All coaches must be trained and accredited by the "Australian Track & Field Coaches Association" (AT&FCA). The AT&FCA is the agency charged by the Australian Athletics Association with the education and control of all athletics coaches in Australia. Similar programs exist in other countries.
The following is a guide to the hierarchy of coaching qualifications. For current information on coaching accreditation requirements, course content and prices please contact the Australian Track & Field Coaches Association (AT&FCA). The CLAC Coaching Officer would also be pleased to discuss, or provide further information on "Becoming a Coach".
Level 0 - Orientation To Coaching
(OTC)
This is the first level of coaching and there are no perquisites to this course. This course is a wonderful introduction to coaching and provides you with an insight as to what is required to become a coach. This course provides you with the practical hands on skills necessary for you to confidently assist in coaching at your local Little A's centre.
The only restriction of you as a coach is that the OTC is an introductory qualification where you cannot coach unsupervised. That is a Level 1 coach should be in attendance at all times when you are coaching. So during competition nights you can coach and at training sessions where other Level 1 coaches are present you can coach however you cannot coach sessions where you are not supervised.
Level 1
Basic
– (Level 1)
The OTC course is not a pre-requisite to be eligible to complete this course.
This course is the main coaching qualification held by coaches coaches generally. It is a sound course that provides the participant with the skills necessary to coach in confidence knowing they will be able to look after the athletes in their care. The Level 1 qualification means you are recognised as a coach not only within Little A's but at schools and the wider athletic community.
Level 1
– (By correspondence)
The QLAA also offers the level 1 course by correspondence. it is primarily designed for people in the country however it may suit your needs. Please click on the link for more information.
Event Specific –
(Level 1)
The event specific courses top up the skill sets of a level 1 coach to enable them to provide a better service to athletes. The level 1 course is a prerequisite to the event specific. Upon completion of the Level I young athlete course, applicants are then able to choose to undertake an Event Specific Level I of 12 hours duration. The event specific disciplines include; Sprints/Hurdles/Relays, Middle Distance & Race Walking, Throws and Jumps. The course is conducted over two weekends
Level II – (Level 2)
The Level II Course is designed to give the committed coach a broad background in the Sports Sciences, and a higher level of knowledge in one area of Track & Field Coaching.
Level III – (Level 3)
Level III – Senior Coach is the highest qualification currently available to Australian coaches. Candidates qualify in one event only. Applicants must have had extensive coaching experience at national level, and are expected to have a high standard of knowledge of Sport Science Theory and Training Theory related to their chosen event
Disclaimer
As we all know things change quickly and qualifications do as well. For current information on coaching accreditation requirements, course content and prices please contact the AT&FCA.