COACHING PROGRAMMES
The main
task of the badminton coach is to teach athletes how to play badminton, with
all the strokes associated with the game, and to teach players the strategies
of singles, doubles and mixed play. The
coach then helps the athletes improve their performance in these games. Badminton coaches should also know, when
coaching, how to ensure the safety of players, how to plan and organize
training sessions, deal with accidents and general emergencies, and work with
other coaches and sport associations.
The OBA supports coaches through the following programmes.
Coaches with affiliated clubs are encouraged
to register with the Ontario Badminton Association. The fee is $5 which includes insurance coverage, Ontario Badminton
Today, and Total Badminton. Note: if
also a player, a player card is required.
New for 2008-2009 – the Ontario Badminton
Coaches Register – register and receive a quarterly electronic newsletter with
information on updates in all aspects of coaching. The $10 fee will be discounted against the registration fee for
the Ontario Badminton Coaches Conference, planned for February 2009. Contact info@ontariobadminton.on.ca for more information.
NATIONAL
COACHING CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME (NCCP)
The NCCP is recognized in Canada as the
national standard for coaching qualifications.
Completion of various levels and assessments leads to
accreditation. The NCCP is a
collaborative program of the government of Canada, the provincial/territorial
governments, national and provincial sport federations and the Coaching Association
of Canada (CAC). This partnership, in
place since 1974, is largely responsible for building an internationally
recognized coach education program for coaching development in over 65
different sports in French and English.
Increasingly, sports are relying on NCCP
certification as a benchmark qualification for coaching assignments, both
volunteer and paid. Coaches and sport
participants value the program and actively pursue attainment of the various
levels. With the transition to the
competency-based approach, sports are becoming more confident in the relevancy
of the sport-specific and generic coaching knowledge that the program delivers.
Coaches can check out their certification at
the Coaching Association of Canada website: www.coach.ca.
NCCP Community Initiation Stream – the stream
is coming on line in the Fall of 2008.
This is aimed at volunteer coaches with clubs, community centres, and schools,
who may be parents, teachers or other volunteers. Proficiency at the technical (playing) part is not required but
enthusiasm and willingness to help players enjoy is!
Competitive Streams - At present there are five NCCP levels of
badminton coaching certification.
Levels 1-3 are overseen by the Ontario Badminton Association and Levels
4 and 5 by Badminton
New NCCP Competitive stream courses are
expected to start in the Fall of 2009 with a replacement course for Level 1 and
2. Until then, coaches working with competitive players continue to take
existing courses.
Theory
Courses: These are scheduled by the Coaches Association of Ontario (www.coachesontario.ca) and are offered on
weekends and weeknights. The courses
offered include.
Introduction to Competition – Part A (11.5 hours) (replaces Level 1
Theory)
Introduction to Competition – Part B (13.5 hours) (replaces Level 2 Theory)
Level 3 Theory
These courses are offered by NCCP accredited
Learning Facilitators (Course Conductors) in a number of Ontario Communities
throughout the year and the schedule and registration information can be found
at the website. Home study programmes
are also available for Introduction to Competition Part A and B and Level 3
Theory.
Technical
Courses: Level 1-these are organized by the OBA in conjunction with the
District Associations and accredited course conductors. Levels 2 and 3 are organized by the OBA with
an accredited course conductor. These
courses are advertised at the OBA website (www.ontariobadminton.on.ca) and
more information is available by contacting info@ontariobadmintonon.ca.
Practicals: Level 1- after completion of
the Competition Part A and Technical 1, coaches complete 20 hours of practical
coaching and then send in their practical completion form, signed by their
supervising coach or organization.
Level 2 and 3 candidates are required to pass an on-the-court evaluation
of theoretical and technical concepts before being fully certified. Level 2 requires 25 hours of practical
coaching and Level 3 requires 40 hours.
Coaches are sent an updated coaching card following completion of each
stage of the programme.
Equivalency - Theory: The
Coaching Association of Canada has made the decision that applications for NCCP
Theory equivalency will be accepted from coaches who earned a degree in
physical education, sport science, kinesiology or a related degree prior to
March 31, 2004. Coaches may be exempt
from taking Introduction to Competition Part A if they have a Bachelors degree
and may be exempt from taking Introduction to Competition Part B with a Masters
or Doctoral degree. A degree awarded
after 1st April 2004 does not exempt the coach from the theory
courses.
Equivalency - Technical:
Coaches who, as athletes, reached at least Provincial A ranking, may be
allowed entry into a combined technical and practical certification course for
NCCP Level 1 and similarly for Level 2.
Format for these courses enables candidates to function as Assistant
Coach for the duration of a two week camp or training session (minimum 6 hours)
under the supervision of an OBA course conductor. Approval for this programme must be obtained from the OBA
Director of Leadership. Candidates must
have completed the theory course ahead of the camp.
Course Conductors: For the badminton technical course, the OBA
trains course conductors who, typically, are a coach of one level higher than
the courses they conduct. A qualified
coach interested in working as a course conductor may start as an assistant and
be mentored by a senior course conductor. For more information and acceptance as a trainee course conductor,
please contact the OBA at info@ontariobadmintonon.ca.
NCCP Level
4 and 5 courses: In Ontario these courses are delivered through the Canadian Sport
Centre Ontario within the National Coaching Institute programme. There are 20 tasks that must be completed
and, when 12 have been completed, coaches are certified at level 4. Completion of all 20 tasks leads to level 5
certification. Seven of the tasks are
technical (sport specific) and the requirements to complete them are set by
Badminton Canada. There are two routes
to certification at level 4 and 5.
The NCI offers a
two-year, part time Diploma in High Performance Coaching and includes the
completion of the required theory courses for NCCP Level 4 certification as
well as other courses such as communication, philosophy and values, ethics,
etc. Coaches must be fully certified at
NCCP Level 3 or have completed Level 3 theory and have their Level 3 technical
and practical courses complete by the end of the first year of the
programme. In the Diploma programme it
is recognized that coaches do not lead “normal” lives in that they travel with
athletes and teams to competitions and training camps, and are involved in any
number of events that make committing to such programmes difficult. The NCI recognizes this and works with the
coaches to find solutions to get them through the programme. In fact, it is this combination of study and
practical work that makes the Diploma so valuable. Coaches in this programme have the opportunity to learn from work
with other coaches in other sports.
The NCCP also offers
level 4 course tasks one by one, as individual courses from the Diploma
programme or as home study. More
information is available at http://www.cscontario.ca/web_page/nci_ontario_d.php
Source: Total Badminton 2008-2009 (Ontario Badminton
Association) p. 44-45.
Last updated – February 28,
2009.