Coaches
Why Become a Fencing Coach?
Fencing, whether considered a sport or a simple recreational activity, quickly gives beginners a passion for the sport. You may already coach at the community level or you’re thinking about coaching. Often, you’re a parent whose child is involved in a sport, or a volunteer who works with participants of all ages that are new to a sport. The objective is to give the beginners a good fencing base so that they experience the pleasure of practicing fencing, playing and having fun. The program that the AFA offers will instruct individuals to become Instructor Beginner Fencing Coaches.
Basic Registration to Becoming an AFA Registered Coach
Step 1
Create a Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) Account: NCCP Number – you will need this number for all the training and certifications that you pursue. Records of your work will be stored and updated in “The Locker”.
Step 2
Register as a coach and at minimum, an associate membership with the Canadian Fencing Federation and your Provincial Sport Organization (PSO).
- Complete the “Respect in Sport” training
- Send completed certification to info@fencing.ab.ca
- Complete a Criminal Background Check (must be renewed every 3 years)
- Send completed background check to info@fencing.ab.ca
Step 3
Complete CAC Module “Making Ethical Decisions” (Online Assessment)
There are 3 streams in the NCCP Pathway for coaches: Community, Instructional or Competitive.
You can view The Fencing & NCCP Coach Development Model for more detail.
This is designed for coaches working with participants who are being introduced to fencing in a learn to fence program, summer camp or school program. The focus is on group lessons and yellow armband skills. This workshop takes place over three training days of six hours each.
The Community Sport-Initiation context focuses on participants who are being introduced to a sport. In many sports this is very young children participating in the sport for the first time. In a few sports, initiation into the sport can occur with youth or adults. Participants get involved to meet new friends, have fun, and to learn a new activity. The role of the coach is to ensure a fun and safe environment and to teach the development of some of the “FUNdamentals” stage skills and abilities for participants. You can complete all 3 weapons or just the weapon of your choice.
Congratulations on your decision to become a Community Fencing Instructor! What’s next? Here are some steps you can take, at any time, to acquire general and sport specific coaching knowledge and skills. These links are a great resource for new developing coaches as well as experienced coaches. Good luck!
Four simple steps for becoming a Fencing Community Coach:
STEP 1) Complete the Basic Registration Requirements as mentioned above: CAC account/Respect in Sport/Criminal Background Check/Making Ethical Decisions and sign up for the next available NCCP Community Sport Coaching Workshop.
Once Step 1 is completed the designation is NCCP Fencing Community Sport- In Training (in your respective weapon(s))
STEP 2) Sign up for the next Multi-Sport Theory module offered by the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). The minimum age to take a Multi-sport NCCP workshop is 14 years old. This is necessary and provides general sport theory knowledge for all coaches. Complete the following 4 modules:
- Fundamental Movement Skills- Community Leader
- Making Ethical Decisions
- Teaching and Learning
- Planning a Practice
A list of all available multi-sport modules for interested coaches can be found here.
STEP 3) Sign up for the next NCCP Community Sport Coaching Workshop through the AFA below. This 18 hour course, which will likely take place over one or two weekends, will give you the foundation knowledge you need in sport specific knowledge (foil, epee or sabre) to become a Community Sport Coach. It is required that you have a pre-requisite of the Yellow Armband, in your weapon of choice, prior to this course. Part II of this course is the requirement to complete a Coaching Portfolio.
Once Step 3 is completed the designation is NCCP Fencing Community Sport- Trained (in your respective weapon(s))
STEP 4) Complete the Coach Portfolio requirements, within six months, which includes:
- Making Ethical Decisions (online assessment)
- Submit an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) to your Learning Facilitator/Evaluators
- Submit a video of your practice performing a) samples of Collective Training including warm-ups and group drills and b) a 12-minute video of Individual Training to your course Learning Facilitator
Once Step 4 is completed the designation is NCCP Fencing Community Sport- Certified (in your respective weapon(s))
This is designed for coaches working with participants who are experiencing fencing for the first time through a series of lessons. There is no focus on competition at this level – it is strictly about skill development. The focus is on group lessons in yellow and orange armband, with an introduction to the individual lesson as it pertains to the development of a technical or tactical skill. This workshop takes place over five training days of six hours each, and is recommended to be done over two separate weekends.
Instructors in the Instructor Beginner context are usually working with participants who are experiencing the sport for the first time through a series of lessons, there is no formalized competition at this level – it is strictly about skill development and there is a short time-frame of interaction between the instructor and the participant. You can complete all 3 weapons or just the weapon of your choice.
Four simple steps for becoming a Fencing Instructor Beginner Coach:
STEP 1) Complete the Basic Registration Requirements as mentioned above: CAC account/Respect in Sport/Criminal Background Check/Making Ethical Decisions and sign up for the next available NCCP Fencing Instructor Beginner Coaching Workshop 1 & 2. Both workshops must be completed in this stream.
Once Step 1 is completed the designation is NCCP Fencing Instructor Beginner- In Training (in your respective weapon(s))
STEP 2) Sign up for the next Multi-Sport Theory module offered by the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). The minimum age to take a Multi-sport NCCP workshop is 14 years old. This is necessary and provides general sport theory knowledge for all coaches. Complete the following 4 modules:
- Fundamental Movement Skills- Community Leader
- Making Ethical Decisions
- Teaching and Learning
- Planning a Practice
A list of all available multi-sport modules for interested coaches can be found here.
STEP 3) Sign up for the next NCCP Fencing Instructor Beginner Coaching Workshop 1 & 2 through the AFA below. Both workshops must be completed in this stream. This 36 hour course, which will likely take place over one or two weekends, will give you the foundation knowledge you need in sport specific knowledge (foil, epee or sabre) to become an Instructor Beginner Coach. It is required that you have a pre-requisite of Yellow and Orange Armband, in your weapon of choice, prior to this course. Part II of this course is the requirement to complete a Coaching Portfolio.
Once Step 3 is completed the designation is NCCP Fencing Instructor Beginner- Trained (in your respective weapon(s))
STEP 4) Complete the Coach Portfolio requirements, within six months, which includes:
- Making Ethical Decisions (online assessment)
- Submit an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) to your Learning Facilitator/Evaluators
- Submit a video of your practice performing a) samples of Collective Training including warm-ups and group drills and b) a 12-minute video of Individual Training to your course Learning Facilitator
Once Step 4 is completed the designation is NCCP Fencing Instructor Beginner- Certified (in your respective weapon(s))
This is designed for coaches who will be introducing fencers to competition. Coaches will work on planning, athlete support, performance analysis, the individual lesson (green and blue armband skills), and competition rules for their athletes. Coaches participating in this workshop should already have some experience giving individual lessons and it is highly recommended that they have completed Instructor-Beginner prior to this workshop. This workshop takes place over five training days of six hours each, and is recommended to be done over two separate weekends.
Four simple steps for becoming a Competitive Development Coach:
STEP 1) Complete the Basic Registration Requirements as mentioned above: CAC account/Respect in Sport/Criminal Background Check/Making Ethical Decisions and sign up for the next available NCCP Competitive Development Coaching Workshop 1 & 2. Both workshops must be completed in this stream.
Once Step 1 is completed the designation is NCCP Competitive Development- In Training (in your respective weapon(s))
STEP 2) Sign up for the next Multi-Sport Theory module offered by the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). The minimum age to take a Multi-sport NCCP workshop is 14 years old. This is necessary and provides general sport theory knowledge for all coaches. Complete the following 4 modules:
- Fundamental Movement Skills- Community Leader
- Making Ethical Decisions
- Teaching and Learning
- Planning a Practice
A list of all available multi-sport modules for interested coaches can be found here.
STEP 3) Sign up for the next NCCP Fencing Competitive Development Workshop 1 & 2 through the AFA below. Both workshops must be completed in this stream. This 36 hour course, which will likely take place over one or two weekends, will give you the foundation knowledge you need in sport specific knowledge (foil, epee or sabre) to become an Competitive Development Coach. It is required that you have a pre-requisite of Yellow and Orange Armband, in your weapon of choice, prior to this course. Part II of this course is the requirement to complete a Coaching Portfolio.
Once Step 3 is completed the designation is NCCP Competitive Development- Trained (in your respective weapon(s))
STEP 4) Complete the Coach Portfolio requirements, within six months, which includes:
- Making Ethical Decisions (online assessment)
- Submit an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) to your Learning Facilitator/Evaluators
- Submit a video of your practice performing a) samples of Collective Training including warm-ups and group drills and b) a 12-minute video of Individual Training to your course Learning Facilitator
Once Step 4 is completed the designation is NCCP Competitive Development- Certified (in your respective weapon(s))
- The Fencing & NCCP Coach Development Model
- Want to become an AFA Coaching Learning Facilitator/Coach Developer? Click Here.
- Want to become an AFA Coach Evaluator? Click Here.
- CFF Evaluation Criteria Guidelines for Coaches. Click Here.
- If you received any fencing certification Outside of Canada Coaching Evaluation Criteria. Click Here.
- Coaching Evaluation Fee Guide. Click Here.
- Evaluation Request Template. Click Here.
- For any questions regarding the NCCP Program or coaching in general, the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) website has you covered.
If you have any ideas, resources or links that would be valuable to our Coaching Community please send them to info@fencing.ab.ca and we can add them to this list.