Coaching: National Coaching Certification Program
Instruction Stream Programs | Competitive Stream Programs
National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP)
Launched in 1970, the NCCP is a partnership between the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, and more than 60 national sport organizations and their provincial and territorial sport associations. As Canada’s recognized training and certification program, the NCCP serves a wide range of coaches – from those who introduce beginners to sport to those working with high performance athletes.
In response to an extensive evaluation, the program has been going through a major re-development since the late 1990s. Key to these changes is a shift in emphasis from “what a coach knows” to “what a coach can do.” In the new, competency-based system, training and certification programs are based on the clearly defined needs of participants. This new structure addresses the full range of sports in Canada at various levels of skill and in a variety of settings.
Registration for NCCP Courses
- All persons registering in NCCP courses are associate members or coaching members of Skate Canada.
- Any member of Skate Canada may audit a NCCP course provided availability but will not receive credit for the course.
- Skate Canada coaches may enroll in the NCCP Intermediate STARSkate Provincial Coach (ISPC) program upon successful completion of the NCCP Instruction-Beginner CanSkate (Phase 1) and NCCP Instruction-Intermediate Primary STARSkate training. (Phases 2 and 3)
- Skate Canada coaches may register in a NCCP Level 3 technical course upon successful completion of the NCCP ISPC technical training (Sport Science, Stroking & Skating Skills, Singles, Dance and Pairs & Synchronized Skating).
- Any Skate Canada NCCP Level 2/ISPC certified coach may register in a NCCP Level 3 technical course in the discipline of their choice (i.e. a Level 2/ISPC singles certified coach can take a Level 3 dance course).
- Any Skate Canada NCCP Level 2/ISPC certified coach who has completed the NCCP Level 3 technical and NCCP Level 3 theory courses may register in a NCCP Level 4/5 course.
- All coaches who register for a NCCP Level 4 task will be required to register into the NCCP Level 4/5 program and pay a one time administrative fee of $50.00.
Coaches must meet the minimum criteria (pre-requisites) before acceptance and participation in a NCCP course. Please refer to the NCCP training and certification requirements below for any specific training prerequisites.
The New NCCP Model
The new NCCP model is made up of three streams and a total of eight contexts, each with its own coaching requirements. Each sport is responsible for identifying how many of the eight contexts are relevant to their sport. Skate Canada has identified two coaching streams: instructional and competitive and three coaching contexts within each stream, as shown in the table below. To find out more about the coach training programs, click on the coaching context of interest in the model.
Instruction Stream
Coaches in the Instruction stream must have sport-specific skills and training, whether coaching at the beginner or advanced skill levels. All are former participants in the sport.
Instruction – Beginner: teaching participants of all ages, basic learn-to-skate skills in a fun and safe environment (CanSkate, CanPowerSkate). more »
Instruction – Intermediate: teaching participants who already have some experience and proficiency in the sport to refine basic skills and introduced to more complex techniques in figure skating and preparing athletes for interclub and invitational competitions (STARSkate Preliminary - Junior Silver level). more »
Instruction – Advanced: teaching participants who are experienced and proficient to refine advanced skills and techniques and prepare athletes for invitational and interclub competitions up to the National STARSkate Championship level (STARSkate Senior Silver - Gold level). more »
Competition Stream
Coaches in the Competition stream usually have previous coaching experience or are former athletes in the sport. They tend to work with athletes over the long term to improve performance, often in preparation for provincial, national, and international competitions.
Competition – Introduction: athletes are taught figure skating skills and are prepared for competitions at the sectional/provincial level (Juvenile Competitive level). more »
Competition – Development: developing athletes are coached to refine basic skills, develop more advanced skills and tactics and are prepared for performance at qualifying and national level competitions (Pre-Novice - Senior competitive level). more »
Competition – High Performance: athletes are coached to refine advanced skills and tactics and are prepared for performance at international/world/Olympic level competitions (Elite Junior - Senior competitive level). more »
Training and Certification
A coach is described as:
- In Training – when a coach has completed some of the required training for a context;
- Trained – when a coach has completed all required training for a context;
- Certified – when a coach has completed all evaluation requirements for a context.
The new NCCP model distinguishes between training and certification. Coaches can participate in training opportunities to acquire or refine the skills and knowledge required for a particular coaching context as defined by the sport. To be certified in a coaching context, coaches are evaluated on their demonstrated ability to perform within that context in areas such as program design, practice planning, performance analysis, program management, ethical coaching, support to participants during training, and support to participants in competition.
Certified coaches enjoy the credibility of the sporting community and of the athletes they coach because they have been observed and evaluated “doing” what is required of them as a competent coach in their sport. They are recognized as meeting or exceeding the high standards embraced by more than 60 national sport organizations in Canada. Fostering confidence at all levels of sport, certification is a benefit shared by parents, athletes, sport organizations, and our communities.
To check your certification status, please visit the Coaching Association of Canada website at www.coach.ca.
Please follow the link to see the NCCP National Schedule Spring/Summer 2010.
To find out more information on getting started on the technical coaching courses contact the Skate Canada Section in your province for details of NCCP courses being offered.
For more information regarding the Introduction to Competition Multi-sport Module courses or the Level 3 theory courses, please contact the Provincial/Territorial Coaching Coordinators.
| BC | PQ | YK |
| Chantelle Reinkens Tel 604.333.3600 Fax 604.333.3450 info@coaches.bc.ca |
Pascale Gauthier Tel 514.252.3114 ext. 3610 Fax 514.254.9621 pgauthier@sportsquebec.com |
Vern Haggard Tel 867.667.5606 Fax 867.393.6416 vern.haggard@gov.yk.ca |
| AB | NB | NU |
| Susan Jackson Tel 780.422.8294 Fax 780.427.5140 susan.j.jackson@gov.ab.ca |
Chris Gosse Tel 506.444.3888 Fax 506.459.0481 chris.mulholland@gnb.ca |
Kyle Seeley Tel 867.793.3306 Fax 867.793.3321 kseeley@gov.nu.ca |
| SK | NS | NWT |
| Mark Bracken Tel 306.780.9313 Fax 306.781.6021 mbracken@sasksport.sk.ca |
Liz Pace Tel 902.424.3913 Fax 902.424.0663 pacelt@gov.ns.ca |
Rita Bertolini Tel 867.669.8333 Tel 1.800.661.0797 Fax 867.920.4047 rbertol@sprotnorth.com |
| MB | PEI | ON |
| Sheldon Reynolds Tel 204.925.5913 Fax 204.925.5916 sheldonreynolds@sport.mb.ca |
Jo-anne Wallace Tel 902.859.8861 Fax 902.959.8709 jpwallace@gov.pe.ca |
Jeremy Cross Tel 416.426.7056 Fax 416.426.7254 jeremy@coachesontario.ca |
| NF | ||
| Clayton Welsh Tel 709.832.2002 Fax 709.832.2053 claytonwelsh@gov.nl.ca |
For more information regarding the Technical courses please contact the Section Course Administrator.
| British Columbia / Yukon | Western Ontario | Nova Scotia |
Barb Stott |
Mary LaPier |
Jill Knowles |
| Alberta / NWT / Nunavut | Central Ontario | Prince Edward Island |
Allyson Wright |
Patricia Glenwright |
Mike Connolly |
| Saskatchewan | Eastern Ontario | Newfoundland / Labrador |
Dale Hazell |
Barbara Hough |
Lori Brett |
| Manitoba | Quebec | Northern Ontario |
Jacqueline Lyons |
Amélie Vigneault |
Michelle Ross |
| New Brunswick | ||
Kim MacVey |
For information on Special Olympics coaching courses, please visit www.specialolympics.ca.
