Everyone deserves a great coach
Triathlon Canada’s National Coaching Certification Program
We’re investing in the future of one of our most valuable resources: community and competition coaches.
No matter where a triathlete’s start line is, a great coach is instrumental in creating a healthy, safe, and supportive environment. Coaches help athletes reach their potential and we are supporting coaches to do the same. Triathlon Canada, the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP), and the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) have partnered to deliver training and certification to the highest standards in our sport. Training and certification help you become a better coach as well as build your club or business.
Join the program and help build the future of our sport.
National Coaching Portal
The Triathlon Canada coaching portal is our training and education hub for registered coaches. Most importantly, the portal provides access to all the Safe Sport training required to become a Licensed Coach. This process shows your commitment to the Safe Sport movement, which is a fundamental part of protecting the integrity and reputation of all coaches in the Canadian sport system. Licensed coaches are included on the public National Triathlon Coach Registry. Some additional features of the National Coaching Portal include:
- A personalized transcript to track your training progress
- A learning management system (LMS) for online training
- Access to Enhanced Police Information Checks as needed, free of charge
- Access to Respect in Sport training as needed, free of charge
- General liability insurance coverage through Jones Brown
- Access to expanded business coaching insurance at competitive rates
- Programmed reminders on training renewals
- Access to coaching tools such as practice plan templates
- Direct contact with your support team
There is an annual coaching license fee of $75.00 collected at registration. This fee will be used to continue to provide a high-quality education system for Triathlon Coaches in Canada.
Already a Registered Triathlon Canada Coach? Click Here
Find out more about Triathlon Canada’s National Coaching Certification Program here:
Safe Sport for Coaches - A New Era of Coaching
“Safe Sport” as a movement is gaining prominence and traction in both Canada and across the world. More than ever, participants and consumers of sport are demanding that sporting environments are safe, inclusive, and conducive to a quality sporting experience. Coaches are the architects of these environments and experiences, and they hold the highest responsibility in the delivery of Safe Sport practices.
Beyond developing skills and optimizing performance, coaches are responsible for creating a safe and positive environment that supports the social, emotional, and cognitive development of every athlete. These are complex challenges in rapidly changing times, and it is important to be informed!
Triathlon Canada’s Information on Safe Sport
Safe Sport for Coaching
Risk Management for Remote Coaches
National Triathlon Coach Registry
The National Triathlon Coach Registry is a list of nationally endorsed coaches who have met the licensing requirements outlined below. Inclusion on this list lets the public know that a coach has met our Safe Sport standards and values/upholds the philosophies of the Safe Sport Movement.
As a coach moves through the NCCP, their level of training will also update and show in the registry. This will allow athletes and parents to find local coaches that match their training and performance goals. Coaches are also able to customize their registry profile with some basic information about themselves (email, years with the sport, home city, etc.).
Understanding the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP)
NCCP coaches are described as follows:
- In Training – when they have completed some of the required training for a context
- Trained – when they have completed all required training for a context
- Certified – when they have successfully completed all evaluation requirements for a context
The 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 and be considered “trained“.
To become “certified” in a coaching context, coaches must be 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.
Coaching Pathway & Long Term Athlete Development Model (LTAD)
Key Context Resources and References
Click here for the Triathlon Canada NCCP Coach Pathway Infographic.
Click here for Triathlon Canada’s LTAD model.
Coaching in any of the coaching streams is influenced by the Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model which supports the development of athletic skill through the right stages at the right time.
Coaching Contexts & Training
Registered & Licensed Coach
Registering and licensing as a Triathlon Canada coach is the official starting point for coaching membership and education. All coaches must be licensed before they begin their training.
The first step is registering as a Triathlon Canada Coach and creating an NCCP number. If you already have an NCCP number, you can simply link your existing number with your triathlon account as part of the registration process. Licensing requires steps 2-4 outlined below, all of which can be done through the Triathlon Canada Coaching Portal free of charge.
Steps to Registration & Licensing
Step 1: Create a Triathlon Canada Coaching Account and obtain (or link) an NCCP number
Status: Triathlon Canada Registered Coach
Step 2: Complete an Enhanced Police Information Check (E-PIC)
Step 3: Complete 3 training modules
– CAC Safe Sport e-learning
– NCCP Making Ethical Decisions (MED) online workshop
– NCCP Making Head Way in Sport e-learning (concussion awareness)
Step 4: Complete Intro to Triathlon Rules e-learning
Status: Triathlon Canada Licensed Coach
Community Coach - Youth & Adult
The Community Coach is focused on supporting community athletes both by introducing them to the sport and with long-term engagement throughout the community sport pathway. These athletes can be all ages, novices to the sport, or experienced athletes with a passion for competition. Community coaches teach fundamental triathlon skills, provide a road map for safe participation, and introduce athletes to events and competition – skill, technique, and fun! This context is designed for coaches of athletes moving from the FUNdamentals to Learn-to-Train, Train-to-Train, and Active-for-Life stages of the long term athlete development model (LTAD).
Our youth coaching pathway is under review to better align it with our Community and Competition pathways. Youth coaches have the added challenge of supporting young athletes at a time where many are making the decision to pursue either community or high performance sport. The revisions to the pathway allow training to better transfer between contexts to support coaches in continuing their training to expand into adult community coaching or onto the competition pathway.
Steps to Certification in Community Coaching:
Step 1: Complete Triathlon Canada Coach Licensing
Status: Triathlon Canada Licensed Coach
Step 2: Complete the Triathlon Canada NCCP Community Coaching Workshop
– Triathlon Canada NCCP Youth Community Coaching Workshop, and/or
– Triathlon Canada NCCP Adult Community Coaching Workshop
Status: Community Coach In Training (Youth or Adult)
Step 3: Take 5 CAC Modules
– NCCP Teaching and Learning
– NCCP Sport Nutrition
– NCCP Basic Mental Skills
– NCCP Planning a Practice
– NCCP Design a Basic Sport Program
Status: Community Coach Trained (Youth or Adult)
Step 4: Submit Portfolio and be observed by a Community Coach Evaluator
Status: Certified Community Coach (Youth or Adult)
Competition Coach
A Competition Coach is focused on athletes who are on or are interested in moving onto the high performance pathway. Their priority is refining skills and technique, physical training, sport psychology and all aspects of the daily training environment to develop strong practices and competition skills. This context is designed for coaches of athletes in the Train-to-Train, Train-to-Compete and Train-to-Win stages of the long term athlete development (LTAD) model.
Those interested in applying to the Competition pathway should be working with the athlete group identified above and must be supported in their application by their Provincial Sport Organization. Coaching is not a linear pathway, so there is no requirement to first complete training as a Community Coach. However, the training is aligned in that the CAC Multisport modules required on the Community pathway are also recognized and credited on the Competition pathway.
Steps to Certification in Competition Coaching:
Step 1: Complete Triathlon Canada Coach Licensing
Status: Licensed Coach
Step 2: Apply to the Competition Pathway through PSO/NSO & begin mentorship
Status: Competition Coach In Training
Step 3: Complete ONE NCCP Sport-Specific Training course
– Swimming Canada – Swimming 101, or
– Cycling Canada – Skills & Tactics (Road), or
– Athletics Canada – Club Coach (Endurance)
Step 4: Complete 8 Multi-sport modules
– NCCP Plan a Practice
– NCCP Design a Basic Sports Program
– NCCP Coaching and Leading Effectively
– NCCP Developing Athletic Abilities
– NCCP Prevention and Recovery
– NCCP Psychology of Performance
– NCCP Managing Conflict
– NCCP Leading Drug-free Sport
Status: Competition Coach Trained
Step 5: Register to Competition Coach Certification / Complete 3 NCCP Multisport Evaluations
– NCCP Making Ethical Decisions Online Evaluation
– NCCP Managing Conflict Online Evaluation
– NCCP Leading Drug-Free Sport Online Evaluation
Step 6: Complete portfolio
Step 7: Complete observation and evaluation by Competition Coach Evaluator
Status: Certified Competition Coach
High Performance Coach
The High Performance Coach is focused on working with National- or Provincial-level athletes who are on the podium pathway. This context is for coaches of athletes in the Train-to-Compete and Compete-to-Win stages of the long term athlete development (LTAD) model. Their priority is consistent and repeatable mastery of technical skills and development of comprehensive support systems for athletes in their daily training environment. They also specialize in supporting athletes to high level competitions (World Triathlon Cup, World Triathlon/Para Triathlon Championship Series, World Triathlon/Para Championships) as well as major games such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Steps to Certification in High Performance Coaching:
Step 1: Complete Triathlon Canada Coach Licensing
Status: Licensed Coach
Step 2: Complete Triathlon Canada Competition Coach Certification
Status: Certified Competition Coach
Step 3: Complete the Advanced Coaching Diploma (ACD)
Step 4: Complete Competition-Development Advanced Gradation (CDAG) Evaluation
Status: Certified Competition-Development Advanced Gradation Coach
Already a Triathlon Coach?
Triathlon Canada Grandfather Program
All prior NCCP training and certifications will be recognized and credited in the new pathway. In order to transfer training and certification, coaches have conditionally approved options for entry into the new pathways as shown in the table below.
Coaches who achieved Comp Intro ‘Trained’ status in the old system have become ‘Trained’ Community coaches; if they were Comp Intro Certified they automatically became Community Certified. Only Comp Intro coaches who continued their training with high performance athletes will have the option of registering for certification in the Competition pathway.
Download the Triathlon Canada Grandfather Program infographic here.
Maintenance of Certification & ProD
Triathlon Canada and the Coaching Association of Canada recognize the value of having certified NCCP coaches that are engaged in Professional Development programs which reinforce best practice and the values of lifelong learning and sharing among the coaching community. Professional Development activities and points are tracked through the CAC Locker. As part of your ongoing commitment to coaching, all certified coaches will be required to maintain their certification by accumulating professional development (Pro-D) points over a set time frame. Pro-D points are provided for all recognized training.
Community Coach (Youth or Adult) – 10 points over 5 years
Competition Coach – 30 points over 5 years
High Performance Coach – 30 points over 5 years
Click here for more information on maintenance of certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click here for our current Information and FAQ document.
Click here for Portal FAQ document
Everyone
deserves a safe and healthy environment
to train and compete in.
Every coach
needs the knowledge, skills, and tools
to create that environment.
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