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Coaching Resources:

Softball Canada YouTube Channel

Coach Tool Kit

Coaching Guides

Rule of Two 

Mental Health First Aid

Pathway Explained

Safe Sport Movement

ISPARC

NAIG Council

2023 North American Indigenous Games

Quality Sport - Sport For Life

Steps to Getting Your Coach Training!  

STEP 1: Required - Create a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP)  Coach Locker through the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC).

STEP 2: Required - Complete Foundations of Coaching Softball (FOCS) Foundations of Coaching Module

Regardless of the pathway, every coach is required to take their Foundations of Coaching (FOCS 1). 

FOCS 1: A prerequisite for all coaches coaching in the -

Community Coach context:

• U7

• U9

• U11 

• U13 B & C

• U15 C

• U17 C

• U19 C

• U20 C

• Men's and Women's B, C & D

FOCS 1 & 2: A prerequisite for all coaches coaching in the -

Competition Coach context:

• U13 A

• U15 A & U15 B

• U17 A & U17 B 

• U19 A & U19 B  

• Men's and Women's A

*All coaches regardless of chosen coaching context are encouraged to take both FOCS 1 & 2.

STEP 3: Recommended - Gain a greater understanding of the Athlete Development Matrix (ADM) & Athlete Development Matrix Guide

STEP 4: Recommended - Get your Respect in Sport! (Activity Leaders)

All coaches and assistant coaches are encouraged  to have their Respect in Sport

STEP 5: Required - Determine your Context (Community Coach or Competition Coach) & Choose Your Pathway (In-Person or Hybrid)

See diagrams below for further explanation: 

In-Person Pathway includes: Steps 1, 2, 3 & In-Person Clinics (Community Softball Coach Clinic or Weekend 1 and Weekend 2 Competition-Introduction Clinics) 

Hybrid Pathway includes: Steps 1, 2, 3 & Online Module 1, Online Module 2, Online Module 3 and Hybrid Weekend

*Please note if you choose the In-Person Pathway you are required to stay in the In-Person Pathway. If you choose the Hybrid Pathway you are required to stay in the Hybrid Pathway. The reason for this is to avoid over-lapping content between the two different deliveries. 

STEP 6: Required - Register for a scheduled NCCP clinic or host one! 

STEP 7: Required - After completing softball specific course complete Making Ethical Decisions (MED) online evaluation

STEP 8: Recommended - Gain a greater understanding of the Responsible Coaching Movement 

STEP 9: Recommended - Gain a greater understanding of Indigenous Coaching and Aboriginal Coaching Module (ACM)

Understanding NCCP Term and Language:

In Training - When a coach has completed some of the required training for a context.

Trained - When a coach has completed all required training for a context

Certified - When a coach has completed all requirements for a context including evaluation.

*Please note the Community Softball Coach context does not include a certification option within its pathway. Refer to the links below for information around Competition-Introduction Certification:

Coach Portfolio: Competition-Introduction Coach Portfolio

Evaluator Observation Tool: Comp-Intro Evaluation Observation Kit

Video Protocol: Video-Protocol_Softball_Intro_Evaluations

Please contact Joni Frei jfrei@softball.bc.ca if you have any questions around the NCCP Competition-Introduction Coach Evaluation or Certification Process.

Western Canadian Coaching Standards 

When attending a U15, U17, or U19 Western Canadian Championship, one of the registered coaches or managers must be Competition-Introduction Certified.

Softball Canada Canadian Championship Coaching Standards  

Head Coach must be Competition - Introduction Certified

Assistant Coaches must be Competition - Introduction Trained

Canada Summer Games (Team B.C.): 

All head coaches must be Competition - Development Certified

NCCP Multi-Sport Modules can be accessed through the Coach Locker

Please contact Joni Frei jfrei@softball.bc.ca if you have any questions around the NCCP Competition-Introduction Coach Evaluation or Certification Process.

Downloadable Information

NCCP Streams Explained (Flowchart/Info Graphic)

• Community Sport_Initiation - Fundamentals/Learn to Train Stages

• Community Sport_Ongoing - Learn to Train/Active for Life Stages

• Competition_Introduction - Learn to Train/Train to Train Stages

• Competition Development - Train to Train/Train to Compete Stages

• Pitching Instruction_Beginner - Fundamentals/Learn to Train Stages

• Softball NCCP Clinics

When attending a U13, U15, U17, or U19 Provincial Championship, one of the registered coaches or managers must be "Trained" at the required level. See the chart below.

When attending a Canadian Championship, the registered head coach must be Competition-Introduction Certified and assistant coaches on the playing field must be Competition-Introduction Trained.

Softball Canada's standards page: https://softball.ca/programs/coaching/nccp-training/coaching-standards

If a team attends a Canadian Championship without the registered head coach meeting the coaching criteria, the team will be fined $2,500 (two thousand five hundred dollars).

If a team attends a Western Canadian Championship without a coach/manager meeting the coaching criteria, the team will be fined $250 (two hundred and fifty dollars).

To find out more information about becoming NCCP Certified, please contact the Softball BC office.

To find out more information about the various coaching pathways within the NCCP, have a look at the document above, Various Coaching Pathways Explained.

Legend:

• LTC: Community Sport - Learn to Coach Clinic (great for Learn to Play instructors/coaches)

• Community Coach: Community Sport - Ongoing Participation

• Weekend #1: Competition Introduction Weekend #1 Clinic

• Weekend #2: Competition Introduction Weekend #2 Clinic

• MED: Making Ethical Decisions Online Evaluation