Taking an NSCAA Continued Coaching Education Course Is An Opportunity to Learn and Network
SoccerToday welcomes Chris Wimmer (@Chris_Wimmer_77) as our newest columnist writing about coaching as well as youth and professional soccer.
In my almost 10 years as a coach, I have come to the realization that the soccer community is much smaller than it initially appears. I like to surround myself with other coaches who are open to learning and developing — and that is just what I did last weekend.
This past weekend, I participated in my 7th soccer coaching course, the NSCAA Goalkeeping Level 3 Diploma. First, let me take you back 9 years to 2007, when my coaching adventure took off.
Once I decided that coaching youth soccer was something I wanted to do, the next step was finding out how best to educate myself. After reaching out to my daughter’s then travel soccer coach — he directed me to both the NSCAA and US Soccer coaching education programs. I registered for the US Soccer “E” license course and began my youth soccer coaching education.
During this unusually cold weekend in Clermont, Florida, just outside of Orlando, a group of about 20 goalkeeper trainers and coaches gathered at the National Training Center. Surprisingly, a few of the coaches had traveled from Canada to attend this course. Jay Golomb and Chris Barocas led the three day – 18 hour – course. According to the course description: “The overall objective of the Goalkeeping Level 3 Diploma is to explore the tactical components of goalkeeping and the specifics of training and developing goalkeepers.”
The Course: The overall objective of the Goalkeeping Level 3 Diploma is to explore the tactical components of goalkeeping and the specifics of training and developing goalkeepers. The emphasis of this eighteen-hour course is on the tactical role of the goalkeeper within the team framework. All candidates wishing to take the Goalkeeping Level 3 Diploma must hold the Goalkeeping Level 1 and 2 Diplomas or equivalent (NSCAA/USSF Level 1 and Level 2 Diplomas).
Consisting of youth, high school, and college coaches, the group was brimming with tons of coaching experience and brains full of knowledge. The most impressive part was how open to learning these coaches were to not only learn from the excellent instructors, but also each other.
The instructors, coach Golomb and Barocas, brought unique styles and perspectives to the course materials which was created by none other than former U.S. Women’s National team coach Tony DiCicco, who serves as the director of the NSCAA Goalkeeper Academy.
An added benefit to expanding a coach’s depth of knowledge is the ability to network with like-minded people in the soccer community. By the simple fact that this group of coaches were attending a coaching course, it’s obvious they value educating themselves and growing as coaches.
In January 2009, I participated in my first NSCAA course, Goalkeeper Level 1. To this day I am still friends with the instructor of that course, Dave ‘Ted’ Edwards. In fact, I owe my first opportunity to coach travel soccer — also known as competitive youth soccer — to Dave.
Looking back, this past weekend was another great experience filled with learning, evaluating myself as a coach, and plenty of sore muscles. My knowledge and passion for coaching goalkeeping continues to grow as well as my network of soccer coaching friends and colleagues. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities NSCAA and U.S. Soccer provide coaches to continue to improve themselves.
