In Canada, coach education and training is guided by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC). Under CAC supervision, each National Sport Organization (NSO) is developing coach education that best matches the needs of both athletes and coaches.

The NCCP is competency based which means the educational experiences are interactive and involve more than rote information (what you know). They also focus on the “how” of coaching and the implementation of your knowledge (what you can DO with what you know). A significant focus of the new NCCP is accessing coaches’ prior knowledge and engaging their expertise in dialogue, practice, and interaction. In this way, even experienced coaches with an extensive knowledge base can glean important skills, networking, and self-evaluation opportunities through the NCCP process.

There are two primary coaching education streams within the Triathlon NCCP program – Community Sport and Competition. These streams reflect the level and focus of athletes that coaches work with in the streams.

NCCP Coaching Pathway

The NCCP Community Coaching pathway aims to give coaches the knowledge, skills and tools needed to create a safe and healthy environment for athletes.

Basic Registration

Triathlon Canada is moving to a National Triathlon Registration System (NTRS) to create a more professional and protected community in the sport. The new basic registration system for triathlon coaches in Canada is the starting point of coaching membership and education. All coaches must register before starting their training.

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. 

NOTE that this different then registering for a membership! All Triathlon Alberta coaches must have a yearly Triathlon Alberta membership as well.

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
– CAC Understanding the Rule of Two e-learning
– 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

The Community Coach (youth or age group) wants to help new athletes and support age group athletes by teaching basic triathlon skills and introduction to events. The Community Coach is focused on safe participation, teaching skills and technique, and fun. This context is designed for coaches of athletes moving from FUNdamentals to Learn to Train and Train to Train stages of long term athlete development (LTAD).

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 (these are offered a few times a year and will be marked on our calendar when available)
– Triathlon Canada NCCP Adult Community Coaching Workshop, and/or
– Triathlon Canada NCCP Youth Community Coaching Workshop (under development) 

Status: Community Coach In Training (Youth or Adult)

Step 3: Take 3 NCCP Multisport Modules
– NCCP Make Ethical Decisions (MED)
– NCCP Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
– NCCP Sport Nutrition

Status: Community Coach Trained (Youth or Adult)

Step 4: Pay for your portfolio evaluation and coaching assessment through Triathlon Alberta by clicking here

Step 5: Once matched with an evaluator, have your portfolio and coaching evaluation done!

Status: Certified Community Coach (Youth or Adult)

Step 6: Maintenance of Certification
– 10 points every 5 years

Competition Coach

A Competition Coach is focused on athletes who are on or are interested in moving onto the high performance pathway. Within the National Sport system, this pathway is defined by an end-goal of competing at the Olympic or Paralympic Games. Education is focused around this definition, however, Triathlon Canada welcomes and supports coaches who strive to work with professional-level athletes across all the triathlon and multisport disciplines. This context is designed for coaches of athletes in the Train-to-Train, Train-to-Compete, and Train-to-Win stages of the LTAD. The priority for Competition coaches is refining skills and techniques, physical training, sport psychology, and all aspects of the daily training environment to develop strong practices and competition skills. 

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.

The Competition Coach pathway is managed through Triathlon Canada once a coach is nominated by their Provincial Sport Organization. To start the process, contact us at info@triathlonalberta.ca

Steps to Certification in Competition Coaching:

Step 1: Complete Triathlon Canada Coach Licensing

Status: Licensed Coach

Step 2: Apply to the Competition Pathway & Begin Mentorship (through Triathlon Canada)
– Portfolio, Yearly Training Plan (YTP) / Individual Performance Plan (IPP) 

Status: Competition Coach In-Training

Step 3: Complete Portfolio & IPP/YTP Evaluation

Step 4: Complete NCCP Multisport Modules & Online Evaluations
– NCCP Make Ethical Decisions (MED)
– NCCP Plan a Practice
– NCCP Emergency Action Plan (EAP)
– NCCP Sport Nutrition
– 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

– NCCP Making Ethical Decisions Online Evaluation
– NCCP Managing Conflict Online Evaluation

Step 5: Complete the Triathlon Canada NCCP Competition Coach Workshop (offered through Triathlon Canada)
– Pre-Course Seminar #1: Technical, Tactical, & Physiological Strategies
– Pre-Course Seminar #2: Program Management & Race Day Coaching Strategies
– In-Person Workshop: Technical Coaching (Swim, Bike, Run, & Transition)

Status: Competition Coach Trained

Step 6: Register to Competition Coach Certification
Step 7: Complete Observation and Evaluation by Competition Coach Evaluator

Status: Certified Competition Coach

Step 8: Maintenance of Certification
– 30 points every 5 years

High Performance  Competition 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. 

More information on this pathway can be found at https://www.triathloncanada.com/coaching/

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

Step 5: Maintenance of Certification
– 30 points every 5 years

For more information on coaching, contact our office at info@triathlonalberta.ca.