Coaching Information

“What started as a way to spend time with my son, has become a hobby that I love.” -Coach Coordinator Rob Kienitz.

Coaches are parents, teachers, neighbours – and ethical leaders in their communities.*

Basic Coaching Skills

At the outset, it’s less important to possess the technical skills of a specific sport than to bring your enthusiasm and passion to the role. You may already have some key coaching skills, including:

  • Enthusiasm, positivity, and the ability to improvise
  • Communication and interpersonal skills
  • Effective leadership and team building 
  • Problem-solving and critical thinking

Coaches quickly develop other coaching skills once they’ve started on their pathway.

Coaches aim to:

  • Encourage participants to be active and have fun
  • Plan purposeful practices and create engaging activities
  • Help participants develop sport skills
  • Provide constructive criticism to help participants improve performance
  • Mange problems by making ethical decisions
  • Enable safe participation through a safe environment
  • Teach participants how to respect themselves, others, and their sport.

In the meantime, there are many ways to familiarize yourself with the many rewards that coaching brings. For example:

  • Talk to a coach you know
  • Help with your child’s team so you can observe, ask questions, and build your own skills
  • Sign up to coach with a friend to learn together
  • Volunteer with a team in your community

Coaching Requirements: The Breakdown.

  1. The Basics – before stepping on a field.
    1. No experience/knowledge necessary, you will learn about football basics in “e”.
    2. Coach.ca  requirements;
      1. Sign up in  The Locker. You will get an NCCP#
      2. Take “Making Head Way”.
        1. Log into the locker.
          1.  E-learning
          2.  “Making Head Way”
          3. Scroll to bottom of page, right hand side, “football”
    3. Contact Rob our Coach Coordinator.
      1. Have your National Coaches Certification Number (NCCP#)
      2. Have a pleasant conversation to find where you would like to help in our organization.
    4. Police vulnerable sector check
      1. Receive volunteer support letter from CBFA
      2.  Online police check $15
    5. Community Coach Initiation (Novice Coach)
      1. Coach Coordinator will give you a prepaid code.
      2. This is the basic football knowledge workbook.
      3. On the last page you must click the link on the picture to complete.
      4. Inform Coach Coordinator when complete.
      5. Coach Coordinator will inform you of clinics to complete this course.
    6. Safe Contact – All coaches are required to take this course.
      1. Safe Contact is a “Heads up” approach to tackling.
      2. Coach Coordinator will inform you of dates to go to a clinic and complete a Safe Contact course. (you will be reimbursed)
      3. We would like all trainers to have it also, but it is not required.
    7. Sign the appropriate Code of Conduct.
    8. The above is the bare minimum to step on to the field.
    9. Submit receipts to Coach Coordinator for reimbursement.
  2. Trainers
    1. Have a minimum of Standard First Aid.
    2. Complete “The Basics” above.
    3. PeeWee and Bantam level
      1. You will be asked to complete a Sport Taping and Strapping Course.
      2. Submit receipt for reimbursement to Coach Coordinator.
    4. Novice and Atom
      1. Basic First Aid will suffice.

Simplified NCCP Coaching Pathways

As a community coach we acknowledge the time and effort you put in to help our players and parents learn and understand the great game of football.  After completing our Basic Requirements to coach, If you would like to increase your understanding of the game there are certification levels for coaches. At the PeeWee and Bantam levels we would appreciate our coaches to become TRAINED in the “Competition – Introduction, Position Coach” Pathway.

Capital District Minor football Association(CDMFA) has started an annual clinic, the “Community Sport Initiation Workshop” module is available at this Clinic, along with Minor Football related breakouts.

Every year(march?)  the U of A has put on a coaches Clinic. We like to send coaches here to learn, and to become NCCP certified in the “Competition – Introduction” pathway.  This clinic is mostly geared towards 12man football at high school and above competition levels.  The skills and drills learned at these clinics can be applied at any level of football.

Here is a very simplified National Coaches Certification Program(NCCP) Pathways explained.

IN TRAINING = Have not completed everything yet.

TRAINED = Have attended the clinic, and completed modules.

CERTIFIED = Have taken the extra step and been certified by an instructor. 

Community coach  (Novice, Atom, PeeWee, Bantam)

  1.  Complete our coaches requirements
  2.  You can stop here.

Competition – Introduction, Position Coach  (PeeWee, Bantam)

  1. Complete our coaching requirements.
  2. Attend a Competition introduction workshop. (2 positions/clinic)
  3. Become TRAINED in your chosen Position.
  4. You can stop here.  This is asked because of the modules included in the Comp – Intro Course.  Making ethical decisions, Planning a Practice, Long Term Athletic Development.
  5. Become a CERTIFIED Position Coach.

Want more? Coordinators are mentors and organize position coaches below them.

  1. Take a Competition – Introduction, Coach Coordinator Course.
  2. Become TRAINED as a Coach Coordinator.
  3. This is a good place for our Head Coaches, but not required.
  4. Become a CERTIFIEDCertified Coach coordinator.

Even more?   Head coach Certification is beyond Buffaloe Football needs.

  1. Take a Head Coach Course.
  2. Become TRAINED as a Head Coach.
  3. Become a CERTIFIED Head Coach
  4. Apply for Jobs at Higher level Football Teams.
  5. Remember the Buffaloes and help us, help our athletes even more. 

Coach.ca and Football Canada are great resources for Football Coaches to learn and grow.

Any Questions please contact our Coach Coordinator.

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