Frequently Asked Questions

Currently, no national credentialing standard exists for skateboard coaches. As organized youth league skateboarding develops over the next one to two years, coaches working with youth athletes will be required to hold a credential to operate within the field of play. USSEA is establishing that credential now. Programs and educators who certify in this period will be positioned as the early-adopter standard for the era ahead.

Coach Certification is for the competitive pipeline: coaches working with athletes on a path toward local, regional, national, and Olympic skateboarding. It meets World Skate compliance standards. Instructor Certification is for camp staff, after-school program leaders, park and rec instructors, private lesson instructors, and skateboard school instructors. Both credentials include SafeSport, First Aid/CPR, Concussion training, and background screening.

USSEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 82-2720402). The organization is in active development of its certification framework and operating ahead of pending NGB (National Governing Body) status alignment with U.S. Olympic skateboarding pathways. Early-adopter programs participate directly in shaping the operational standard for the field.

USSEA does not currently operate a direct equipment supply program. Equipment partnerships are in development. In the interim, USSEA connects programs with vetted funding sources, equipment grant programs (Good Sports, Leveling the Playing Field, The Skatepark Project), and local skate retailers to outfit programs cost-effectively.

This is for anyone who wants to become a USSEA member, support a young skater, or learn to ride themselves. This includes parents who need guidance on teaching their child, anyone curious about becoming an instructor or coach, and adults who always wanted to skate. No experience needed.

S.K.A.T.E. Safe, How to Teach Skateboarding 1 and 2, and access to our Learn to Skate video series. You complete everything online at your own pace, and you get member discounts on USSEA resources.

It's $50 for the first year, then $25 each year after that. It renews automatically so you keep your access to courses and discounts without re-enrolling.

No. Basic has no required background check, training fees, or certifications. If you volunteer with a program that asks for a background check, you can add one, but USSEA does not require it at this level.

It's a membership, not a certification. It gives you the foundation and the shared language we use across USSEA — exactly right for parents and volunteers. If you want to teach lessons or coach competitive athletes, look at Instructor Certification or Competitive Coach Certification.

Anyone who teaches skateboarding outside the competitive track: private lessons, skate schools, camps, municipal parks and rec, and after-school programs. If you coach competitive athletes, Competitive Coach Certification is the right path instead.

Three USSEA modules form the foundation: S.K.A.T.E. Safe and How to Teach Skateboarding 1 and 2. From there you complete the Certified Skateboard Educator course. Alongside our coursework, you complete a set of standard youth-sport requirements.

The same safety standards used across youth sports: CPR, First Aid, concussion training, SafeSport abuse-prevention training, and a background check. Several of these are handled right inside SportsEngine.

Yes. CPR/First Aid, SafeSport, and the background check are provided by outside organizations and billed separately, generally under $100 combined. USSEA does not set or control those rates, so we keep them separate and tell you up front. Nothing is a surprise.

It's $300 for the first year, then $100 each year. A few requirements renew on their own schedule: CPR/First Aid and concussion training are typically annual, while a background check usually carries a multi-year window.

Instructor Certification is for teaching lessons and running classes. Competitive Coach Certification is for developing competitive athletes in the youth-to-Olympic pipeline. It builds on the instructor foundation and adds competitive coaching modules.

It's designed to align with World Skate and IOC coaching standards for the field of play, so coaches are prepared as organized competitive skateboarding continues to develop.

Along with the core educator coursework, the competitive portion includes a live assessment and training session with a USSEA evaluator. That session covers athlete development and the coaching expectations specific to competition.

The same youth-sport standards as Instructor Certification: CPR, First Aid, concussion training, SafeSport, and a background check. These are billed separately by the providers, generally under $100 combined, and we tell you about them up front.

It's $350 for the first year, then $100 each year, with the third-party requirements renewing on their own schedules.

Schools, skate schools, camps, competitive programs, and any organization that teaches skateboarding and wants its program endorsed by USSEA.

One full Instructor Certification (the Certified Skateboard Educator course), access to 5 Skateboard Basic trainings for your staff and volunteers, and a 2-hour Program Process Mapping session. You also get USSEA member support for the life of your membership.

At minimum, one certified instructor on your team, with your instructors and active volunteers trained through Skateboard Basic. For larger staffs we use a ratio of certified instructors to staff (1 per 10), so there's always certified leadership in the room.

No. Those requirements apply to the individuals who certify as instructors or coaches, not to the organization as a whole or to every volunteer. The organization's job is to make sure the people teaching are properly certified.

Once you meet the requirements, your program is recognized as USSEA-endorsed. It signals to families and your community that your program meets a national standard and that the people teaching have been properly trained and vetted.

No. The USSEA Skateboard PE curriculum is built for educators with zero prior skateboarding experience. The PE Teacher Accreditation (approximately one hour of self-paced coursework) gives any active K-12 PE teacher what they need to run the program safely and confidently.

Because PE teachers are already certified educators. Adding skateboarding to their classroom should not feel like starting a second career. Our PE Teacher Accreditation is a light, hour-long add-on: S.K.A.T.E. Safe and How to Teach Skateboarding. The intent matches the time we ask of you.

Lesson plans are mapped to SHAPE America national physical education standards and the USSEA three-pillar framework (Balance & Mobility, Character & Resilience, Skateboard Community). Standards alignment documentation is included for principal and district review.

No additional background check is required for active, credentialed K-12 PE staff. Teachers already cleared through existing district requirements meet USSEA's standard. This is one of the key differences between the PE Accreditation and our Instructor or Coach Certifications, which do require background screening.

The annual Skateboard PE School Membership ($450/year, district pricing available) includes the full USSEA Curriculum Guide, standards-aligned lesson plans, PE Teacher Accreditation for qualifying staff, program and facility endorsement, and access to funding guidance and grant resources.

Yes. Federal programs (21st Century Community Learning Centers, Title IV-A), sport equity foundations (Vans Checkerboard Fund, Tony Hawk Foundation), and local grants are all potential sources. USSEA provides a region-specific funding guide and can help you identify programs in your area. Contact us to get started.

USSEA's documentation is designed for exactly this purpose. Standards-aligned lesson plans, SHAPE America mapping, and the USSEA program endorsement provide the structure administrators need to approve the program. USSEA can also provide a letter of partnership for grant applications or district presentations. Contact us to discuss your specific situation.