NCCP Tools and Programs


Sport Nutrition

Sport Nutrition for Athletes and Coaches (SNAC)

Whether you coach first-time participants at the community sport level or national team athletes, proper nutrition is essential for overall good health and optimal athletic performance. Participants of all ages and at all levels of competition are affected by good nutrition. It’s not only about knowing what to eat -- it's also knowing when to eat, especially if you’re on the road with your athletes, or even with other coaches or parents. Plan ahead to maintain good eating habits by browsing our nutrition tips, and/or contacting a registered SNAC dietitian in your area that can answer your specific nutrition questions!

To read more about proper Sport Nutrition for Athletes and Coaches, click here.

 

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Stay connected with over 2 million NCCP coaches in Canada by subscribing to:
-Canada's hottest eMAgazine just for Coaches - Coaches plan (delivered quarterly)
-Cutting edge information on coaching: Coaching eNews (delivered monthly)
-Sport Nutrition Tips from Canada's top dietitians

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Make Ethical Decisions

By successfully completing the Make Ethical Decisions (MED) training, coaches will be fully equipped to handle ethical situations with confidence and surety. MED training helps coaches identify the legal, ethical, and moral implications of difficult situations that present themselves in the world of team and individual sport.

MED training is a cornerstone of the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP), and leaves coaches with no doubt as to what to do when the going gets tough.


For more information on the training and evaluation, click here.

 

Making Head Way

Concussion Awareness

Concussions can occur while participating in any sport or recreational activity. Since the circumstances under which a concussion can be sustained are so varied, it’s important for all coaches, parents, and athletes to be aware of the signs, symptoms, and what to do if a concussion occurs.

These concussion awareness resources have been developed as part of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s “Active & Safe” initiative and are designed to help you gain the knowledge and skills required to ensure the safety of your athletes. Get concussion smart via our award-winning “Making Head Way” eLearning modules, test your concussion IQ, find out what happens during a concussion, or simply browse through real concussion stories.

For more information on the eModule and concussion guidelines, click here.

 

Coach the Basics

Why Coach?

There are many reasons why people get involved in coaching a community sport. Here are a few:

  • as parents we want to spend time with our child in an active way;
  • as individuals we want to volunteer and get involved in our community;
  • as teachers we have taken on extra-curricular school activities;
  • as athletes we want to pursue our passion in a different direction and give back to our community;
  • as fans we simply love sport and want to give coaching a try.

But what does a coach do?

A community coach strives to do the following:

  • encourage young athletes to be active and to have fun;
  • plan purposeful practices and create engaging activities;
  • lead their participants in developing gross motor skills;
  • help participants identify how to improve their performance by providing constructive criticism and advice;
  • manage problems by making ethical and respectful decisions
  • enable safe participation by creating a safe environment
  • teach others how to respect themselves, others, and their sport.

In short, when you become a coach, you help others reach higher, both in sport and in life!

What does it take to become a coach?

The simple fact that you’re visiting coach.ca means that you have one of the key ingredients of all coaches – passion!

Here is a list of other skills that are useful to becoming a community coach:

  • Enjoy working with children
  • Ability to be creative and to improvise
  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Ability to work within a team environment
  • Ability to lead effectively
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Critical-thinking skills

Don’t worry if you think you don’t have some of these skills – you’ll find that if you simply go out there and give it a try, you will find that the skills will develop with time and practice.

It’s also not important at first to know every technical aspect of the sport you choose to coach – far more important is the passion and enthusiasm you bring to the role. 

For further information about how to get started, click here.

 

Get Coaching

To help you plan effective practices the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) has provided downloadable tips, tools and resources.  A key element to successful practices is the ability to build a practice plan through a process:

  • Prepare
  • Plan
  • Deliver
  • Conclude

These FREE tutorials will help you Get Coaching!

 

Reach Higher