About NCCP for Curling

National Coaching Certification Program for Curling

What is the NCCP?
The NCCP is a training and certification program for coaches, offered across Canada in more than 60 sports. The program was designed to meet the needs of a wide range of coaches – from those who introduce youngsters to sport to those who work with Canada ’s high performance athletes.

The NCCP prepares coaches to:
• better meet the needs of all participants in sport
• provide a positive sport experience to participants
• provide opportunities for participants to achieve their full potential in and through sport.

Curling’s Current NCCP Program:

CLUB COACH: YOUTH (8 hour course)
Community Sport – Initiation

Coaches who take this one day workshop will become a trained “Youth Club Coach”. This coach will be able to coach beginning curlers and youth curlers whom have been involved in curling for several years. He/she will be an expert in preparing a safe environemnt, ethical decision-making and leading curlers in activities which are age suitable and technically correct for youth curlers.

CLUB COACH (2 Day Course)
Community Sport – Ongoing Participation

Coaches who take this two day workshop will become a trained “Club Coach”. This is a program designed to enhance the skill set of the coach and instructor who function primarily at the club level. The Club Coach will be competent in training curlers from youth to masters, with skill levels of beginners to intermediate. The Club Coach will be proficient in planning and designing a practice/clinic, ethical decision-making, teaching correct curling skills, skill analysis, safety, program managment, planning, managing and designing a curling program.

NOTE: Club Coach replaced the old Level 1 Technical in Curling in the 2007-2008 season as an interim plan for certification.

INTRO COMPETITION COACH WORKSHOP (2.5 day course)
Competition – Introduction
Coaches who take this workshop and the NCCP Making Ethical Decision Workshop will become a “Trained Competition Coach”.

At the completion of this workshop coaches will be able to develop athletes of any age by teaching or refining the curling skills, strategy and tactics required for athletes to compete at a Regional, Provincial and some National level competitions.

This is the first step involved in Coach Certificiation which is a requirement to coach certain age groups competing at competitions which lead to Provincial and National events. The detailed certification process is outlined at the workshop.

Note: Competition Coach replaced the old Level 2 Technical in the 2009 – 2010 season.

COMPETITION – DEVELOPMENT COACH

As of December 31, 2013 Level 3 Technical no longer exists, replacing it will be a new, comprehensive program called “Competition Development”. The program is being administered and delivered by Curling Canada nationally and is open to all provinces/territories. Our goal is to move the workshop around the country.

This program is designed to assist the coach in taking their teams to the next level of provincial, national or international play.  This workshop focuses on the planning, strategy, analysis and program management needed to improve your team’s performance. Coaches should be actively working with a “Training to Compete” level team during this program  There is a small wheelchair curling component, so coaches working with athletes with a disability would also benefit from this program.

Most provincial/territorial coaching associations have funding assistance available for competition development training, tuition and travel costs.

While ice time is minimal in this workshop, curling gear will be required.

During this training coaches will learn:

  • Current technical skills
  • How to analyze technical and tactical performance
  • Performance planning
  • Program management
  • Advanced strategy
  • Advanced practice planning
  • Prevention and recovery (integrated multi-sport module)
  • Developing athletic abilities (integrated multi-sport module)

The program will take approximately 14 months to complete, as it requires writing, implementing, executing and debriefing an annual plan. In addition to the annual plan portfolio, two observation evaluations (a practice and a competitive environment) must be completed.  Five webinars will be scheduled in the fall for material not covered in the in-person workshop. Coaches will need to complete the Competition Development Make Ethical Decision Online Evaluation and will need to complete the four remaining competition development multi-sport modules – Managing Conflict, Coaching and Leading Effectively, Psychology of Performance and Leading Drug Free Sport.

Competition Development Training Pathway

If you have interest in participating in the next workshop please contact your provincial/territorial curling association or email [email protected].

For further information on curling coach education programs/workshops and certification, please contact:

Curl PEI Office
902-368-4208
[email protected]