A coaching authorization is required to coach in middle school, junior high school, and high school in the state of Iowa. To get authorized, successful completion of a 55-hour course is required. Kirkwood offers a variety of state-approved classes, online or face-to-face, for you to fulfill this requirement.
Enroll in the comprehensive 55-hour online class, which includes all required content for obtaining a coaching authorization.
Iowa Coaching Authorization 55-hour Course
Students can complete the 55-hour course above or complete all four courses listed below to satisfy the course requirements for coaching authorization in the State of Iowa.
Ethics and Theory of Coaching
Human Body Function for Coaching
Human Growth and Development for Coaching
Prevention and Care for Coaching
Applicants must submit transcripts to the state and pass a background check with fingerprinting before earning certification.
Fingerprinting is offered during the coaching seminar, otherwise, please contact your local law enforcement agency to find out if and when they offer fingerprinting services to the public.
Applicants under 20 years old will also need to upload a copy of their high school diploma as a required transcript into the online application.
Coursework completed in the past may be used to satisfy all (or parts of) the Coaching Authorization requirements. If you'd like further assistance with your transcript or if you'd like to have a member of the BOEE review your coursework, please ask for assistance.
Within five years of obtaining your coaching authorization, you need to participate in five renewal activities. These renewal activities must be sponsored or offered by:
Classes, clinics, and rules meetings all qualify as renewal activities. Kirkwood Coaching Recertification classes are offered online for your convenience:
Ray is an experienced educator/coach who has served student-athletes, coaches and families at the K-12, D-I and D-III levels for more than 35 years. He's been teaching Coaching Authorization classes at Kirkwood since 2006.
He has a Master’s Degree in Kinesiotherapy, is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and is certified as a 3Dimensional Coaching Presenter. He currently coaches high school baseball at Mt. Vernon and high school football at Marion Independent Schools.
In his free time he does personal training with retired clients, consults student-athletes through College Prospects Of America and loves to travel the world.
If you have a current Iowa teaching license, you can choose to add a coaching endorsement to your license by taking courses for college credit. Kirkwood offers credit courses that will satisfy the requirements for the coaching endorsement.
Please contact instructor Josh Troutman (josh.troutman@kirkwood.edu) for more information on these courses.
Unsure when your Coaching Authorization expires? Use the license checker and search for your license to verify the exipiration date.
Continuing Education
6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404
319-398-1022
contactce@kirkwood.edu