Pillars of Coaching
Online Course: March 25 – May 5 | Two in-person weekends: April 12-14 and April 26-28
Apply TodayKansas State Youth Soccer Association + Baker University = A Winning Combination
Baker University, in partnership with the Kansas State Youth Soccer Association, is offering a six-week hybrid course for aspiring coaches to earn a U.S. Soccer Federation D License.
You can earn 3 credits toward a Baker bachelor’s degree to take your education and career path even further.
The Pillars of Coaching course is an innovative approach to holistic coaching. This course is a combination of learning technical coaching skills toward licensure through USSF and the study of coaching and leadership philosophies from a personal perspective.
You can complete the online coursework when and where it’s most convenient. And two in-person weekend sessions in Kansas City give you the opportunity to put what you’ve learned into practice.
Why Pillars of Coaching?
This course offers twice as much content as the USSF D course and takes less time to complete. You’ll have a higher earning potential and be on the optional pathway to the USSF C licensure program.
Course Format
- 3 credit hours
- 120 hours of instruction split between Baker University and U.S. Soccer instructors
- Weekly U.S. Soccer activities
- Weekly Baker assignments, including discussion and case study forums
- Activities include synchronous (Zoom meetings at set times) and asynchronous components (completed on your schedule)
- Two in-person weekends at Compass Minerals National Performance Center in Kansas City
Course Highlights
You’ll learn best practices in coaching from a certified USSF educator. You’ll also complete one section of your capstone portfolio every week so you can develop your personal coaching style.
Case study topics:
- Establishing and implementing a coaching philosophy
- Winning versus player development
- Importance of athlete equity
- Age and competition
Prerequisites
Candidates for the Pillars of Coaching course must have completed a minimum of three grassroots courses through U.S. Soccer:
- Two in-person courses (4v4, 7v7, 9v9, or 11v11)
- One online course across any of the four levels (4v4, 7v7, 9v9, or 11v11)
Coaching candidates who have earned the E or F License will have the following opportunities to use those certifications toward the D License prerequisites:
- U.S. Soccer E License + Introduction to Grassroots Coaching Module
- U.S. Soccer F License + Introduction to Grassroots Coaching Module + two in-person courses (4v4, 7v7, 9v9, or 11v11)
Don’t meet the requirements? We have you covered. You can complete the grassroots prerequisites through Kansas State Youth Soccer Association to prepare you for Baker’s Pillars of Coaching course. Click on the list of courses below.
Grassroots Courses
Meet Your Instructor
Ian Barker is a national instructor for United Soccer Coaches, U.S. Soccer, and US Youth Soccer. He brings the following coaching and education experience:
- 20 years as a coaching educator
- 20 years as a coach at the collegiate level
- 13 years as a technical advisor to US Youth Soccer
Barker served as the men’s soccer coach at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. He also has collegiate coaching experience at the University of Wisconsin, where he served as an assistant coach. In an eight-year span with the Badgers, Coach Barker joined the squad in four NCAA tournament appearances, winning both a Big Ten and an NCAA National Championship.
Coach Barker also served as the director of coaching and player development for the Minnesota Youth Soccer Association (MYSA). As a state association, the MYSA represented over 140 clubs and 75,000 members. He is a coach educator developer with U.S. Soccer and a technical advisor for the USYS Olympic Development Program.
Coach Barker’s formal coaching qualifications come from United Soccer Coaches, U.S. Soccer, US Youth Soccer, the English FA, the Scottish FA, and the German DFB. He is also an adjunct instructor at the University of Delaware, the University of Missouri at Kansas City, and the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Cost
The total investment for the Pillars of Coaching course is $1,390. This includes 3 credit hours at $420 per credit hour and a $130 Baker 360 materials fee.
Members of Kansas State Youth Soccer Association, Missouri Youth Soccer Association, and Nebraska State Soccer are eligible for a 20% discount, bringing the cost to $1,138 .
Other tuition discounts partners are eligible for a discount, ranging from 10% to 15%.
Apply Now