
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hr No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
A, AA, AAA – HEAD COACHES – U10/11
- Pre-requisite to D1: Hockey Canada Skills – Checking (1.5 hrs $16.32 tax incl) OR previously Development 1 trained
- Pre-requisite to D1: Hockey Canada Coaching Program – Development 1 (8 hrs $28.82 tax incl)
- Development 1 Clinic (8 hrs $231.65 tax incl) OR previously Development 1 trained
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hrs No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
A, AA – HEAD COACHES – U12-U18 – including u21 AAA
- Pre-requisite to D1: Hockey Canada Skills – Checking (1.5 hrs $16.32 tax incl) OR previously Development 1 trained or Development 1 certified or in-progress to be certified
- Pre-requisite to D1: Hockey Canada Coaching Program – Development 1 (8 hrs $28.82 tax incl)
- Development 1 Clinic (8 hrs $231.65 tax incl) OR previously Development 1 trained
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hrs No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
AAA – HEAD COACHES – U12/13
- Pre-requisite to D1: Hockey Canada Skills – Checking (1.5 hrs $16.32 tax incl) OR previously Development 1 trained or Development 1 certified or in-progress to be certified
- Pre-requisite to D1: Hockey Canada Coaching Program – Development 1 (8 hrs $28.82 tax incl)
- Development 1 Clinic (8 hrs $231.65 tax incl) OR previously Development 1 trained
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hrs No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
AAA – HEAD COACHES – U14-U18
- High performance 1 Clinic- Delivered by the Ontario Hockey Federation Click HERE OR previously High Performance 1 certified
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hrs No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
A, AA, AAA – ASSISTANT COACHES
- Pre-requisite to D1: Hockey Canada Skills – Checking (1.5 hrs $16.32 tax incl) OR previously Development 1 trained
- Pre-requisite to D1: Hockey Canada Coaching Program – Development 1 (8 hrs $28.82 tax incl)
- Development 1 Clinic (8 hrs $231.65 tax incl) OR previously Development 1 trained
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hrs No cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
A, AA, AAA – MANAGERS
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hr No cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
A, AA, AAA – TRAINERS – U10-U12
- Hockey Trainer Level 1 online (6 hrs $22.60 tax incl) or Level 1 Recertification (3 hrs $8.47 tax incl)
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hr No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
A, AA, AAA – TRAINERS – U13- U18
- Pre-requisite to Trainer Level 2 – Hockey Trainer Level 1 online (6 hrs $22.60 tax incl) or Level 1 Recertification (3 hrs $8.47 tax incl)
- Trainer Level 2 – To upgrade your existing Level 1 to a Level 2, please forward a copy of your Standard or Advanced First Aid with CPR Level C or individuals that have certain types of medical or para-medical training their professional affiliation to [email protected]. Standard First Aid providers can be found HERE
- Respect in Sport – Activity Leader (2.5 hrs $33.90 tax incl)
- Gender Identity & Expression Course (1 hr No cost)
- GTHL Concussion & Maltreatment Education (2hr No Cost)
- Vulnerable Sector Screening provided to the OHF (Click here for more information)
Coach Clinic Refund Policy
On-line clinics (eg. Checking, Coach 1 and Coach 2) – are non-refundable
In-person clinics (eg. Development 1 or Instructional Stream) – Cancellation and/or withdrawals will be subject to a 15% cancellation fee of the clinic cost. Six days prior to a clinic start date, participants may reschedule for a future clinic at no charge provided that clinic is taken within 60 days from the date of the original clinic. You must be at least 16 years old to register.
Who can I contact for more information?
Development, Certification and clinic information, Private Clinics and Mentorship Information:
Vince Fera – Coordinator, Development and Community Outreach x 219
Phone: (416) 636-6845
Fax: (416) 636-2035
Brian Kyla-Lassila – Senior Manager, Membership Services x 236
Phone: (416) 636-6845
Fax: (416) 636-2035