Frequently Asked Questions
These FAQs have been compiled from www.coach.ca and specific inquiries from triathlon coaches.
Is the name of the program CBET or NCCP?
The program is called the NCCP or National Coaching Certification Program. The name of the program will not change. CBET or competency-based education and training is the methodology that is being implemented in the design of the improved NCCP.
What is CBET?
CBET stands for "Competency-based Education and Training". Embarking upon a transition toward a competency-based approach to coach training and certification means that the NCCP is moving toward being a program based on coaching abilities. In contrast, the current NCCP places a significant emphasis on gaining information and knowledge. In other words, once the transition to a competency-based approach is complete, the NCCP will be a program that certifies coaches based on proven abilities to DO certain things deemed important to meet the needs of the participants they coach. These changes will result in significant improvements to the NCCP.
How will a competency-based approach make the NCCP better?
Some of the key program improvements include: 1. A greater emphasis on coach abilities; certification based on a proven ability to DO versus simply to KNOW. 2. A structure for the program that is able to accommodate differences between sports, types of coaches, and environments in which coaches work. 3. Coach training and certification based on the needs of participants and as experiential as possible. 4. Coach training that introduces ethical coaching and safety for every type of coach, from community coaching to high performance. 5. Recognition for prior learning and abilities; opportunity is available for coaches to proceed directly to an evaluation if appropriate. The true beneficiaries of the changes to the NCCP will ultimately be the participants, when their coaches are trained and certified based on the things they need to be able to do to best support those they coach.
Why should a program that is the envy of so many other countries change? As a result of a thorough evaluation of the NCCP in 1995-96, incorporating feedback from many stakeholders including expert coaches from across Canada, some recommendations were made to improve the existing program. Coaches requested that there be recognition in our system for prior learning and abilities. They also wanted certification to be valid proof that a coach is competent, or able to meet the needs of their participants. Coaches also requested a program that is less knowledge-based and more know-how-based.
Is a competency-based approach the right one to improve the NCCP?
Many leading professional colleges whose mandate is to equip the learner with abilities (e.g. doctors, nurses, law enforcement officers) use a competency-based approach. This approach is not new to education - on the contrary, the NCCP is adopting the best practices of others who help people develop skills and provide certification. The results of the evaluation project revealed the need to move toward a program that more directly develops coaching skills. The path chosen is therefore consistent with what coaches and all NCCP partners indicated they wanted as well as with current trends in education.
Has the NCCP been developing competent coaches to date?
Some sports, through their Practical component of certification, evaluated the abilities of their coaches. However, this was not the case for most sports. The Practical component of the current model (Levels 1-3) was arguably the weakest of all the components.This is not to say that all coaches who are certified in the current model are incompetent. It is true, however, that in many cases, the NCCP has not evaluated whether a coach is competent or not. In other words, in the current program there is no way of validating whether a coach can do what is required of him/her in his/her coaching context.
