The 'UK Coaching certificate' is changing everything!

In the past each governing body for sport had developed their own unique coaching qualification structure which has resulted in a lack of harmonisation between sports throughout the UK and often between Wales and other Home Countries. The UK Coaching Certificate (UKCC) is an initiative to endorse coach education programmes across 31 sports within the UK. Whilst each sport will continue to have unique sports specific element, there are many elements of a coaching qualification that are similar across all sports, and therefore it is hoped that this concept can be used to adopt a standard approach to qualifications which will be endorsed and quality assured.

There will be a five level UK wide framework for coaching qualifications. To a coach this will mean:

• Any qualification you undertake will be recognised anywhere in the UK
• You can transfer your qualifications across to other sports more easily, and it will be transferable across the Home Countries
• The training provision will be quality assured
• There will be a quality assured administration and management structure in place

This will hopefully lead to a more professional and effective coach education system! The 31 selected sports are currently undergoing the process of re-aligning their existing coach education qualifications to the new standards. Each sport is at a different stage in this process, but the first twenty will be ready to deliver the qualifications by 2006.