NSCAA Launches Most Comprehensive and Accessible Online Course Offering in Soccer Coaching Industry
The leader in soccer coaching education is revolutionizing its current course offerings, and utilizing advancing technology to grow and better serve the soccer coaching community.
The National Soccer Coaches Association of America launched NSCAA eLearning, raising the standard associated with in-person courses, and providing coaches an affordable and flexible option to add to their educational experience.
NSCAA eLearning is the next evolution in the online education currently available by the Association, such as the Special Topics Diploma webinars, the Online Resource Library, and Google Hangouts.
“We had an incredibly successful year in our first presentation of eLearning opportunities through our Special Topics Diploma webinars, reaching more than 4,000 coaches worldwide,” said Ian Barker, NSCAA Director of Coaching Education. “For many of those coaches, it was the first time they engaged with the NSCAA at any level. Our goal is to reach tens of thousands coaches annually, and provide them ways to have a versatile education experience.”
Each year brings new ideas, events, formations, and tactics, and NSCAA eLearning will adapt with the evolution of the game. The platform allows a coach maximum flexibility to complete course requirements at their convenience. NSCAA eLearning also accommodates a wide range of coaching lifestyles because of its adaptability and affordability, from the parent-coach to the recent college graduate, and from the novice coach to a club’s director of coaching.
The eLearning initiative will provide modules that establish clear education pathways for an individual or club coach. For example, the NSCAA Player Development Curriculum Diploma, launched in August 2014, is used by more than 40 youth clubs and educates nearly 2,000 coaches.
Launching later this year will be the NSCAA Level 1 Diploma as a free, on-demand online course for beginner and intermediate coaches. The content of the Level 1 course will change to focus more on coaching methodology, and the age group previously associated with this diploma (U6-U8) has been removed. The NSCAA is also developing ways to integrate eLearning into its higher-level courses (Level 2 and up) to supplement what candidates learn in person.
“We reach more than 8,000 coaches annually through our in-person coaching education courses. With the launch of NSCAA eLearning, we now have the most comprehensive and accessible soccer coaching education offering available,” NSCAA CEO Joe Cummings said. “Coaches want to personally design their education, and through eLearning, NSCAA becomes a coach’s partner in that endeavor.”
Currently, coaches can take advantage of more than 25 on-demand courses from the NSCAA. Topics including “Attacking and Defending Principles of Play,” “Top Ten Futsal Training Activities to Improve Speed of Play,” and the comprehensive “NSCAA Player Development Curriculum Diploma” course for coaches working with players from 3 to 18 years old.
Explore NSCAA eLearning at NSCAA.com/eLearning for more information and to register for online courses.
Coaches can also learn more details about the NSCAA Level 1 Diploma and other eLearning developments at the 2015 NSCAA Convention next week. NSCAA eLearning informational workshops will take place in Convention Center Room 108A at the following dates and times:
Noon-12:30 p.m. or 3:45-4:45 p.m. – How to Become an NSCAA Youth Club Coaching Education Partner
Noon-12:30 p.m. or 3:45-4:45 p.m. – How to Become an NSCAA eLearning Corporate/Affiliate Coaching Education Partner
NSCAA eLearning Testimonials:
Doug McRae – Director of Coaching, Sacramento Soccer Alliance (CA)
“NSCAA eLearning has been a great way for our coaches to keep up with their coaching education in a convenient and easy way. Our coaches are getting up-to-date material from top class presenters in the webinars and have an organized, logical and structured coaching education platform in the Player Development Curriculum Diploma.
Several coaches have taken the curriculum to heart and laid out a specific season plan with planned outcomes of player development. Recent coaching assessments have shown a marked improvement in both the level of play and the level of coaching in these instances. The feedback from the coaches has been consistently positive regarding both the webinars and PDC. They are enthusiastic and can’t wait to get more.
NSCAA’s eLearning is a great way for a club to keep its coaches up-to-date with the latest coaching developments, topics and education in a way that is easy and accessible for the coach and economical for the club.”
Percy Hoff – Director, ASTRA Soccer Academy (IL)
The program is helping me educate parents and coaches as the materials are very relevant to our circumstances. The materials related to age appropriateness are especially helpful, especially for those parents who want to move kids up. The coaches are also finding that the TactX practices together with the detailed written curriculum and diagrams provides an easy way to plan and conduct practices easily even at short notice. Coaches love the user friendly interaction and are all asking for more stages. The performance of the coaches is significantly improved, and of course this impacts positively on the players. I would recommend this to other clubs because it gives the club TD any easy but challenging format.
Tim Chung – Head of Coaching Committee, Radnor Soccer Club (PA)
This fall, Radnor Soccer Club participated in the recently created NSCAA Player Development Curriculum Program with outstanding results. The program ensured coaching consistency throughout our age groups, introduced best practices and created a positive, educational and fun environment for our players. Both rookie parent coaches as well as our experienced paid trainers benefitted from the program and being available 24/7, it ensured session planning was uncomplicated and simple to execute. At last we have a tool to evaluate our coaching program! The NSCAA Player Development program has been a huge success for RSC and I would highly recommend it to all soccer clubs.
