Coach Certification
What is NCCP?
The NCCP is a game changer. The National Coaching Certification Program gives coaches the training and tools they need to succeed – in coaching and in life. NCCP training gives coaches the skills and self-confidence to excel, and to instil that confidence in their athletes. Ultimately, that’s what NCCP is all about: developing responsible coaches, inspiring future leaders, and celebrating our potential, both on and off the field of play.
Upcoming NCCP Multi Sport Modules in PEI
Changes to Make Ethical Decisions
April 1 & 8, 2026
NCCP Basic Mental Skills
6:30 pm - 8:45 pm
Discount Code PEI-7360-PEI
lboudreau@sportpei.pe.ca
April 15 & 20 , 2026
NCCP Advanced Practice Planning
7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Discount Code PEI-10733-PEI
lboudreau@sportpei.pe.ca
June 16 & 17, 2026
NCCP Psychology of Performance
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Discount Code PEI-58076-PEI
lboudreau@sportpei.pe.ca
Study at Home or Find a Workshop
NCCP Workshops are available in different environments such as in person, home study, eLearning and virtual classrooms. Please contact Sport PEI for more information and to register.
Introduction to Competition
Make Ethical Decisions (3.5 hours)
Suitable for all coaches, regardless of the type of athlete they are working with.
By successfully completing the Make Ethical Decisions workshop you will be fully equipped to handle virtually any ethical situation with confidence and surety. MED is one of the NCCP’s cornerstone workshops, and leaves coaches with no doubt as to what to do when the going gets tough.
Upon completing the MED module you’ll be able to:
- Analyze a challenging situation and determine if it has moral, legal or ethical implications;
- Apply the NCCP Ethical Decision-Making Model to properly respond to each situation in a way that is consistent with the NCCP Code of Ethics.
Plan A Practice (5.5 Hours)
Suitable for Instructors, Community and Competition Coaches
The Planning a Practice module will give you the skills to:
- Organize a well-structured practice plan with safe, age-appropriate activities you’ve designed to match the proficiency level of participants;
- Identify potential risk factors that could impact the sport and practice activities;
- Create an emergency action plan;
- Identify practice goals and design activities that offer the best training benefits for the athletic skills required in your sport.
Design A Sport Program (5 hours)
Suitable for Instructors and Competition Coaches
Design a Basic Sport Program will teach you to:
- Create a sound outline for your sport program that includes competition and training events;
- Compare your program to those outlined by the NCCP in terms of long-term athlete development;
- Assess the athletic development opportunities your program offers, and identify ways to remedy any weaknesses;
- Interpret the information in a sample program, identifying training priorities and objectives at certain periods;
- Establish a link between your program’s training objectives and the content of practice sessions.
Teaching & Learning (5 hours)
Suitable for Instructors, Community and Competition Coaches
After taking this module you will be able to:
- Assess your own beliefs regarding effective teaching;
- Analyze certain coaching situations to determine if they promote learning;
- Create conditions that promote learning and self-esteem through:
- Appropriate consideration of the affective, cognitive and motor dimensions of learning;
- The use of words and methods that relate to an athlete’s preferred learning style;
- A sound organization;
- Active supervision; and
- The use of well-formulated feedback offered at the right time and with the right frequency.
- Use teaching assessment grids to gather objective information on teaching effectiveness, and use this data to develop an action plan to enhance your own effectiveness as a teacher and coach.
Basic Mental Skills (4 hours)
Suitable for Instructors and Competition Coaches
The Basic Mental Skills module gives you the ability to:
- Recognize signs indicating that an athlete may need to improve his/her goal setting, focus, and anxiety control skills; and develop tools to help the athlete to make improvements in these areas;
- Run simple guided activities that help athletes improve basic mental skills.
Competition Development
Advanced Practice Planning (5 Hours)
This module is a great follow-up to the Planning a Practice Module. It is recommended that the Performance Planning module be taken before Advanced Practice Planning.
After taking this module you will be able to:
- Identify the factors that affect practice planning;
- Ensure that practice plans are consistent with the microcycles and phases of which they are part;
- Sequence exercises in a practice so that their order is consistent with the research on sequencing;
- Develop a plan for training athletic abilities over a microcycle;
- Develop a plan for training technical and tactical abilities over a microcycle; and
- Develop a plan for microcycle that helps athletes taper before a competition.
Coaching & Leading Effectively (9 Hours)
Suitable for Competition Coaches
After taking this module you will be able to:
- Promote a positive image of sport, and model it to athletes and those supporting their performance
- Deliver clear messages and explanations when communicating with athletes and their supporters;
- Identify opportunities to interact with all athletes and use feedback to improve and correct performance and behaviour.
Developing Athletic Abilities (8 Hours)
After completing the NCCP Developing Athletic Abilities module, you will be able to:
- identify athletic abilities required in your athletes’ sport;
- evaluate athletes’ abilities and interpret data to prescribe training;
- understand training principles, methods, and protocols; and
- develop and prescribe training protocols specific to your athletes’ age and state of development.
Manage a Sports Program (4 Hours)
Suitable for Competition Coaches
After completing the Manage a Sport Program (MSP) module, you will:
- Manage administrative aspects of the program and oversee logistics;
- Manage staff's roles and responsibilities
- Manage camp and tournament finances and travel; and
- Report on athlete progress throughout the program.
Managing Conflict (4.5 Hours)
Suitable for Instructors and Competition Coaches.
The Managing Conflict module will allow you to:
- Identify common sources of conflict in sport;
- Determine which individuals or groups are most likely to find themselves in situations involving conflict;
- Learn important skills that will help you prevent and solve conflict resulting from misinformation, miscommunication or misunderstanding;
- Develop skills that will empower you to listen and speak effectively in conflict situations while maintaining positive relationships with athletes, parents, officials and other coaches
Performance Planning (12.5 Hours)
Suitable for Competition Coaches. This module is a perfect next-step after the Design a Basic Sport Program module. It is recommended that the Performance Planning module be taken before the Advanced Practice Planning module.
After taking this module you will be able to:
- Perform a thorough analysis of the demands of your athletes' sport at the elite level;
- Outline a program structure based on training and competition opportunities;
- Identify appropriate measures for promoting athlete development within your own program;
- integrate yearly training priorities into your own program;
- Organise and sequence training priorities and objectives on a weekly basis to optimise adaptations; and
- Evaluate the ability of your athlete/team to perform up to their level of competition
Prevention & Recovery of Injury (7.5 Hours)
Suitable for Instructors and Competition Coaches
After taking Prevention and Recovery you will have the knowledge needed to:
- Identify common injuries in your sport and develop appropriate prevention and recovery strategies to keep your athletes injury-free during training and competition;
- Offer valuable information and guidance on hydration, nutrition and sleep as they relate to injury prevention;
- Choose skills and drills that help athletes perform appropriate warm-ups and cool-downs;
- Develop functional evaluations for an athlete’s return to play;
- Implement recovery and regeneration techniques to help an athlete maintain or return to optimal performance post injury.
Psychology Of Performance (7 Hours)
Suitable for Competition Coaches
Completing Psychology of Performance will allow you to:
- Help athletes learn to manage distractions and use visualization techniques to prepare themselves technically and tactically for training and competition;
- Learn how to work with athletes or teams to identify performance and process goals related to their ability to focus on performance;
- Learn debriefing skills that can be used to help athletes assess their performance in both training and competition.
Professional Development
Mentorship (7.25 Hours)
Suitable for instructors, community and competition coaches.
After completing the Mentorship module, you will be able to:
- Understand the concept of mentoring;
- Understand the process of cognitive coaching;
- Acquire and use communication skills required to be an effective mentor; and
- Use the three steps of the mentoring process.
Resistance Training (4 Hours)
The NCCP Resistance Training module will teach you how to prevent injuries and improve your athletes’ performance through proven resistance training tools.
After completing the NCCP Resistance Training module, you will be able to:
- use resistance exercises that are appropriate to your athletes’ respective stage(s) of development to build their strength;
- identify appropriate resistance training exercises, and sequences of exercises, for developing strength; and
- help athletes correctly perform resistance training exercises and monitor their progress.
Creating a Positive Sport Environment (eLearning)
Participant-centered coaching strategies are an effective way to establish a safe and inclusive sport culture. By placing participants at the centre of the coaching process, coaches can promote growth and athletic development, foster creativity and learning, and protect participants from harm.
Cost $15 - 5 PD points
After completing the NCCP Creating a Positive Sport Environment eLearning module, you will be able to:
- Describe the characteristics and benefits of participant-centered coaching
- Explain the types of harm that may occur when a coach misuses their power and how to respond to suspicions or knowledge of maltreatment
- Use positive coaching strategies to create a positive sport environment, enhance safety, and improve learning and performance