Certificate of Sports Coaching

Unit 1: Foundations of Sports Coaching

• What is sports coaching?
• The role of the coach in modern sport
• Core coaching skills
• Key responsibilities of a coach
• Overview of coaching pathways in Australia

Unit 2: Ethics, Safety, and Professional Standards

• Coaching code of behaviour (Sport Integrity Australia guidelines)
• Ethics and conduct in coaching
• Legal responsibilities and duty of care
• Risk management in sport
• Basic first aid and injury prevention
• Working with children and vulnerable people

Unit 3: Communication and Relationships in Coaching

• Building rapport with athletes
• The coach-athlete relationship
• The 3 + 1 Cs model
• Setting clear expectations and ground rules
• How relationships evolve over time
• Communication styles and feedback

Unit 4: Coaching Methods and Learning Styles

• Stages of athlete learning
• Coaching styles: autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, holistic
• Blended and situational coaching
• Adapting to athlete needs and sport contexts
• Coaching individuals vs teams

Unit 5: Motivation and Performance

• What drives motivation in sport?
• Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation
• Using goal setting and feedback effectively
• Social facilitation and group dynamics
• Maintaining focus and enthusiasm in training

Unit 6: Coaching Individuals and Teams

• Differences between individual and team coaching
• Developing leadership in athletes
• Team building strategies
• Managing team dynamics and morale

Unit 7: Athlete Wellbeing and Identity

• Understanding athletic identity
• Mental health and athlete transitions
• Grief and injury recovery
• How coaches can support athlete wellbeing
• Working with parents and families
• Ethical coaching practices for children and youth sport

Unit 8: Growth as a Coach

• Differences between amateur and elite coaching
• Dealing with setbacks and pressure
• Staying engaged and avoiding burnout
• Ongoing professional development
• Building a long-term coaching career