PROGRAM OVERVIEW:
Coaches attend a nine (9) hour course, which reviews the basic tools they will need in the areas of leadership, communication, teaching skills, and lesson planning. All this is taught with the special considerations of the youngest athletes in mind. the course includes a two (2) hour ice session that demonstrates these concepts in a practical setting.

Coaches certified in the Initiation Program receive a series of four manuals that provide progessive practice plans. The practice plans are tailor-made for teaching the beginner to ensure their first experience with hockey is fun and positive. These manuals eliminate much of the planning necessary to ensure a fun and effective practice and remove much of the demand from coaches who often find themselves with little time to plan their practices.

PARTICIPANTS:
The Initiation Program is a required course for coaches working with Novice and Pre-Novice players (9 year olds and younger), however, it is not necessarily targeted to the inexperience coach. This exceptional program shows coaches how to teach hockey's basic skills while keeping the theme of their practices with an emphasis on "fun".

CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Certification is based soley on attendance.
There is no pre-requisite to the Initiation Program. Participants who succussfully complete the Initiation Program will receive an Initiation Program Certification card from Hockey Alberta.

National Coaching Certification Program

Coach Level

Overview

The NCCP Coach Level course is the new first level of the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). This new Coach Level course follows thecompetency based education and training method of learning and is an excellent course for all new and recreational level coaches. The NCCP Coach Level will provide an introduction to player development and will teach coach knowledge, skills and attitudes in the following areas:

· How to communicate effectively with athletes and parents.
· How to support the athlete in a team environment.
· How to support the athlete in the training environment.
· How to support the athlete in a practice environment.
· How to support the athlete in a game environment.

The NCCP Coach level emphasizes basic skills and the importance of having players develop confidence, self-esteem and a love for the game. The course also incorporates the official teaching curriculum of the Canadian Hockey Association and Hockey Alberta with the Nike Skills Series curriculum. This course is conducted as an eight (8) hour day of classroom activity. At the conclusion of the course, the coaches have completed the Pre Task and In Class Component of the NCCP Coach Level certification. Full certification at this level requires coach completing the assigned Post Task.

Who Should Attend?

All coaches who are coaching Atom level and above hockey players should attend the NCCP Coach Level clinic. All teams wishing to participate in Hockey Alberta Provincial play must have a coach who attended the NCCP Coach Level on the bench in all games (For levels except Bantam AAA and Midget AAA).

Certification Requirements

Certification is based on three (3) core components: Seminar Pre-task, In-class course work and Post-class course work. There is no pre-requisite to the NCCP Coach level. Participants who attend the NCCP Coach level will receive a verification of attendance card.

Participants who successfully complete all three (3) components of the NCCP Coach level will receive a NCCP certificate verifying certification.

Canadian Hockey Safety Program

OBJECTIVES:
To provide training and development to safety persons and trainers in the areas of Risk Management.
To provide update information regarding safe equipment, ie. Mouth Guards, Helmets, Shoulder Pads, etc.
To enable participants to become a stronger contributing member of a team effort, develop self-confidence and experience a sense of achievement.

PARTICIPANTS:
The program is open to all volunteers who have been designated as the safety person for a team of any level. Volunteers include coaches, assistant coaches, parents and managers who are interested in developing their skills and knowledge in the area of bench and dressing room safety.
Please note that all team registered with Hockey Alberta must have one (1) person registered to their team that has completed the Canadian Hockey Safety Program (CHSP) and be at all games.

CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Certification is based on 100% attendance at a CHSP clinic. Participants who successfully complete the program will receive a certification card. There is no pre-requisite or equivalency to this program.

Speak Out Against Abuse & Harassment

Program Overview:

The ultimate goal of the program is to educate and inform all coaches and volunteers as to how to protect the participants from all forms of abuse and neglect, whether emotional, physical or sexual. It is an educational program to impact on the attitudes, skills and knowledge of the coach/instructor that will result in a safe, sportsmanship environment for all participants.

Objectives:

To provide coaches and volunteers with the tools to identify and define abuse and harassment.
To know the difference between abuse and harassment.
To understand and apply prevention strategies.
To apply response skills to abuse and harassment.
To demonstrate a positive attitude towards becoming leaders in establishing safe, sportsmanlike environments for all players.

Participants:

The program is open to all volunteers and coaches for a team of any level.

Please note that all teams registered with Hockey Alberta must have one (1) person registered to their team officials attend and complete the Speak Out Program and be on the bench at all games.

Certification Requirements:

Certification is based on 100% attendance at a Speak Out Clinic. Participants who successfully complete the program will receive a certification card. There is no pre-requisite to this program.