A strong nomination includes:

• Detailed responses to 3 essay questions including specific examples and in-depth descriptions

• Plenty of detail- keep in mind we only know about your coach from what you share

• As many references as possible- only 3 are required, however, the more input we have the better

A variety of references for a full picture of the coach: players, parents, fellow coaches, administrators

• Frequent checks after submitting to ensure your references have submitted

• Ensuring your nomination is fully submitted and has the required references by the deadline

 


Program Rules


Criteria

Nominees are assessed on the extent to which they reflect the model of a Double-Goal Coach, whose first goal is winning, and whose second, more-important goal is teaching life lessons through sports. A Double-Goal Coach behaves as follows:

• Takes a mastery approach to sport rather than a scoreboard orientation, teaching athletes to put forward maximum effort, continuously learn and improve, and not let themselves be stopped by mistakes or fear of mistakes.

• Fills Emotional Tanks of athletes, refusing to motivate through fear, intimidation, or shame. Recognizing that a player’s “Emotional Tank,” like the gas tank of a car, must be full in order to go anywhere, the Double-Goal Coach provides a fuel mixed of five specific, truthful praises for every specific, constructive correction.

• Honors the Game by respecting ROOTS (Rules, Opponents, Officials, Teammates, Self).

Nomination Period

We are reviewing the timeline for the 2024 nomination period and will update this page as we know more. Keep an eye out over the summer of 2023.


Who is Eligible

Any youth or high school sports coach in the U.S. with at least three years experience is eligible for PCA’s Double-Goal Coach® Award. PCA staff and Certified PCA Trainers are not eligible for consideration. A coach may not nominate him/her self.

A coach can be named a Regional Winner (formerly National Finalist) multiple times. If a coach has been honored as a National Winner, he or she will not be eligible for consideration in future years. Please contact PCA if you are not sure if the coach you wish to nominate has been named a National Winner.

In the event an award winner acts in a manner inconsistent with the principles of PCA or in a manner that would reflect poorly on PCA, PCA reserves the right to rescind this Award.

To view PCA's full Safeguarding Policy, click here.

Completing a Nomination

A nomination is complete when the online nomination form has been completed fully with responses to 4 short essay questions and submitted, including the email addresses for a minimum of THREE references and a maximum of TWENTY references. Our online system will send a link to the emails you enter to provide a reference electronically which will attach to your nomination. We do not accept any references submitted to us via email. Please keep in mind that the more references you have, the more we know about your coach.

You should only complete one nomination for a coach and ask all those who want to support your nomination to provide a reference by adding their email address to your nomination. Do not ask references to access the nomination platform to start a reference - they will receive an email after you fill out your nomination to provide their reference.

 

Watch inspiring tribute videos of some of our past Coach award winners below

Grand Prize Winner, Charlean CrowellLower Russell County Youth Club, Basketball, Alabama

Meghan McDonald, Team Rock, Competitive Rock Climbing, New York

Omar Cervantes, Alameda County Deputy Sheriffs' Activities League / Sheriffs Fútbol Club, Soccer, California



Whitney Pogue Corner Canyon High School, Mountain Biking/Cycling, Utah

Jorge Chen, Menlo School, Cross Country, Track & Field, California