Hockey Alberta's Pathway to Coach Development
Hockey Alberta is celebrating coaches at every level of the sport during National Coaches Week.
As associations and teams across the province prepare for the 2021-22 season, one thing is certain - a coach’s development is never finished. In fact, coaches are the lifeblood of the hockey system. A good coach generally equals a great experience for the players.
In Alberta, development opportunities for hockey coaches are coordinated through Hockey Alberta’s Coaching Pathway, which focuses on philosophies appropriate for every level of player - from grassroots through to the elite level.
“Creating a really comprehensive coach development plan is really important. We have focused on a coaching pathway, and within that pathway, first and foremost, coach development does start at the local level,” said Justin Fesyk, Senior Manager of Hockey Development. “So, we want to create an environment where our associations put the amount of emphasis needed and support mechanisms in place to develop their coaches.”
Hockey Alberta’s Regional Managers - who are located around the province - can aid in the creation of an association’s Coach Development Plan. The Regional Managers also lead the implementation of National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) for hockey in Alberta, which is a requirement for all coaches. A full list of coaching requirements is available on the Hockey Alberta website.
Coach certification clinics are ongoing now across the province. For a current list of clinic dates and locations, go to the Hockey Alberta website.
Registration must be done online through HCR, with one of the requirements being that each coach must have an account in the new HCR 3.0 platform.
For more information on coach development opportunities available to associations, or for individual coaches, contact a Hockey Alberta Regional Manager.
For more information about Hockey Alberta’s coaching pathway and the opportunities within the province, check out an interview with Justin Fesyk (below), or tune into Episode 14 of the Centre Ice Podcast, which airs on Thursday, Sept. 22.
