May 17, 2006 – Through the Quest for Gold program the Ontario Cycling Association is able to offer new opportunites to enhance coaching in Ontario.

If you are an NCCP Level 3 Fully Certified Coach the Ontario Cycling Association would like to help subisidize the cost of the Level 4 Course.

The Ontario Cycling Association is offering two bursaries worth $750 to two qualified coaches.

Please submit a coaching resume (including NCCP number) and letter of intent to the Manager, High Performance Programs no later than 2pm on Thursday May 25, 2006.

Criteria for Selection:
Must be an OCA member
Must be fully certified NCCP Level 3

NOTE: COACHES WHO APPLY MUST BE FULLY CERTIFIED AND NOT IN THE PROCESS OF BEING CERTIFIED

The NCI is part of the Canadian Sport Centre Ontario. Their job is to deliver NCCP level 4 and level 5 courses to coaches in Ontario.

They offer a two year, part time Diploma in High Performance Coaching. The program is offered over four terms and takes two years. The four terms are from September to December and from January to April each year. The classes are held on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 9pm and one “weekend” a month. They define a weekend as Friday evening from 6 to 9pm and Saturday from 9am to 4pm.

The Diploma program includes the completion of the required theory courses for NCCP level 4 certification as well as other courses such as communication, philosophy and values, choice theory, power and ethics etc. Coaches must be fully certified at NCCP Level 3.

In the Diploma program, they recognize that coaches do not lead “normal” lives. They travel with athletes and teams to competitions and training camps and are involved with any number of “events” that transpire to make commiting to such a program difficult. But, they are also coaches and the NCI understands this, and work with the coaches to find solutions to get them through the program. In fact, it is this combination of study and practical work that makes the program so valuable.

One of the best features of the Diploma program is the opportunity to learn from and work with other coaches from other sports. In fact, many coaches tell us that they learned as much from the other coaches in their class as they did from taking the courses themselves.

If you do not live in the GTA attending classes on Wednesday evenings is not very practical. They have developed an “outreach” program for working with coaches outside of the GTA. Some are close enough that they can drive in for several of the weekends, such as the opening weekend in September and the three Leadership weekends in the first year. If they are further away and driving is not practical, they will work with the coach(s) to make other arrangements for them to complete the required coursework.

They are currently working to use the internet to deliver their regularly scheduled classes live over the internet. This would not be as good as being in the class itself, but it would be far better than working with DVD video. It has the added advantage that the coach only needs a telephone line and a computer and they can attend the classes from almost anywhere in the world. This is not up and running yet, but it will be in the future.

For more information on this and other programs please contact the NCI:

Joan McDonald, Coach Services
National Coaching Institute Ontario
606A – 1185 Eglinton Avenue East
Toronto, ON M3C 3C6
Phone 416-426-7290 Fax 416-426-7254