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Race Coaching – ACA-CSC
Guide Summary
The ACA-CSC works to develop coaches from an entry-level to performance level where coaches work with athletes looking to compete at the highest level. Available to skiers aged 15 and over. The coach certification program is part of the Coaching Association of Canada’s National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).
Race Coaching Pathway
The ACA-CSC coach education programming links directly with Alpine Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development stages of growth and skill development. At each program level, coaches acquire knowledge and skills necessary to meet growth and skill development needs of the athlete. There are four levels of race development coaching.
The ACA coaching certification is a viable and accessible way for current instructors to further their education or transition into coaching work. Many instructors choose to add a race coaching qualification to their resume so that they’re able to work with local ski clubs and race teams. Learn How to Write a Ski Instructor Resume/CV.
Interested in becoming a ski instructor? We offer CSIA, BASI and NZSIA courses. How do I Book onto a Course?
ACA-CSC Entry Level 1
The Entry Level (EL) certification equips new coaches with the tools to deliver a freeski session and introduction to gate training for skiers at the Gliding Start or Essential Skiers stage of development. Once coaches are Entry Level Trained, a coach can begin to work towards their development level for students in the Learn To Train stage of development.
Practice coaching sessions are part of the course for each candidate. The evaluation part of the course tests the candidate’s ability to demonstrate free skiing skills and drills. Successful candidates achieve Entry Level Trained certification status and become a member of the Alpine Canada Alpin-Canadian Ski Coaches (ACA-CSC). Entry Level certification enables the holder to be hired by a club or ski school to start coaching in an entry level ski racing program.
For more information about Canadian Ski Coaches please visit the Canadian Ski Coaches website .
Development Level Coach
Development level coaches are trained and qualified to work with athletes at the Learn To Train and Train to Train development stages. They have the knowledge to develop fundamentals skills of skiers and can apply these principles in slalom and giant slalom. Coaches can also use specific drills and exercises to improve fundamental ski technique. Development level coaches are educated in the course setting principles used in slalom and giant slalom at the U14 and U16 levels.
Performance Level Coach
Performance Level coaches are working with ski racers at the Train to Race and Race to Win stages. Ski racers at these stages are following the competitive pathway to compete at the highest level of ski racing and therefore coaches must be able to train, ski and coach at an expert level.
Performance level coaches must go through an extensive education process to become a certified coach at the competition-development level of coaching including:
- Performance planning evaluation (annual training plan)
- Managing a performance program evaluation (management of the annual training plan and athlete development)
- In training evaluation
- In competition evaluation
These coaches are highly skilled and are able to apply specific tactics and strategies to consolidate technique. Coaches can work with racers in a competition setting.
The final step of the coaching pathway is the High-Performance coach certification which is reserved for national team coaches.
If you’re a WSC client on one of our Canadian courses or internships and are interested in taking a race coaching qualification, please reach out to us. Many of our previous clients have worked with local skis clubs during their season after certifying with the ACA.
FAQs
Both apply similar methods of teaching. Ski instructors work with skiers to develop fundamental skills to help them ski better for the purpose of recreation. Ski coaches work with skiers and ski racers to develop skills specific for competition.
It would help if you had the following to become a Ski Instructor
1. A decent existing skill level. Only obtained by time on the snow skiing and more often than not taking ski instructor training through a provider such as the Winter Sports Companies Level 1 ski instructor course
2. A Ski Instructor Qualification can be achieved by attending and successfully passing a Ski Instructor Course with an examination.
3. Once qualified, you need a job in a Snow School as a Ski Instructor. Canada has the most significant potential for employment in a resort unless you have a European passport. Taking a Ski Instructor Internship through a provider such as The Winter Sports Company can give you that training, certification and guaranteed employment.
A ski Season CV is specifically tailored to successfully finding a job within the ski industry. It needs to detail your previous snow experience, your existing qualifications, your previous work placements. This can be tweaked to provide information to future employers for roles both on or off the slopes including chalet host, ski instructor, hospitality, or lift operations to name a few. Some countries call it a resume, some a C.V so research the general format that employers are used to seeing and align your attributes to the role in question.
