Mandatory Certified Coaching?

[zipyaj]

Mandatory Certified Coaching?

Earlier today, like many of you perhaps, I visited the new RHA website. Included among the pages I read: One of the goals of RHA is to educate people, which include coaches. With a united effort, we are going to offer coaching certification and will make it mandatory that coaches are certified to be behind the bench. Our goal is to certify all coaches by the end of 2010. Dates and locations of coaching clinics will be available shortly.

Not intending to challenge or dispute the RHA, I am, however curious to know more from IHC forum readers regarding their opinions for Mandatory Training and Certification.

As you likely know, most other sports take coach and official certification, and even safe haven and background checks, both seriously and as a matter of routine. Just try to get your child into an AYSO soccer program and find out how much there is involved to certifications from coaching even entry-level 6 year olds. Think you're qualified to teach T-ball to a five year old? Better pass the test or sit in the stands.

Programs for (so-called) mandatory training have long been in place for this sport but seemingly lack both support and the teeth to enforce same in most cases. There is a certain, built-in resistance within the sport - maybe it's the maverick, non-mainstream nature of the beast. I have heard some, but not all of the arguments before:
"I don't check for certifications because I don't want to upset my coaches."
"What does training or certification do for the sport?"
"Will it make my players better or my team improve if I get certified?"
"I've been in hockey all my life. I know more than the teachers."
"I could write the book. Why should I have to test?"
"Heck, I wrote the book."
"I'm too busy to bother with certification and you can't make me!"

Any of these sound familiar to you?

As proponents of certification, our High School League instituted a graduated certification program this season. We began with a mandatory coaches training rule [1] using the NFHS' Fundamentals of Coaching model (http://nfhslearn.com) at its core. As a scholastic sport, all coaches are required by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) to comply regardless of sport or tenure. Our League incorporated this model as one strategy to both certify and to demonstrate compliance with mainstream interscholastic sports. In our case, Coaches compliance is indeed mandatory and enforceable within our League and its sanctioned functions.

Granted, the scholastic segment of hockey is unique when compared to travel or recreational segments. The scholastic segment of roller hockey presents challenges in contending with student athletes, schools, districts and a litany of rules and issues not relevant to other segments.

So, what are your thoughts about Mandatory Training and Certification. Inquiring minds want to know.

Regards,
Jay

P.S. I actually have in my possession two color-covered training booklets: Inline Hockey Coaches Manual Level 1 and Inline Hockey Coaches Manual Level 2 as produced by USARS/AAU. They're pretty easy to come by.


[1] IHF RULES 2008-09
SECTION II. GAME MANAGEMENT
1. All Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches must have a current AAU Inline Hockey Registration and Coaching Certification as required by IHF.
a. All IHF Coaches must meet a minimum Coach Certification requirement in accordance with CIF guidelines for basic coach training: All Coaches, paid or unpaid, must be certified in Coaches Education by December 31, 2008. Coaches can now become certified online for $52 or in a classroom setting by one of California's Instructors as offered through the NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching Course at http://nfhslearn.com/. Coaches must provide the League with certification in advance to the first game in January, 2009. Failure to provide requested evidence of certification will result in ineligibility to coach any team in playoff or postseason and/or IHF sanctioned competitions in 2009.
b. All IHF Coaches and Assistant Coaches must be in compliance with Scholastic level certification requirements as may be defined by USARS, the AAU and/or the IHF by or before the beginning of the first regular season game of each season beginning after 2008.

[rhhof]

Im a firm believer in it Jay...

First of all the education part of it is HUGE - I personally attend and/or teach at a seminar every year...I find new, inventive drills, see how other run practices and look for that little nitch to make either my practices more effective or greater in intensity - I also like to show people progression in practices...very few times do I see this, especially in our sport - I have run four different facilities and have seen numerous coaches do drills that make no sense (for example...go to the cone, turn toward the boards, go to the net and get a pass from the corner) Never turn to the boards, always turn facing the play...simple I know, but there are so many drills and so little time - I also teach practice plans - Make sure you have things down to the minute or second to maximize rink time...Lastly, have at least one fun drill or some kind of competition - I even do it with my elite guys...either them vs the goalie in breakaways where the loser has to do push ups or laps....

Second - Liability...someone is in charge and when things go wrong, who does everyone look at?! The person in the authority position of an organization or coaches need to be made aware of this as well as certain medical procedures, in case of emergencies, accidents and everything involved in this world right now...

Lastly - Everything we can do to help these people in turn, helps the sport - Every coach I have ever had sticks in my head...things they said, things we did on and off the rink - I took the good things, the bad things and did wrong things because I was told, out of respect - I could tell you everything, but Id be writing a book - Bottom line is they made an impact either way and we need to make sure the positives out-weigh the negatives and hope players arent turned off by someone who just yells at them or the officials.

There's more but lets see what everyone else thinks

[ACCCT2]

Hmmm...

Yeah, but just exactly 'who' anoints or appoints the 'certifiers'...??? Reviewing RHA's "mission statement" (?), it should be incredibly obvious to anyone even remotely aware of basic business/trade law that letting RHA's exclusively self-anointed and self-appointed (and self-serving?) RHA-only-types 'reign' over the ("certified"?) growth and allegedly "better direction" of the sport absolutely won't fly -- and for far more than merely practical or even logistical reasons. Like, let's just start with the serious financial accountability/conflict-of-interest/restriction-of-trade issues that clearly would have to be considered in almost every decision (and "certification"?) made by RHA.

How soon does anyone at the RHA think that they could realistically expect a lawsuit after denying (or NOT "certifying"?) a person, company or event that might otherwise commercially compete with RHA events...??? Get real. Personally, I wouldn't allow anyone with any kind of "for-profit/commercial" interests decide who will or won't be "certified" and/or allowed to play...or coach...or officiate...or organize...well, ANYTHING outside of their own events, coaches and clinics -- especially such a self-servingly "self-anointed" inline 'cabal' of "for-profit/commercial" companies and individuals with such overtly obvious "for-profit/commercial" interests as that of which the RHA consists -- there's clearly WAY TOO MUCH that could (and honestly, probably will) go awry in terms of those critical "accountability/conflict-of-interest/restriction-of-trade" issues.

In short, HOWEVER sincerely well-meaning and/or well-intentioned, these guys see the "pie" shrinking and want all of us paying-players to blithely and blindly aquiesce to letting them decide (and "certify"?) just exactly 'who' will be allowed to organize, officiate and/or play any kind of serious organized leagues and/or competitions, as well as 'how much' each player, coach or game official will eventually be expected to pay for giving them (the RHA) that self-serving and self-anointed right to do so. In short, they want "NGB" status without the transparant legal 'controls' that are typically expected to be in place in order to ensure "NGB members" of at least the relative appearance of propriety, integrity and fairness, as well as equal access and enforcement under those "controls". Are there really those of you out there REALLY THAT daft that you would actually buy into this latest travesty of an alleged "save-the-sport/messianic-mission-statement"...???

As a "for-profit/commercial" businessman myself, I would NEVER willingly allow ANYONE with such self-servingly obvious "for-profit/commercial" and competing interests to ever "certify" my company, officials, coaches, players, gear and/or events -- let alone, let them determine what size "slice" of the "pie" I'm entitled to under their "certification". What kind of totally crazy "Kool-Aid" addicts do these RHA "saviors" really think that we all are anyway...???

Does the term "benevolent dictatorship" come to anyone else's mind in digesting some of the RHA's lines of almost "too good to be true" and incredibly altruistic-sounding propaganda -- especially in terms of what future RHA "certification" and "controls" might REALLY be like...???...???

Overall: NOT impressed. Especially after reading an incredibly unprofessional, badly written and ultimately pointless "mission statement" and website (as in NO meaningful or significant "points" made or "better direction" or "vision" clearly stated).

[zipyaj]

[QUOTE=ACCCT2;56809]Yeah, but just exactly 'who' anoints or appoints the 'certifiers'...???QUOTE]

Dear ACCCT2,
The forum topic I introduced was relative to the pros and cons of mandating certification of coaches and even officials in our sport. There is another forum section and current topic(s) for venting your opinions of the RHA and/or others. However, any/all productive comments you might have are welcomed!

Meanwhile, if you'd like to consider one reliable source in rebuttal to "WHO," how about the FBI, or local law enforcement?... Would you submit to a background check as a prerequisite to coach children? Would you attend Safe Haven classes?

These are realtime concerns for how this sport could be perceived!

Consider if you will...
Former inline hockey coach sought by FBI on child molestation charges.
Inline Hockey Central - June 1, 2002

This is the kind of story Inline Hockey Central never wanted to have to report.

Unfortunately, like the Graham James case a few years ago in ice hockey, a man entrusted with the care of adolescent inline hockey players is alleged to be a child molester.

Inline Hockey Central recently learned that Michael Leon Zeve, a volunteer coach in 1998 at the Wayne Gretzky Roller Hockey Center in Irvine, California, is wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for lewd acts with a minor, continuous sex abuse of children, and crimes against children.

Police fear that Zeve might be working at another inline hockey facility as a coach, so Inline Hockey Central felt it imperative to run this story in hopes that Zeve will be caught and stopped from harming other children in the future.

(story: http://www.theawarenesscenter.org/Zeve_michael.html#Former)


Please consider the importance of what certification can mean to any sport. Or even more importantly, to the children who play it.

Respect the game!

[ACCCT2]

[QUOTE=ACCCT2;56809]Yeah, but just exactly 'who' anoints or appoints the 'certifiers'...???QUOTE]

Meanwhile, if you'd like to consider one reliable source in rebuttal to "WHO," how about the FBI, or local law enforcement?... Would you submit to a background check as a prerequisite to coach children? Would you attend Safe Haven classes?

THIS part of "certification" is ABSOLUTELY something that ANY organized league in ANY sport should have in effect (and BTW, RHA's website and "mission statement" says absolutely NOTHING about this). I think that my most recent posts obviously deal more with some of the CLEARLY conflicting "for-profit/commercial" and legal "control" issues that RHA's "certification" would surely eventually have to deal with.

Ultimately, I think that outside of having a coach "certified" via a legal and appropriate "background check", at the level that we're apparently talking about ("coaching" kids), it's much more important that a "coach" be inspiring and supportive, as well as reliably fair and frank in making the sport FUN for everyone involved -- as opposed to a technically excellent "tactition-teacher" who favors 'skill' over 'will' -- many of whom, in MY experience, 'kill' many a "skilled" kid's "will" to stay with the sport through their cold "tactical-teaching". Many of these types of ("certified"?) "tactical" coaches unfortunately manage to DIS-interest their charges, as generally, kids (especially little kids) STOP learning when they STOP having fun.

[zipyaj]

I like the idea of having all coaches certified and having more uniformity like USA Hockey for ice...

A borrow from the Roller Hockey Alliance thread... Thanks, CaliHockey! (BTW: 80 degrees in today's forecast for the OC)

In my opinion, the subject of certified coaches and referees has merit and is an important direction to this sport.

[quick_dry]

I think a good certified coaching program would be great.

When I did my ice hockey cert, most of what I got from the course was not things directly about the game of hockey - it was the tips/tricks of how to teach people about hockey (or anything in general). Teaching is a skill.

One of the other benefits of a certified and comprehensive coaching course is it can teach a coach techniques to be effective, and protect _themselves_. Particularly any coach who is going to be looking after little kids or players of the opposite sex, you need to know what you can and can't do, and what you should do so you don't innocently put yourself in situations where you get mistaken for being innappropriate. Even high-up coaches in charge of national teams could do with these lessons - I've met a few, and I'm still not sure whether they're genuinely sleazy or just genuinely look it by mistake.

Anyway, IIHF, USARS, RHA, AAU, blah blah aside - standardised certified training courses = a goodness IMO.

[zipyaj]

Both in an IHC headline story and in their Feb. 18th email newsletter, USA Hockey InLine News stated, "starting with the 2009-10 season coaches will be required to have obtain a CEP (Coaching Education Program) level 1 or above to be allow to be on the bench during games or on the floor during practices."

The subject of Coach Certification has been touted over the years but it could appear it's becoming a national trend.

A thought... Coaches, why wait? Be proactive and start your certification processes. Then let's get the officials on board and help move this sport upward and onward.

Best!

[rhhof]

Required or not I try to go to a seminar or two every year to hear peoples opinions on the game (ice) and try to see how people run practices. Drill stealing is the number one thing that parents do as coaches and its OK...just being able to explain why certain things are done certain ways is better and it makes them a more credible resource, and thats what these seminars do - most level 1 seminars are taught by college or tier 1 hockey coaches that help everyone along with the basics and even get into preparation of practices and the tools you need - they are more than worth it!! I have spoken at a few and learned a lot just going to a presenting at the level 1 seminars...even stole a few drills...

This needs to be a mandatory thing for our sport based on basic liability but it also needs to be there to inform parents that step behind the bench a little about the game to know why they are yelling at the players, refs and so on - they would yell less if they knew more, so lets make it happen!

I'll go anywhere on the left side of the states to help....Let's all chip in to better our sport!!

[growl89]

Required or not I try to go to a seminar or two every year to hear peoples opinions on the game (ice) and try to see how people run practices. Drill stealing is the number one thing that parents do as coaches and its OK...just being able to explain why certain things are done certain ways is better and it makes them a more credible resource, and thats what these seminars do - most level 1 seminars are taught by college or tier 1 hockey coaches that help everyone along with the basics and even get into preparation of practices and the tools you need - they are more than worth it!! I have spoken at a few and learned a lot just going to a presenting at the level 1 seminars...even stole a few drills...

This needs to be a mandatory thing for our sport based on basic liability but it also needs to be there to inform parents that step behind the bench a little about the game to know why they are yelling at the players, refs and so on - they would yell less if they knew more, so lets make it happen!

I'll go anywhere on the left side of the states to help....Let's all chip in to better our sport!!

I think it's a great idea that coaches need to be certified. I just got my level 4 for ice hockey last september and I can tell you that it was one of the most interesting things that I have done in a while. They also just created a level 5 certification that I will be attending in MI in the fall. I have learned so many things about coaching from these seminars it's amazing. The first one or two are ok, once you get to the higher levels, they really start breaking the game down. Alot of it can be used for roller hockey as well, you just need to be creative.

But i think we (the inline community) should have a levels system like ice hockey does. And as the levels get older, the more certification is required. Lets actually teach these kids something...

[quick_dry]

I'd like that too, but I think it really works in ice because you have IIHF, and that is it, only one 'track' to follow.

[zipyaj]

In a topic-within-a-topic forum chat, I chimed in again on the topic of Coach Certication with others in "Ice vs. Inline, part 34" (see: http://inlinehockeycentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=65792 ). Not wanting to hijack (thanks, DannyG for the term) the emphasis of that thread, I am hopeful to re-motivate some additional commentary from the informed sources here on Inline Hockey Central on the needs, the Why's and How To's for Coaching Certification for Inline Hockey...

Consider if you will:

Coaches in youth hockey who think they know it all should get a clue and become better informed - the problem is, the one's who need it the most, don't get it.
~ Wally Shaver, Let's Play Hockey Newspaper
http://www.winterclub.com/rightthing.html

What you see is what you coached.
~ Al Bloomer, USA Hockey National Coach in Chief

The enjoyment and development of skills will outlast the wins.
~ Bob O’Connor, USA Hockey Director Emeritus, former National Coach in Chief

The goal is not to develop elite athletes but instead to make their hockey experience a good experience and something they want to continue for the rest of their lives. We don’t want 80% of the children to quit our sport by the time they are 14. We need to help them acquire the skills so that when they step on the ice they “want the puck and are able to do something constructive with it.” The top 1% of the players will go on to the top high school, junior, college and 10% of that 1% on to professional.
~Tom Molloy
Profile: http://hockeycoachingabcs.com/users.php?mode=profile&uid=30

Your thoughts?

Best!

[quick_dry]

How would you go about that? and I mean not just from an organisational perspective (easy - 'anyone who wanst to be a coach in league X must have certificate Y from doing course Z' ) but across the sport as a whole.

Are tere the coaching courses out there for inline? I know ice has them, I've just sent back my IIHF level 2 exam - hopefully next year I can do the IIHF Level 3 programme.

[zipyaj]

Hi Steven,
I don't begin to profess to have all the answers to your questions. While some would/have said that the folks who make the money from the sport should step up to the plate, I would ask that "we" consider all the elements of coaching and to coaching within the sport. Mainstream sports have been doing it for years. The Roller / Inline world looks largely to big brother Ice as an example. And just like the growth pyramid we place to grooming players from grassroots to the pinnacle, so it goes with coaches.

Case in point for Coach Orientation.
Using the marketing method of defining a User Persona...

Persona 1. The New "Volunteer Dad" Coach
[Name] is a young father of two. His oldest son, an 8 year old boy, wants to play organized roller hockey following his experiences with street hockey in the cul-de-sac with friends and neighbors. [Name] is not a hockey player. His sports-related experiences are in mainstream sports from little league and high school. [Name] wants his son to have the experience he asks for. [Name] does some Internet research and speaks with some acquaintances to find a local roller hockey rink. [Name] visits the rink web site to find out more about their new player programs. Somewhat disappointed in the details, he visits the rink for more information where he speaks with the front counter staff. Once satisfied for a starting program suited to his son and ready to pay for registration, [Name] discovers there are not enough available coaches at this level and his son must wait until another session or until more coaches become available. Proactive and volunteer-like in spirit wanting to help his son, [Name] signs on with the rink to coach and take on a team of boys and girls much like his son for the next season. [Name] is given a print out sheet of rules and equipment, a practice and game schedule and a roster of players. [Name] is now officially a Roller Hockey Coach.

The challenges posed with this Persona are easy to identify. The solutions, however may not be so easy. How many volunteer parents got their start in the sport this way? How many are still in the sport and what influences have they had?

Would it be mandatory for this Persona to be certified by a national entity, or would this Persona and his pupils be better served by a proficient indoctrination to the sport and to coaching by a qualified mentor?

If, for example, you learned from another and their teachings were actually faulty, would you know the difference from good or bad or go on teaching the same faulty lessons to others?

In the case of Persona 1, and in a challenge to Coaching Certification, is the basis for orientation purely sport-specific skills based?

There is a wealth of information available and organizations in place who focus on Coaching, and there are others whose focus is to sport-specific training & development.

Next?

[Alvare71]

I think we look into it to much, Any league should have a board, so one person is not in control and votes on all issues.

The bottom line being certified is great, But what if he is a horrible coach?

Now he is just a horrible coach that is certified!

Thats where the board comes in levels things out and does not give the coach full control.

I also believe is that inline teams are stuck with a coach most the time.......Hey Fire him, if he cant provide to teach the sport of roller hockey properly.

This is a very deep issue that is going to take more than just a certificate, but it is a step in the right direction.........2011 NO MORE!!! I can coach by watching NHL Replay!!!