Become a Coach

In the Canadian sport system, there is an officially recognized process for becoming a coach known as the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).

The NCCP gives coaches the knowledge, skills, and training they need to succeed. Designed for all types of coaches, the NCCP offers flexible pathways that lead to your preferred cycling coaching destination.

Watch a Video on the NCCP

Getting Started as a Cycling Coach

Whether you’re looking to work with cyclists at the community level, with a cycling club, Gran Fondo riders, or competitive athletes, there’s a coaching pathway for you. To begin your journey as a cycling coach, select the coaching role that best matches your coaching needs and follow the pathway for that role.

Coaching Roles and Pathways

Once you have chosen a coaching role and identified the pathway for that role, it’s time to get started by enrolling in an NCCP coaching course.

View Full-Size Pathway Image

Continue reading the sections below to learn more about the different NCCP coaching streams, coach status, and courses.

NCCP Coaching Streams

The NCCP offers different coaching streams (contexts) based on the types of cyclists a coach wants to work with. Depending on their stage of progression, coaches in these streams may be referred to as,

In-Training – when they have completed some of the required training in the stream/context
Trained – when they have completed all required training in the stream/context
Certified – when they have completed all evaluation requirements in the stream/context

Community Initiation

Coaches who enjoy supporting recreational youth and adult programs should pursue NCCP Community TRAINED status.

The Community Initiation stream focuses on coaches who are working with participants who are being introduced to cycling. This could include very young children participating in cycling for the first time or adults taking up recreational cycling. The role of the coach is to ensure a fun and safe environment and to teach the development of some of the skills and abilities for participants in the “FUNdamentals” stage of the Long Term Athlete Development.

Required Courses:

  • Let’s Ride – Community Initiation
  • Basic Cycling Skills

*Available through Cycling BC

Competition-Introduction

Coaches working with Cycling BC youth club participants or adult riders participating in Gran Fondo events should pursue Competition-Introduction CERTIFIED status.

This pathway is also designed for competition coaches of masters racers, or trade-team managers responsible for leading a competitive program at sanctioned events.

Required Courses:

  • Training Basics
  • Basic Cycling Skills
  • Skills and Tactics            (Choose 2 disciplines:  Mtn. Bike, Road, Track, or BMX)
  • Training to Race

Additional Requirements for NCCP ‘Certified’ status:

 

As of April 1st, 2020, the Comp-Intro stream will be updated with the following changes:

Delayed until summer 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Required Courses:

  • Foundations                      (available on-demand online)
  • Basic Cycling Skills
  • Skills and Tactics            (Choose 1 discipline:  Mtn. Bike, Road, Track, or BMX)
  • Make Ethical Decisions  (Online module @ Coach.ca E-Learning)
  • Nutrition                                (Online module @ Coach.ca E-Learning)
  • Training to Race              (Online, Video-Conference)

Additional Requirements for NCCP ‘Certified’ status:

  • Portfolio
  • Online Evaluation

Competition-Development

Coaches working with athletes competing at the provincial and national levels should pursue Competition-Development CERTIFIED status.

Required Courses:

  • Performance Cycling Workshop*
  • Multi-Sport Modules (Search)
    • Coaching & Leading Effectively     (viaSport)
    • Development Athletic Abilities      (viaSport)
    • Prevention and Recovery                (viaSport)
    • Leading Drug-Free Sport + Eval    (viaSport)
    • Psychology of Performance           (viaSport)
    • Managing Performance                    (viaSport)

Additional Requirements for NCCP ‘Certified’ status:

  • Coach Portfolio*
  • Formal Observation (Training Event)*
  • Formal Observation (Competition Event)*
  • Make Ethical Decisions (Coach.ca E-Learning)
  • Online Modules:
    • Plan a Project*
    • Manage a Program*

*Available through Cycling Canada

Competition High-Performance

Coaches working with high-performance athletes competing at national and international levels should pursue the NCCP Advanced Coaching Diploma (ACD).

ACD coaches are typically full-time or seasonal coaches who predominantly work with Training to Compete and Training to Win athletes.

Learn more at CSI Pacific.

Watch Our Coach Development Overview Video

Become a coach. Register for an NCCP coaching course today.

Find a Course

Questions?

For more information or if you have any questions about the NCCP coaching pathway, please check out our coaching FAQ page or contact us at any time.