Advanced Certificate in Coaching Science

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to provide learners with knowledge and skills needed to specialise in professional practice as a coach or senior coach at high school or club level. This qualification ensures that knowledge-building scaffolds on existing exercise science and coaching-based knowledge by ensuring relevant theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed for specialisation as a coach. A qualifying learner who has achieved the assessment criteria of this qualification will be able to:

• Demonstrate a specialised knowledge of exercise science which informs the design of a coaching plan, including long term development plans for apparently healthy participants who wish to improve their performance, or participate in sport.
• Ensure that theoretical knowledge informs professional practise in the design and implementation of sport coaching programmes.
• Plan, develop and manage a sport coaching programme for a sports participant.
• Apply current science and research to inform decision-making in the context of participants needs and their sport performance goals.
• Demonstrate knowledge of ethical practice, professional scope of practice and referral in line with professional standards.
• Understand the rules and governance of their chosen sport.
• Apply business and management practices to run and administer a coaching business, sports team or event.

Rationale

The Advanced Certificate in Coaching Science responds to the continuing growth of the sport sector and the establishment of the professional body for coaching practitioners under the auspices of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). SASCOC ensures international benchmarking and internationally agreed standards for coaching professionals through its association with associated international sporting bodies.

This qualification meets the SASCOC standards for coaching practitioners, specifically for the professional designation of Coach and Senior Coach. Thus it addresses the increasing need for specialisation in the sport coaching sector, in either a performance or participation setting. It acknowledges that as the profession expands and grows its social identity, its professional designations and their concomitant theoretical and vocational knowledge requirement increases. This qualification aims to:

• Ensure that the professional practices of sport coaches adhere to current principles of exercise science.
• Develop the appropriate knowledge and skills for professional practice in sport and coaching (to encourage participation or performance) at a specific coaching level.
• Enhance the professional standards of coaching practitioners by ensuring understanding of and commitment to working within a scope of practice that gives credibility to their profession. Align the education and training for coaching professionals to the international sport and fitness community, and with the national federation.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The policy for Recognition of Prior Learning caters for a number of categories of RPL

• Recognition of informal work-based knowledge and skills to enable access to a qualification.
• Recognition of prior formal learning credits to enable access to a qualification.
• Recognition of prior informal learning to enable achievement of the qualification.

The policy caters comprehensively for RPL with instruments designed for the assessment of evidence from a range of environments as well as mechanisms for the evaluation of learners' formal and informal learning and the applicability of credit transfer to this qualification.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• A Higher Certificate at Level 5 or Equivalent.

This qualification consists of compulsory and elective modules at Level 6 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules; 95 Credits

• Coaching Skills, 25 Credits.
• Coaching Science, 35 Credits.
• Sport Development, 10 Credits.
• Coaching Management, 15 Credits.
• Applied Coaching Capstone, 10 Credits.

Elective Modules, 25 Credits (Choose one)

• Coaching Cricket, 25 Credits.
• Coaching Football, 25 Credits.
• Coaching Hockey, 25 Credits.
• Coaching Netball, 25 Credits.
• Coaching Rugby, 25 Credits.

1. Understand how to identify, plan, and implement a skills training programme to improve technical performance.
2. Identify and assess correct/incorrect technique and plan and implement a corrective programme.
3. Coach a chosen sport by applying professional coaching principles.
4. Apply business and management principles to run and administer a business or sports events.
5. Manage administrative, health, safety, risk and legislative responsibilities in coaching.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Demonstrate an understanding of planning and implementing sessions to meet the needs and goals of the participant/s and the sport.
• Assess skills in term of their technical correctness, and draw up a programme to correct the faults.
• Identify sport specific skills as being of importance.
• Manage a skill training programme.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Draw up exercises/drills to improve the technical execution of a movement.
• Implement programmes to plan, manage and improve the development of the correct technical skill.
• Draw up correct drills to improve the skill.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Apply relevant communication techniques to sport coaching.
• Apply knowledge of motivation and motivation techniques to sport coaching.
• Apply psychology principles in the context of sport and mental skills training.
• Demonstrate roles and responsibilities of coaching according to the codes of conduct and professional standards of a chosen sport.
• Implement coaching within a sport code, using effective methods of instruction, drills, and equipment that enhance sport skills.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Identify methods for establishing a coaching business in terms of correct business administrative procedures.
• Demonstrate management principles and apply them to a touring team.
• Understand management processes against the background of a sports club or facility.
• Plan and run a business through sound financial management.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Plan and organise sport programmes for beginner to intermediate levels in consideration of safety and risk factors.
• Demonstrate knowledge of values and ethics in terms of professional conduct and codes of practice.

Integrated Assessment

Integrated assessment at the level of qualification provides an opportunity for learners to show that they are able to integrate concepts, ideas, and actions to achieve knowledge and skills that are coherent to the purpose of this qualification. Integrated assessment judges the quality of the observable performance and the quality of the critical thinking and problem solving that underpins the performance.

Assessment tools encourage learners to give an account of the thinking and decision-making that underpins their performance. Assessment includes a range of tasks which ensure that learners demonstrate their theoretical knowledge and practical skills in sport conditioning. The ratio between action and interpretation is not fixed, but varies according to the modules within this qualification.

Knowledge is assessed through ongoing class tests, semester exams and assignments. Practical skills are demonstrated through practical projects, demonstrations, skill tests, and simulations. Learners demonstrate sport and exercise conditioning skills, using relevant equipment and demonstrating appropriate skills of training modality being taught. Projects show how learners work with participants or athletes, preparing sport conditioning programmes, monitoring and adapting programmes according to the needs of participants/athletes.

Learners gain experience in sport coaching environments, with schools or sport clubs, achieving relevant theoretical knowledge and skill-based outcomes. Hours are logged according to set criteria and practical capabilities are assessed. Assessed evidence indicate the competencies, the knowledge requirements and practical skills.