OTTAWA, ON, September 20, 2019 – The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), in collaboration with National Sport Organizations, their Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations and Aboriginal Sport Bodies, Provincial and Territorial Coaching Representatives, the thousands of clubs and millions of athletes across Canada, are proud to celebrate the fifth annual National Coaches Week, September 21 – 29, 2019.National Coaches Week is a time to celebrate coaches’ tremendous positive impact on athletes and communities across Canada. The week provides everyone across Canada the opportunity to recognize coaches for the integral role they play, simply by saying #ThanksCoach.
National #CoachesWeek encourages athletes, participants, volunteers, and parents across Canada to publicly recognize and celebrate coaches for the time and energy they devote to developing participants’ passion for sport and to abiding by the principles of responsible coaching.
“Great coaches encourage their athletes and participants to achieve excellence on the field while also setting the standards for ethical behaviour in sport,” says Lorraine Lafrenière, CEO of the Coaching Association of Canada. “Great coaches impart the values of empathy, commitment, and respect – values whose benefits extend beyond the field of play. We’re tremendously proud of their commitment and I encourage athletes and participants at every level of sport across Canada to say #ThanksCoach this week to show their appreciation.”
Coaching also contributes significantly to volunteerism in Canada – one in seven Canadians will coach at some point in their lifetime. Last year, more than 50,000 coaches across Canada were trained in the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP); more than half of these training sessions took place at the community level.
National Coaches Week is supported by the Coaching Association of Canada, Provincial / Territorial Coaching Representatives, National Sport Organizations, hundreds of Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations, Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies, University teams, thousands of clubs, and the millions of participants and athletes across Canada. It is open to everyone across the country and acknowledges coaches working at all levels of sport – from community clubs up to national and professional teams.
In last year’s campaign, nearly 7,000 coaches took a free NCCP eLearning module and close to 12,000 social media posts featured the National Coaches Week hashtags to share a message of thanks. Online, the campaign received more than 43 million impressions thanks to engagement from athletes, participants, parents, volunteers, and sport administrators at all levels.
How to Participate
Athletes, participants, volunteers, and parents across Canada can participate in National Coaches Week in many ways:
- Download the free National Coaches Week Participation Guide: The National Coaches Week Participation Guide contains promotional graphics, images, social media content, printable postcards and posters, and many other materials that you can use to say #ThanksCoach.
- Diversify your Coaching Portfolio with FREE NCCP eLearning: During National Coaches Week, log into the Locker to access the eLearning modules NCCP Coach Initiation in Sport, NCCP Making Head Way in Sport, NCCP Coaching Athletes with a Disability, and NCCP Preparing an Emergency Action Plan for free.
- Get Social: Follow National Coaches Week social media activity on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using #CoachesWeek and #ThanksCoach. Say #ThanksCoach on Instagram, then tag three of your friends and ask them to do the same. Use the National Coaches Week Facebook profile frame throughout the week to show your support. Watch and share the National Coaches Week official video.
- Participate in a community event: Join the celebration in communities across Canada or organize one for your community. You can find events taking place in your province or territory at coach.ca.
- Say “Thanks, Coach” in person: Take a moment to acknowledge the hard work and contributions of your coach, simply by saying “Thanks, Coach” after the practice or game.
For up-to-date information on National Coaches Week, visit www.coach.ca/NationalCoachesWeek and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using #CoachesWeek and #ThanksCoach.
About the Coaching Association of Canada
The Coaching Association of Canada unites stakeholders and partners in its commitment to raising the skills and stature of coaches, and ultimately expanding their reach and influence. Through its programs, the CAC empowers coaches with knowledge and skills, promotes ethics, fosters positive attitudes, builds competence, and increases the credibility and recognition of coaches.
About the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP)
The National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) is a standardized coach education program available and accessible throughout Canada. Identified as a world leader in coach education, the NCCP ensures all coaches receive training based on best practices in instructional design, ethical decision?making, and with content that is relevant, current and which leads to the development of competent coaches. The NCCP gives coaches the confidence to succeed and is designed and delivered in partnership with the Government of Canada, 65 National Sport Organizations (NSOs), 13 Provincial/Territorial Coaching Representatives (PTCRs), and the Coaching Association of Canada.
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For more information, contact:
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Coaching Association of Canada
O: 613.235.5000 x2353
M: 613.292.7651