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National Coaching Certification Process

  • Refer to the Coaching Pathway and determine the appropriate stream for you based on the stage of athlete and level of competition you wish to coach.
    • U10-U12: Learn to Train
    • U13+: Train to Train
    • U16+: Train to Compete (Optional – Not required by Ontario Basketball for Ontario Cup)
  • Once you determine the course you need to take, look for the next available clinic in your region. (See clinic dates for  FUNdamentals, Learn to Train, Train to Train and Train to Compete courses.)
Get a NCCP Number
Register for a course on Game Plan

FUNdamentals

Overview

The Basketball FUNdamentals Community Coaching Course is a NCCP course developed by Canada Basketball, in conjunction with the Coaching Association of Canada, to deliver coach education to the community coach. It provides the mom/dad or entry-level coach with the necessary skills, knowledge and materials to deliver a safe, fun and age/stage-appropriate basketball experience for young athletes.

The FUNdamentals course is six hours and features a three-hour in-class session, which teaches the stages of development and of teaching basketball skills, goes over ethical decision making, and talks about concussions and why coaches are so important in the development of young athletes, and a three-hour on-court drills and skills session, which teaches coaches how to properly develop basketball fundamentals.

FUNdamentals Clinics

DateLocationHostRegistration
Upcoming Clinics

Learn to Train

Overview

Focuses on learning to teach basic basketball skills, while still emphasizing fundamental movement skills in a fun, inclusive environment for athletes at the U10-U12 level.

Curriculum:

  • 40% – Fundamental movement and basketball skill development of the individual
  • 50% – Individual and multi-player technical aspects of the game
  • 10% – Teaching basic offensive and defensive strategy

Steps to Certification:

  1. Register and complete L2T pre-tasks (online at gameplanbasketball.ca)
  2. Register and attend a L2T workshop. Completion of the course will grant you “Learn to Train Trained” status
  3. Complete the ‘Making Ethical Decisions (MED)’ e-learning module (online at thelocker.coach.ca)
  4. L2T Online Portfolio Evaluation completed by local coach evaluator
  5. L2T Practice Observation by local coach evaluator
Steps to complete the 'Making Ethical Decisions' e-learning module

Learn to Train Clinics

Date & TimeLocationHostRegistration
Upcoming Clinics
September 21 & 22, 2024St. John Henry Newman CSS (127 Gray Rd, Stoney Creek, ON L8G 3V3)SCNY BasketballGame Plan
September 21 & 22, 2024Durham Community Health Centre (115 Grassmere Ave, Oshawa, ON L1H 3X6)Eastern BasketballGame Plan
September 21 & 22, 2024Bishop Marrocco Secondary School (1515 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6P 1A3)Toronto Triple ThreatGame Plan
September 28 & 29, 2024Glenview Park Secondary School (55 McKay St, Cambridge, ON N1R 4G8)Cambridge BasketballGame Plan
September 28 & 29, 2024Kitchener Waterloo Collegiate & Vocational School (787 King St W, Kitchener, ON N2G 1E3)KW VipersGame Plan
October 5 & 6, 2024Merivale High School (1755 Merivale Rd, Nepean, ON K2G 1E2)Nepean Blue DevilsGame Plan
October 5 & 6, 2024Huntsville High School (58 Brunel Rd, Huntsville, ON P1H 2A2)Huntsville High SchoolGame Plan
October 5 & 6, 2024MLSE LaunchPad (259 Jarvis St, Toronto, ON M5B 2C2)Coaches Association of OntarioGame Plan
October 26 & 27, 2024Niagara College - Daniel J Patterson Campus (135 Taylor Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0)Niagara CollegeGame Plan
November 2 & 3, 2024John Paul II Catholic Secondary School (1300 Oxford St E, London, ON N5V 4P7)London CYOGame Plan
November 9 & 10, 2024Birchview Dunes Elementary School (1315 River Rd W, Wasaga Beach, ON L9Z 2W6)Town of WasagaGame Plan
November 30 & December 1, 2024Kitchener Waterloo Collegiate & Vocational School (787 King St W, Kitchener, ON N2G 1E3)KW VipersGame Plan
December 14 & 15, 2024Alpha High Performance Center (455 Addison Hall Cir Unit 11-13, Aurora, ON L4G 3X8)IEM BasketballGame Plan

Train to Train

Overview

Coaches will be introduced to coaching the basic technical and strategies of “global” basketball with a more structured approach to training for athletes U13 and up. To receive the Train to Train certification, one must already be Learn to Train Certified.

Curriculum:

  • 25% fundamental refinement of skills
  • 30% technical knowledge on how players can develop new skills and growing to be more creative in their approach
  • 30% introduction to more strategies within the game
  • 15% team tactics

Steps to Certification:

  1. Register & complete T2T Pre-task (online at https://gameplanbasketball.ca)
  2. Register & attend a T2T Workshop. Completion of the course will grant you a “TRAINED” status
  3. Complete the Making Ethical Decisions (MED) e-learning module (online @ thelocker.coach.ca)
  4. T2T Online Portfolio Evaluation
  5. T2T Practice Observation

Note: Participants must complete the associated pre-tasks, which are available through Game Plan, in advance of attending a Train to Train clinic.

Evaluation

After the clinic, participants must submit a Coach Portfolio and arrange for an evaluation through Game Plan. Evaluations will take place at a practice.

The following steps must be completed prior to requesting an evaluation:
  • Pass the Coaching Association of Canada online Make Ethical Decisions exam. (Log into The Locker using your NCCP number.  Click on the “eLearning” tab and access the Make Ethical Decisions — Competition Introduction — Online Evaluation.)
  • Submit a Coach Portfolio through Game Plan.

Train to Train Clinics

Date & TimeLocationHostRegistration
Upcoming Clinics
September 20, 21 & 22, 2024St. John Henry Newman CSS (127 Gray Rd, Stoney Creek, ON L8G 3V3)SCNY BasketballGame Plan
October 18, 19 & 20, 2024St. Mark's High School (1040 Dozois Rd, Manotick, ON K4M 0W2)Ottawa South BasketballGame Plan
October 25, 26 & 27, 2024Kitchener Waterloo Collegiate & Vocational School (787 King St W, Kitchener, ON N2G 1E3)KW VipersGame Plan
November 1, 2 & 3, 2024Parry Sound Public School (21 Beatty St, Parry Sound, ON P2A 2H5)Parry Sound StingersGame Plan
November 22, 23 & 24, 2024Humberview Secondary School (135 Kingsview Dr, Bolton, ON L7E 3V8)Caledon Cougar Basketball AssociationGame Plan
November 22, 23 & 24, 2024John Paul II Catholic Secondary School (1300 Oxford St E, London, ON N5V 4P7)
London CYOGame Plan
November 29, 30 & December 1, 2024Niagara College - Daniel J Patterson Campus (135 Taylor Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0)Niagara CollegeGame Plan
December 13, 14 & 15, 2024Kitchener Waterloo Collegiate & Vocational School (787 King St W, Kitchener, ON N2G 1E3)KW VipersGame Plan
January 3, 4 & 5, 2025Alpha High Performance Center (455 Addison Hall Cir Unit 11-13, Aurora, ON L4G 3X8)IEM BasketballGame Plan

Note: All clinics require a minimum of 10 participants. If the required number of registrations is not met within five days of the clinic start date, the course will be cancelled.

Train to Compete

Overview

The Train to Compete course is offered by Canada Basketball for coaches who are looking to work with high performance athletes and/or work towards a full time coaching position.

Train to Compete is comprised of three basketball specific courses; Planning, Strategies and Tactics and Teaching Basketball Skills, 6 multi-sport modules (learn more about them here) and three evaluations (portfolio, practice and game).

For more information on registering for Train to Compete contact Canada Basketball at certification@basketball.ca or visit their website.

Host a NCCP Clinic

Host a NCCP Clinic

To host an NCCP clinic, complete the clinic request form here.

Ontario Basketball will then reach out and confirm the details of your clinic. Approval will be based on:

  • Dates, location and number of clinics already approved in that geographical region.
  • Availability of the Learning Facilitator.

Upon approval of the clinic:

  • A Learning Facilitator will be assigned by Ontario Basketball to deliver the clinic.
  • Clinic date, location, and registration will be posted on the Ontario Basketball website.
  • Coaches interested in attending the clinic will register and pay online through Game Plan.

Upon completion of the clinic:

  • Coaches can apply for a 70% bursary through the Coaches Association of Ontario Quest for Gold Coach Bursary program.
  • Host club will invoice Ontario Basketball for the host subsidy – $40 per coach in attendance, as long as the minimum number of coaches is hit (10 coaches per course).

National Coaching Institute

NCCP Levels 4 & 5

National Coaching Institute

Levels four and five of the NCCP program represent the top levels of professional training for coaches. These levels prepare coaches for leadership roles in national and international sport, and ensure they will be effective within the high-performance sport system.

Levels four and five consist of an applied study program of 20 tasks which can be completed through full-time residence at a National Coaching Institute (NCI) or through a combination of Home Study and Technical courses.

Level three NCCP certification and approval from your National Sport Organization are prerequisites for entry. A physical education degree or equivalent experience in high-performance sport is highly recommended.

For more information on the NCI program, visit the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario website.

Contact

Tristan Cave
Senior Manager, Coaching & Club Development