Coaches

Start coaching in PEI
Becoming a CanSkate Coach is the first step in Skate Canada’s coach pathway.
In PEI, courses are offered when we have enough interest.
-
Minimum age: 15
-
Must be a Skate Canada registrant with a club
-
Skating level: 1 complete STAR 5 assessment
-
Step 1: complete the two eLearning modules
-
Step 2: attend the 2-day in-person course in PEI
-
Step 3: complete multi-sport modules + portfolio (within 3 years)
Coach hockey/ringette skating skills
PowerSkate is for coaches working with hockey or ringette players.
-
Minimum age: 15
-
Must be registered with Skate Canada (or a SC coach in good standing)
-
Must hold CanSkate Coach, Hockey Canada, or Ringette Canada NCCP
-
Step 1: eLearning (Part A)
-
Step 2: 2-day PowerSkate course in PEI
-
Step 3: multi-sport modules + portfolio (within 3 years)
Move from learn-to-skate to STAR
Regional Coach prepares you to coach STAR 1–5 and, once in-training, you may coach STAR 1–Gold in SC clubs/schools.
-
Must be a registered SC coach
-
Skating level: STAR 6 complete OR STAR 5 Freeskate + one other STAR 5
-
Must have already taken CanSkate 2-day course
-
Step 1: eLearning Parts A, B, C
-
Step 2: Regional in-person course in PEI
-
Step 3: portfolio (2 options) within 3 years
For coaches working with Pre-Novice / Novice (Train to Train)
-
Must be Regional Coach Certified
-
Must be registered and in good standing
-
Must complete discipline pre-course online, then virtual courses, then in-person cross-discipline in PEI
-
Must already have skaters/teams at the required level before you enroll in the portfolio
For coaches working with Junior/Senior podium pathway athletes
-
Must be Provincial Coach Certified
-
Complete ATTP, then Comp-Dev modules
-
Portfolio + 2 observations (training + competition) with the same Junior/Senior athlete/team
Become a coach with Special Olympics
For more information regarding Special Olympics coaching, please contact skatecanadapei@gmail.com .
Maintenance of NCCP Certification
The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) and Skate Canada recognize the value of having certified NCCP coaches that are engaged in professional development programs which reinforce the values of lifelong learning and sharing amongst the coaching community.
Skate Canada Coaches with an NCCP certification are required to obtain professional development (PD) points on a three-year cycle. PD points can be earned through a multitude of activities that coaches already participate in, including: national and provincial conferences and workshops, eLearning modules, NCCP workshops, coach mentorship programs, sports camps, and active coaching. In most cases coaches are already earning PD points -- Maintenance of Certification is simply tracking these points and recognizing coaches for their efforts. Cycle dates are individual to each coach and are based on the date a coach has earned a certified status. From the date of certification, a coach’s 3-year cycle will begin the following January.
Cycle dates are individual to each coach and are based on the date a coach has earned a certified status. From the date of certification, a coach’s 3-year cycle will begin the following January. For example:
- Coach A achieves a Regional Coach Certified status on February 2, 2017
- Coach A’s cycle will begin January 1, 2018, and run until December 31, 2021.
- Coach A is eligible to collect PD points from February 2, 2017, until December 31, 2021.
Tracking of all PD points is kept in your Locker. To determine your cycle dates, as well as your required points, log into your Locker profile.
Coaches Membership Responsibilities
Skate Canada Coaches with an NCCP certification are responsible for renewing their certified NCCP status to be considered a registered member “In Good Standing” with Skate Canada.
Should a coach not reach the required PD points prior to their expiry date, their status will become “not renewed” and would therefore be considered “Not In-Good Standing” and unable to coach on a Skate Canada ice or at competitions, until they fulfill their required PD points.
Coaches who hold an In-training or Trained NCCP status are required to maintain the necessary PD points of their last NCCP Certified, certification. (i.e. A National Coach In-training must maintain PD points required for Certified Provincial Coach)
Professional Development Points
The amount of points required per cycle is dependent on your highest certified status.
| NCCP Certification |
Professional Points Required |
| NCCP CanSkate Coach - Certified |
6 |
| NCCP PowerSkate Coach - Certified |
12 |
| NCCP Regional Coach - Certified |
12 |
| NCCP Provincial Coach - Certified |
12 |
| NCCP National Coach - Certified |
18 |
Note: Level 4 and Level 5 Certified Coaches must meet the PD points required of a Certified National Coach.
PD points are tracked in the Locker database. All registered events put forth by CAC (i.e. Sport Leadership Conference), a Provincial/Territory Coaching Representative (PT/CR; i.e. Multi-Sport modules), Skate Canada (i.e. Ice Summit) or a Skate Canada Section (i.e. AGM) are tracked by the responsible host body. Skate Canada coaches are responsible for tracking PD points such as Active Coaching and any Self-Directed learning in their own locker.
More information on active coaching and self-reporting PD activities can be found here
How to Earn Professional Development Points
Events that are organized by CAC, PT/CR, Skate Canada, and Skate Canada Sections will earn you PD points.
| Category |
Number of Points |
Maximum Points |
| NCCP Events |
5 points per event |
No maximum |
| Sport-Specific Non-NCCP Events |
1 point per hour (max. 3 points per event) |
No maximum |
| Multi-Sport Non-NCCP Events |
1 point per hour (max. 3 points per event) |
up to 50% of required points |
| Active Coaching |
1 point per year |
3 points per cycle |
| Self-directed Learning |
1 point per hour |
3 points per cycle |
PD Activity Examples
NCCP events:
- Attend an NCCP Course
- Complete an evaluation portfolio
- Complete CAC e-Learning modules
- Get re-evaluated in an NCCP context
Sport-specific non-NCCP events:
- Attend Skate Canada's Ice Summit
- Attend Skate Canada's Education Symposium
- Attend SDC Workshop/Seminar
- Complete Skate Canada's e-Learning modules
- Attend Section Seminar
- Serve on a Section Committee
Multi-sport non-NCCP events:
- Attend CAC’s Sport Leadership Conference
- Attend a conference of other sports seminar/workshops offered by your Provincial/Territorial Sport Organization
- Attend an event hosted by another National or Provincial Sport Organization
Active coaching:
- Earn one point each year you coach and register as a Skate Canada Professional Coach
Self-Directed Learning:
- Attend a post-secondary course
- First Aid Training
- Sport-related community activity