(a) (1) Effective December 31, 2008, each high school sports coach shall have completed a coaching education program developed by his or her school district or the California Interscholastic Federation that meets the guidelines set forth in Section 35179.1.

(2) The coaching education program described by paragraph (1) may be taught by an athletic director or high school sports coach who is deemed to be qualified by the California Interscholastic Federation.

(b) Upon completion of the program, a high school sports coach shall be deemed to have completed the education requirement for the remainder of his or her time coaching at the high school level in any school district in the state.

(c) Each high school sports coach shall be responsible for the costs of taking the course.

(d) The training requirements of this section shall count toward the continuing education required for the renewal of the teaching credential of a coach who is also a certificated employee.

(e) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a high school sports coach who does not meet the requirements of subdivision (a) may be used for no longer than one season of interscholastic competition.

(f) For the purposes of this section, “high school sports coach” means an employee or a volunteer who is authorized by a high school to be responsible for leading a school sports team of pupil athletes.

(Added by Stats. 2005, Ch. 673, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2006.)