Besides teachers and parents, who spends evenings, weekends — countless hours a year — working with children under the age of 18? Coaches.
“Coaching is one of the most influential professions in the world,” said Mark Stanbrough, director of Emporia State University’s coaching education program.
The United States Center for Coaching Excellence recently announced ESU successfully re-accredited its coaching education program. ESU has the only USCCE accredited coaching education program in Kansas and is one of only 12 universities accredited in the US. Emporia State University originally accredited its coaching program in 2012.
“Coaches, as teachers and mentors of athletes, must aspire to achieve high standards and acquire necessary skills and knowledge to do so. Emporia State University Coaching Education provides valuable opportunities for coaches to develop the appropriate skills and knowledge to function successfully as a coach that values the overall development of athletes, Stanbrough said.
Nationwide, less than five percent of volunteer coaches in community-based programs receive any coach education. Less than eight percent of school coaches receive any coaching education.
Coaches have an opportunity to make a positive, transformational difference in the lives of people they work with, according to Stanbrough. “A well-trained coach has the knowledge, understanding and the ability to implement the National Standards for Sport Coaches. The coaching standards reflect the fundamental competencies that administrators, athletes, and the public should expect of sport coaches.”
According to a statement from USCCE and the National Committee for the Accreditation of Coaching Education, “Emporia University State clearly stands out as a leader in the United States in the preparation of coaches and we commend Dr. Mark Stanbrough, Director of Coaching Education, for his work in providing a standard-based approach to educating future coaches and his commitment to quality coach education.”
Through this accreditation process, NCACE ensures that the program adheres to the characteristics of excellence as prescribed by SHAPE America’s “National Standards for Sport Coaches,” second edition. These standards feature eight domains of coaching responsibilities and within them, 40 standards and subsequent benchmarks representing the body of knowledge associated with each coaching responsibility and provide concrete examples of actions and orientations that constitute coaching competence.
About the United States Center for Coaching Excellence and the National Committee for Accreditation of Coaching Education
The United States Center for Coaching Excellence is the premier authority on coaching education in the United States, providing coaching education programming support and accreditation of program through NCACE. NCACE offers accreditation and national recognition to sport organizations and institutions responsible for the preparation of coaches at any and all levels of sport. The rigorous review process ensures alignment with SHAPE America’s National Standards for Sport Coaches, and that coaches are trained to effectively meet the unique developmental needs of every athlete. Through forward-thinking leadership and our team of expert reviewers, the USCCE is uniquely positioned to provide the highest quality, empirically-based guidance for the creation, implementation and evaluation of coaching education programs.
For more information, visit NCACE http://www.qualitycoachingeducation.org or the USCCE http://www.uscoachexcellence.org/