To support, connect, develop, inform,

This section will provide answers to the most commonly asked NCCP questions.

What is the difference between the old NCCP system and the new streams?

The old NCCP was a hierarchical based system. It conisted of levels (1, 2, 3...) with technical, practical and theory based courses and evaluations at each level.

The new NCCP has been specifically designed to train coaches to be able to meet the needs of the participants/athletes they are working with.
The new structure of the NCCP is based on the participants’ needs, which are identified within three streams:

• Community Sport
• Competition
• Instruction

The new NCCP model defines a coach as:

• In training when some required training has been completed
• Trained when all required training is complete.
• Certified when all training and evaluation requirements have been met.

To become certified in a coaching context, coaches must be evaluated on their demonstrated ability to perform within that context n areas such as program design, practice planning, performance analysis, program management, ethical coaching, support to participants during training and support to participants in competition.

Contact your Provincial Sport Organization for specifics on coach training, certification and workshops.

For other NCCP related questions, contact the Coaching Association of Canada.

Is there grandfathering from the old system of certification?

Grandfathering, or equivalency, do not exist but there is a policy on recognition of levels and NCCP coach qualifications. 

The transfer of levels qualification to the new NCCP reinforces the importance of context-specific competency based coach education.

The objective of the policy is to transfer NCCP levels qualifications to appropriate contexts within the new NCCP, while maintaining the value of levels qualifications as part of the coaches' transcripts. It also reinforces the Make Ethical Decisions module as a cornerstone of the NCCP.

How does the transfer of qualifications process work?

The transfer process applies to all sports, although it will not happen in the same timeline for each of them. Starting September 1, 2009 the transfers will be implemented only once a sport has received final approval for a Context, and as a result, moved to the new NCCP. Moreover, it will only be applicable to Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications.

The policy allows each sport to establish equivalencies within an established framework. This means that each National Sport Organization, in collaboration with Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations, will be responsible to develop their own NCCP Transfer of Qualifications Plan, specific to their sport and then implement those changes.

As a coach, you are not required to take any action. Once the Levels to Contexts equivalencies have been approved for your sport and are ready to be implemented by your sport, this transition will happen seamlessly and change that apply to you coach transcript will automatically show in the NCCP database.

To ensure this happens, please update your personal information on the NCCP database. You can update your contact information and preferences here. Please note that the Coach Alberta membership system is not currently linked to the NCCP database. Changes must be made with each organization.