Guiding Coaches, Supporting Growth
Coaching in archery is more than just teaching technique—it’s about progression, specialization, and personal development. Whether you’re starting as a community sport coach or advancing to a performance-level competition coach, our structured coaching pathway ensures that every coach receives progressive training and certification to enhance their skills and support athletes effectively.
Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the Coaching Pathways and the levels of certification, along with how regional support can assist you in reaching your coaching goals.
Coaching Pathways in Archery
There are three primary coaching streams in archery:
Community Coaching– Coaching at the grassroots level, introducing new archers to the sport.
Instructional Coaching – Teaching ongoing skill development and preparing archers for structured practice.
Competition Coaching – Preparing archers for high-level performance and competition.
Each pathway follows a progressive certification model, guiding coaches through:
🔹 In-Training → Trained → Certified
Once certified, coaches may continue to specialize in different archery disciplines based on their interests and expertise.
1. Community Sport Coaching (Foundation Level)
Introducing new participants to archery & promoting ongoing participation.
Coaching Progression:
✅ Initiation → Teaching basic archery skills in a safe & inclusive environment.
✅ Ongoing Participation → Supporting archers with continued engagement and development.
✅ Community Sport Certification → Becoming a fully certified coach to work with beginner-level athletes.
Who is this for?
✔ Parents, teachers, and volunteers introducing newcomers to archery.
✔ Individuals looking to support club-based programs and community events.
2. Instructional Coaching (Skill Development Level)
Bridging the gap between recreational and competitive archery.
Coaching Progression:
✅ Certified Community Sport Coaches can advance to Beginner’s Certification.
✅ Beginner’s Certification provides additional tools for structured training sessions and skill refinement.
✅ Coaches may specialize in different age groups or training methodologies.
Who is this for?
✔ Coaches working with archers who want to refine their technique.
✔ Those preparing archers for club-level competitions.
3. Competition Coaching (High-Performance Level)
Developing archers for national and international competitions.
Competition Introduction → Performance Coaching
There is no intermediate level; instead, certified instructional coaches can move into the Competition Coaching Stream, which consists of:
✅ Competition Introduction – Training athletes for their first competitions.
✅ Competition for Performance Coaches – Developing high-level archers for elite performance.
✅ Specialization – Coaches may choose a specific discipline focus (e.g., Recurve, Compound, 3D Archery).
Who is this for?
✔ Coaches preparing athletes for provincial, national, and international events.
✔ Individuals looking to specialize in a coaching discipline.
Certification Pathways
Understanding the Archery Coaching Certification Pathway
The Archery Coaching Certification Pathway ensures that every coach, from grassroots volunteers to high-performance trainers, follows a structured progression in their coaching journey. This pathway is designed to provide coaches with progressive training, hands-on experience, and official recognition as they develop their skills.
✅ Three Main Levels:
🔹 In-Training – Coaches begin learning the fundamentals through NCCP courses.
🔹 Trained – Coaches complete workshops and practice under mentorship.
🔹 Certified – Coaches demonstrate competency through evaluations and assessments.
As coaches advance through the levels, they can specialize in community coaching, instructional development, or high-performance competition coaching, tailoring their training to support archers at different stages.
Whether you’re introducing new archers to the sport, guiding athletes through skill development, or preparing elite competitors, this pathway provides the education, experience, and credentials needed to succeed.
New Coaching Progression Levels in Archery
The coaching pathway in Alberta has evolved, introducing a new structured system that ensures coaches progress with the right training, experience, and specialization. Each level builds on the previous one, ensuring coaches are fully prepared before advancing to the next stage.
Below is a breakdown of the new coaching progression system, including timelines and certification requirements.
1. Community Coaching Workshop (Entry Level)
This is now the required starting point for ALL new coaches, including juniors and beginners.
✅ What is it?
- The new entry-level coaching for anyone looking to start coaching in archery.
- Focuses on teaching foundational skills and promoting community-based archery programs.
✅ Who is this for?
✔ New coaches of all ages.
✔ Coaches working with recreational and entry-level archers, clubs, school groups, summer camp programs, outreach, short term programs and more.
✔ Volunteers, parents, and community leaders introducing people to archery.
✅ Alberta based Requirements & Completion Timeline
- Alberta Coaches must complete certification within 3 months (instead of 12 months).
- This level is mandatory before moving on to the next stage, in addition to the previous requirements.
- Completion of “Coach Initiation in Sport” LMS Module (Located in the NCCP Locker)
- Completion of “Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders” https://archerycanada-al.respectgroupinc.com/
- Safe Sport (Located in the NCCP Locker)
- Completion of “Making Ethical Decisions” found on the Alberta Sport and Recreation Calendar
2. Instructor of Beginners
The Instructor of Beginners is designed for beginner coaches looking to immerse themselves into the sport full time.
✅ What is it?
- The next level certification in coaching development.
- Focuses on structured training sessions, athlete skill development, and pre-competition readiness.
- Designed for coaches supporting club-level and early-stage competitive archers.
✅ Who is this for?
✔ Certified Community Sport Coaches looking to advance.
✔ Coaches working with local and basic provincial competitions.
✔ Those preparing athletes for structured training and entry-level competition.
✅ Requirements & Timeline
- Coaches must complete Community Coaching certification before taking this level.
- Certification must be completed within 6 months.
3. Competition Performance Introduction (New Standard for Provincial & National Events)
Replacing the old “Intermediate” level, this certification is now required for all provincial sanction events and national-level preparation.
✅ What is it?
- The standard provincial-level certification for coaching competitive archers.
- Focuses on preparing athletes for high-level competition and performance development.
- Introduces coaching specialization for different archery disciplines.
✅ Who is this for?
✔ Coaches working with competitive provincial and national-level athletes.
✔ Those preparing archers for high-performance tournaments.
✔ Coaches looking to specialize in disciplines such as:
- 3D Archery
- Field Archery
- Target Archery
- Equipment Specialization (Barebow, Recurve, Compound)
✅ Requirements & Timeline
- Coaches must be certified at the Instructor of Beginners level before progressing.
- Certification must be completed within 1 year.
4. Competition for Performance (Elite Coaching Level)
This is the new specialist level for National & International competition coaching, including World Archery and Olympic-level coaching.
✅ What is it?
- The highest level of coaching certification, focusing on elite athlete training.
- Prepares athletes for national and international competitions.
- Focuses on World Archery, Olympic preparation, and advanced coaching methodologies.
✅ Who is this for?
✔ Coaches training performance level athletes.
✔ Coaches working with National and International Team members.
✔ Those specializing in advanced training strategies, biomechanics, and mental resilience in competition.
✅ Requirements & Timeline
- Coaches must be fully certified at the Competition Performance Intro level before progressing.
- Certification must be completed within 4 years to follow the National and International level events.
Key Certification Rules & Summary
🔹 Each level must be fully certified before progressing to the next.
🔹 No skipping levels – Every coach must follow the full progression.
🔹 Timelines must be met – Each level has a required certification time frame.
🔹 Specialization options are available starting at the Competition Performance Intro level.
Mandatory Requirements for Coaching Certification
In addition to progressing through the new coaching certification pathway, all coaches must complete mandatory training and meet compliance requirements to ensure a safe, ethical, and professional coaching environment. These requirements align with national and provincial standards for sport safety and integrity and must be maintained throughout a coach’s certification journey.
✅ Mandatory Training & Compliance Requirements
All coaches, regardless of their certification level, must complete the following:
1. Making Ethical Decisions (MED) Certification
✔ Required to ensure coaches can apply ethical decision-making in coaching scenarios.
✔ Focuses on fair play, athlete well-being, and handling ethical dilemmas.
✔ A mandatory component of the NCCP certification process.
✅ Complete Making Ethical Decisions (MED) Training | Alberta Sport
2. Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders
✔ Promotes safe, respectful, and positive interactions between coaches and athletes.
✔ Focuses on preventing bullying, abuse, and discrimination in sport.
✔ Required for all coaches, volunteers, and support staff working with athletes.
✅ Access Respect in Sport Training | Respect in Sport Registration
3. Safe Sport Training
✔ Ensures coaches understand and implement Safe Sport principles.
✔ Covers identifying, addressing, and preventing maltreatment in sport.
✔ Required to create a positive and inclusive training environment for all athletes.
✅ Complete Safe Sport Training | Locker.ca – eLearning CMS (requires registration)
4. Rule of Two Compliance
✔ Ensures that no coach is alone with an athlete in an unsupervised environment.
✔ Requires at least two responsible adults to be present at all training sessions and competitions.
✔ Protects both coaches and athletes from potential misconduct and false allegations.
✅ Learn More About Rule of Two Guidelines | Locker.ca – eLearning CMS (requires registration)
5. Compliance with the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS)
✔ All coaches must adhere to the UCCMS, ensuring a safe, harassment-free environment for athletes.
✔ Provides a clear framework for preventing and addressing misconduct in sport.
✔ Mandatory for coaches at all levels, with strict enforcement policies.
✅ Read the UCCMS Guidelines | UCCMS Website
6. Membership in Good Standing
✔ Coaches must maintain an active membership with Alberta Archery/Archery Canada.
✔ Membership includes:
- Compliance with all provincial and National coaching regulations.
- Adherence to professional conduct and coaching ethics.
- Completion of mandatory training and certification renewal as required.
Staying Compliant & Certified
To maintain active coaching status, all requirements must be met and renewed as necessary. Failure to comply may result in suspension or revocation of coaching certification.
✔ Before registering for any coaching certification level, ensure you have completed all mandatory training.
✔ All compliance requirements apply to every coaching level, from Community Sport to Competition for Performance.
Regional Coaching Support
Coaching development doesn’t happen in isolation. Alberta Archery provides regional coaching support to help you on your journey.
✅ Find a Mentor – Work with experienced coaches in your region.
✅ Access Regional Training Programs – Participate in local workshops & seminars.
✅ Get Certified with Provincial Support – Our regional representatives guide you through the process.
🔎 Need guidance? Find your regional zone coaching mentor | Coaching Zones Database
Costs and Fees
Here is a structured cost and fees breakdown for your courses, incorporating the new fee structures and certification completion requirements:
| Course Name | Fee | Certification Completion Time |
|---|---|---|
| Community Coach Workshop | $100 | 3 months |
| Coaching for Beginners | $250 | 6 months |
| Introduction to Competition | $300 | 12 months (1 year) |
| Coaching for Competition Performance | $400 | 4 years |
Important Notes:
Certification must be completed within the specified time frame; failure to complete within the given period may require re-enrolment.
There are no reimbursements for any of the courses.