Coaching
Coaches are the mentors and leaders within the cycling sports who support riders as they develop and practice the sport. Coaches are involved in the athlete development process in a broad variety of ways, ranging from the very first introduction a new cyclist has to the sport, to the highest level of international competition, and everything between.
Like riders, coaches undergo a training process designed to assist them in developing the necessary skills and ethical behaviors to work with cyclists in their discipline and level of interest. Indeed, the term "Coach" refers to someone who has followed the standard training and certification progression for the sport. The standard coach certification and training program in Canada is the National Coaching Certification Program commonly referred to as NCCP.
In order to practice as a coach in Alberta cycling sports, a person must hold both a Alberta Bicycle Association coaches' license, and have either been certified as the result of having passed the requirements of the NCCP program for their particular Cycling discipline, or must have completed the course work and be in the progress of gaining the practical experience necessary to be evaluated and certified (essentially, a Coach in Training).
Currently Cycling Canada is working in partnership with the Coaching Association of Canada and the Alberta Bicycle Association to offer three coach development programs. They are Let’s Ride! Community Initiation, Ready to Race Introduction to Competition, and Performance Cycling Competition Development
As a NCCP certified coach you are covered for Liability, Professional Liability and even sexual abuse claims made against you for the liabilities to third parties (including club members) that you instructed. Optional coverage is available for outside of sanctioned activities if an individual Coach, Instructor & Trainer policy is purchased. Click here for further details.
1. Let’s Ride! Community Cycling Initiation
Let’s Ride! Community Cycling- Initiation (CCI) is the NCCP context for coaches who will primarily work with novice, pre-competitive cyclists at the community level, including participants in the Active Start, FUNdamentals and early Learn to Train stages of athlete development. The program is simple, based on a number of pre-designed lesson plans, and adaptable to the varying skill and ability levels of participants. The focus of the program is on having participants develop skills which are basic to MTB, BMX, and Road, in a controlled, off-road, off-trail setting such as a sport field or parking lot. On completion, coaches have “Trained” status in NCCP.
Modules |
||
Module/Course |
Offered by: |
Status achieved upon completion: |
Safe Sport |
|
|
Cycling Foundations (eLearning) |
In - Training |
|
NCCP Emergency Action Plan (eLearning) | CAC- The Locker | In-Training |
NCCP Make Ethical Decisions (eLearning) |
In-Training |
|
Cycling Practice Planning |
In-Training |
|
Basic Cycling Skills (on-bike, 8h) |
Trained |
2. Ready to Race! Introduction to Competition:
Ready to Race! Introduction to Competition (R2R) is the context for coaches who will primarily work with new competitive cyclists at the community and club level. These athletes will likely be in the Learn to Train to Train to Train stages of LTAD, although the context could apply to any new racer of any age. These athletes have basic but developed cycling skills and the desire to begin competing within a structured training and competition program. They should have passed through an entry-level Community Initiation program (CCI) to help them develop the basic skills. The courses must be done in the following order (Skills and Tactics theory and onbike can happen in either order):
Modules |
||
Module/Course |
Offered by: |
Status achieved upon completion: |
Cycling Foundations (eLearning) |
In - Training |
|
NCCP Emergency Action Plan (eLearning) | CAC- The Locker | In-Training |
NCCP Make Ethical Decisions (eLearning) |
In-Training |
|
Basic Cycling Skills (on-bike, 8h) |
Alberta Bicycle Association |
In-Training |
Skills and Tactics Theory (online) |
In- Training |
|
Skills and Tactics one discipline: MTB, Road, Track, or BMX (on bike, 7h) |
Alberta Bicycle Association |
In- Training |
NCCP Sport Nutrition (eLearning) |
In-Training |
|
Training to Race | Cycling Canada |
Trained |
Evaluation |
||
b) Completion of Portfolio |
Trained |
|
c) Completion Debrief and Online Quiz |
Certified |
|
Maintenance of Certification: |
|
|
Certified coaches must complete Professional Development in order to maintain there certification |
Requirements for Introduction to Competition is 20 points every five years. |
3. Performance Cycling. Competition Development
Performance Cycling is the coaching context for coaches working with late Train to Train and Train to Compete stage cyclists: athletes who are entering National and initial International level competitions. At this level success requires much more than simply having “a big engine”. A solid and comprehensive foundation of technical skills and detailed attention to cycling position is needed to maximize efficiency and performance.
Modules |
||
Module/Course |
Offered by: |
Status achieved upon completion: |
Analyzing Performance (7.5h) |
In - Training |
|
Performance Planning (7.5h) |
||
Manage a Program (Part 1) (3h) |
||
Coaching and Leading Effectively (11.5h) |
Alberta Sport |
Trained |
Developing Athletic Abilities(7.5h) |
Alberta Sport | |
Prevention and Recovery (7.25h) |
Alberta Sport | |
Leading Drug Free Sport (3.5h) |
Alberta Sport | |
Psychology and Performance (5h) |
Alberta Sport | |
Managing Conflict (5h) |
Alberta Sport | |
Evaluation |
||
Plan a Project - online module (3h) |
Cycling Canada |
Certified |
Manage a Program (Part 2) online module (3h) |
Cycling Canada |
|
Evaluation #1: Training Camp Project |
Cycling Canada |
|
Evaluation #2: Competition Project |
Cycling Canada |
|
Leading Drug Free Sport Evaluation |
CAC |
|
Managing Conflict Online Evaluation |
CAC |
|
Portfolio |
Cycling Canada |
|
Make Ethical Decisions Online Evaluation |
CAC |
|
Maintenance of Certification: |
|
|
Certified coaches must complete Professional Development in order to maintain there certification |
Requirements for Performance Development are 30 points every five years. |
For further information contact the Alberta Bicycle Association office 780.427-6352