After spending years completing all of the soccer coaching courses under the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), I was intrigued as to what is the coaching pathway in various other countries.
So I did some research on the coaching pathway in Canada and found some information that will be useful for all aspiring coaches, in Canada, who are looking to get started as a soccer coach.
There are two pathways to becoming a soccer coach in Canada, either through the Grassroots Coach Education Program or the Licensing Stream Pathway route.
Under the Grassroots Coach Education program, there are four workshops based on stages 1, 2, 3, and 7 that include the following courses:
- Active Start Workshop
- FUNdamentals Workshop
- Learn to Train Workshop
- Soccer for Life Workshop
The alternative way is through the Licensing Stream Pathway which include the courses such as:
- C Licence
- Children’s Licence / Youth Licence
- B Licence
- A Licence
The difference between the two pathways is, the Grassroots Coach Education program is for coaches who want to coach teams where the emphasis is based more on a fun and social setting.
In contrast, the Licensing Stream Pathway is aimed at coaches who want to work their way into in a professional setting, whether that is with an academy or a professional club.
Even though the information above shows the courses available, it is also important to know which route is best suited to you.
In this blog I am going to explain the details, the requirements and costs of each individual course to help guide you on the correct path.
Let’s begin with the Grassroots education Program courses.
In all of the courses in this route, there are no prerequisites to enroll on any of the courses whilst there are also no formal evaluations. Coaches completing all the expectations in the course will be classified as a trained coach .
Active Start Workshop
A 1.5 hour online training course followed by a 2-hour practical on field workshop that is aimed for coaches of U4 to U6 players.
Cost: $20
FUNdamentals Workshop
Created for coaches of boys U6-U9 and girls U6-U8, the course comprises 1.5 hours online training along with a 3 hour practical Workshop. There are some additional Workshops, regarding first aid and ethics that coaches will need to complete.
Cost: $20
Learn to Train Workshop
Aimed for coaches of boy U9-U12 and girls U8-U11. The course includes 2 hours of online training prior to a 4 hour practical Workshop. As with the previous Workshop, there are some additional Workshops to be completed.
Cost: $30
Soccer for Life Workshop
Intended for coaches of boys U13+ and girls U12+, it involves 2 hours of online training, a 4 hour practical Workshop and additional small Workshops (as in previous Workshops).
Cost: $30
So that is the Grassroots Coach Education Program, now here are the details for the Licensing Stream Pathway.
C Licence
Course Duration: A minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 18 months work, which contains the following:
- 4-day, in-person workshop
- Course work
- Demonstration of competency
Course summary: The C Licence workshop is the entry level course for the Licensing Stream pathway and so there are no prerequisites.
Cost: Decided by the Territorial Member Association
Children’s Licence
Course Duration: 9 days of in person workshops, online modules and a video evaluation process.
Course Objectives: The Children’s Licence has been built as an A Licence equivalent for coaches working with children between the ages of 5-12. The Licence is designed to provide coaches with the confidence and the ability they need to create the best development environments for as many players as possible at their club/academy.
The Children’s Licence content involves theoretical and practical components focusing on children’s development in soccer. The workshop covers content including:
- Practice Theory
- Social/Emotional Development of Children
- Challenging Players
- Developing Creativity
- Talent Identification and Development
- The Role of Maturation in Youth Soccer
- Small-Sided Games
- Grouping Players
- Appropriate Competition
Enrollment Criteria
- Canada Soccer ‘C’ Licence (or higher certification)
- Active Start, Fundamentals and Learn to Train Community Stream Workshops
Cost: $1,800
A-Youth Licence
Course Duration: the A-Youth Course is delivered over a period of 12-18 months, which includes the following:
- Online modules;
- 4 or 5 in-person workshops blocks (3 to 4 days in length);
- Classroom, field and online course work;
- In situ demonstrations of competency recorded and submitted via video
Course Description: The Youth Licence workshop is the Development Stream pathway for coaches working with players between the ages of 13-18.
Enrollment Criteria
- Canada Soccer C Licence certified
- Currently in a coaching role
- Previous coaching experience
- Endorsement of Provincial/Territorial Member Association and current club/academy;
- Candidates may be required to complete an interview process
Cost: $3000
B Licence
Course Duration: A minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 18 months work, which contains the following:
- Online modules
- In situ demonstrations of competency recorded and submitted via video
- Online course work
- Video mentorship with a Canada Soccer Learning Facilitator
Course Description: The B Licence workshop is the first step on the Performance Stream pathway and prepares the coach to progress to the Canada Soccer A Licence. The B Licence continues the development of a coach to work successfully with senior players in the performance stream.
You should already be working with players aged 18+ in a University, College or Club/Academy setting.
Enrollment Criteria
- Canada Soccer C Licence certified;
- Current coaching role;
- Previous coaching experience;
- Endorsement of Provincial/Territorial Member Association and current club/academy;
- Candidates may be required to complete an interview process.
Cost: $1,500 (Theory) + $1,500 (Practical)
A Licence
Course Duration: The A Licence program takes a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 18 months work. This includes the following:
- Online modules
- In situ practical sessions
- 5-day residential workshop
- Online course work
- Demonstrations of competency
- Video mentorship
Course Description: The A Licence workshop is the second step on the Performance Stream pathway and prepares the coach to progress to the Canada Soccer Pro Licence. The course is aimed for coaches currently coaching players aged 18+ in a University, College or Professional Club environment.
Enrollment Criteria
- Current coaching role
- Valid Canadian coaching qualifications
- Previous coaching experience
- Endorsement of Provincial/Territorial Member Association and current club/academy
- Candidates may be required to complete an interview process
Cost: $4,000
Pro Licence
The launch of this new course was delayed and so at the moment of writing this blog (August 2021), there are no details available yet on this course.
If you are considering becoming a coach, you might want to know about the following topics:
- Why should I consider being a soccer coach?
- How do I start?
- What is the role and responsibilities of a soccer coach?
Why should I consider being a soccer coach?
Everyone has their own reasons for becoming a soccer coach, and to be honest it is a personal thing. However, I will share my reasons why I believe coaching is a fantastic opportunity that you should consider.
Being a soccer coach can be one of the most rewarding jobs on Earth. You get to help young people develop their skills and discover a love for the number 1 sport in the world, while building character at the same time. Not only that, but coaching sometimes pays well as many coaches are paid by their club/organization.
How do I start?
If you would like to take that first step into coaching but you do not know where to begin then simply try these:
- Go online and search for all the soccer clubs in your area
- May be go and visit to see which you would prefer to join (although you do not have the option of being too picky at this stage)
- Call or email the clubs in your area and ask if they are looking for any coaches or help (you might have to accept helping in a non coaching role first but at least you will have one foot in the door)
- Be proactive, go and observe other coches, and try to make contacts when you visit local clubs
What is the work schedule of a soccer coach?
The work schedule of a soccer coach varies from one team to the next. Furthermore, it also depends on the level that you are coaching as well, grassroots level or professional setting, for example.
In general, the typical roles and responsibilities will include:
- Planning the long-term, short-term and individual training sessions
- Organizing equipment
- Being responsible for the player’s safety
- Assessing players progress
- Communicating with parents
Other responsibilities that may be expected as you become involved at a higher level could include:
- Team and player analysis
- Supervising other coaching members of the your particular club
- Being a club coordinator
- Being a mentor for less experienced coaches
- Player recruitment
These are just some of the duties that might be expected of a coach.
ROUND-UP
There are many coaching certification options available for you to choose from. Whichever you decide on, make sure that it fits your needs and requirements for the future as a soccer coach!
I hope this blog post was helpful and if you decide to enroll on a course, good luck!