The United States Sports Academy recently became a member of the National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education (NCACE). The NCACE promotes and facilitates coaching competence within all levels of amateur sport by overseeing and evaluating the quality of coaching education programs. The NCACE endorses comprehensive standards for sports practitioners, including volunteer, interscholastic, collegiate, and elite coaches. (NCACE, 2016)
The NCACE also grants accreditation to coaching educational programs that meet or exceed the National Standards for Sport Coaches and the NCACE Accreditation Guidelines. Accreditation status is awarded when a coaching education program (CEP) successfully demonstrates that its collective program meets all 40 standards of the National Standards for Sports Coaches. (NASPE, 2006)
The NCACE recognizes that there is a unique body of knowledge vital to enabling sport coaches to effectively perform their many roles. Formal coaching education programs are a primary tool for transferring such information to new and developing coaches, while also ensuring that practicing coaches acquire and maintain the critical knowledge and skill standards set by their respective organizations leadership. (NCACE, 2016)
The United States Sports Academy will be working toward its accreditation over the next few years and meet the requirements. The first step in the process of becoming a member has already been completed. There will be more information forthcoming as USSA meets the requirements for accreditation.
28 January 2016
Dr. Bret Simmermacher DSM is the Chair of Sports Coaching at the USSA. He can be reached at <bsimmer@ussa.edu>
National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2006). Quality coaches, quality sports: National standards for sport coaches (2nd ed.). Reston, VA: AAHPERD Publications.
National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education. (2016, January 27) Retrieved from http://www.qualitycoachingeducation.org