Development” and view the “Get Playing” player development brochure for parents, clubs, players and coaches. T e USA Curling Coaches Association: T e Future for USA Curling Coaches
T e approval by the Executive Committee to
create a USA Curling Coaches Association will help centralize and bring the collective expertise of our coaches within four coaching communi- ties into a national dialogue and framework by December 2013. T e association will serve as the entry point for any past, present or future coach to become both a recognized and certifi ed USA Curling coach eligible to coach at USA Curling sanctioned events starting in January 2014. Beginning Jan. 1, 2013, all current USA Curl-
ing coaches who are coaching teams at a junior national or national playdown or championship event will be asked to begin to register in the as- sociation (at no cost for the fi rst year). Registra- tion can be completed by visiting www.usacurl. org/curlingrocks under the coaching section. T e fi rst step is to create an individual coach member account. All coaches are being asked to register in the
association so that we can begin build ing a com- prehensive national database of our USA Curl- ing coaches (and individuals working toward certifi cation). T e database will help to identify the numbers of individuals coaching within the youth, junior, junior national, and national com- munities, as well as USCA regions. It will help us identify, understand and pool the great expertise we have within our sport to allow the program to
directly target, communicate with and support coaches more eff ectively and effi ciently. In ad- dition, the association will begin to serve as the primary clearinghouse for the NCSI background check. T e association will provide individuals who
wish to become certifi ed with the ability to im- mediately access the certifi cation requirements through our educational providers – T e Positive Coaching Alliance, T e American Sport Educa- tion program, and the U.S. Olympic Committee Safesport program – and to begin working to- ward certifi cation. Any coach or individual who joins the coaches association or is grandfathered in aſt er registering will be designated as a regis- tered coach (e.g., registered coach-y for youth); receive an active coaching card; and, once re- quirements are met, be certifi ed and recognized by USA Curling as a youth, junior, junior na- tional or national level coach. More information can be found in the forthcoming “USA Curling Guide to Coach Certifi cation and Player Devel- opment.” T e Executive Committee has approved that
by January 2014 all individuals coaching a team at USA Curling sanctioned junior national and national playdown and championship events must meet the following requirements: 1. Be a member current member of the USA Curling Coaches Association.
2. Meet a minimum level of certifi cation at the youth, junior, junior national, or na- tional level.
3. Be designated as a registered coach ac-
tively working (on a timeline that will expire) to fulfi ll educational requirements within a specifi c coaching community.
Joining the association in January will prepare
all individuals for what is ahead one year down the road. T ere are three last important areas to share on
behalf of the USA Curling Coach Working Group. All members were unanimous in support that the USA Curling Coaches Association be formed with a clear mission, vision, and code of conduct. T ese are as follows: Mission: To enable coaches to provide players
with the coaching they need to win and enjoy the sport. Vision: USA Curling coaches and players winning on the world stage. T e Association Coaching Ethics Code T e revised USA Curling Coaching Association
Code of Ethics (“Code”) is intended to provide standards of ethical conduct for coaches involved with USA Curling and its member organizations. T e revised Code provides general principles and ethical standards to cover many situations encountered by coaches, with its principle goals being the welfare and protection of participants with whom coaches work. T e Code supports the principles outlined in the USA Curling SafeSport Handbook and U.S. Olympic Committee SafeS- port program. Strong coaching can positively infl uence skill
development and create safer training environ- ments for athletes; reduce the time elite athletes spend re-learning techniques as they move from Continued on next page §