Training Schools for Coaches
If you have been looking for an opportunity to coach Special Olympics Athletes, start the process by becoming a certified coach. A Training School includes rules updates, organizing an eight week training plan, and best practices in coaching Special Olympics Athletes. Sport Skills Program materials are provided to each participant. Coaches will need to complete at least ten (10) additional hours of training with the athletes in order to be certified.
Description of Courses at SOPA Training Schools:
- General Orientation - online training including Protective Behaviors Online Training. Protective Behaviors training must be completed at least once every three years. Note: this training must be completed by all new and existing Class A volunteers (16 years of age and older) prior to working with Special Olympics athletes.
- New Coach (skills) - Specific to your Sport Training Schools
- Coaching Special Olympics Athletes - this course is an overview of four components: athlete, coach, training and competition. If you are a new coach with sport experience you are encouraged to take this course instead of a basic Skills Course. Pre-approval is required. Sport History Application
- Continuing Education Training - this training is for certified coaches. Coaches must receive continuing education training every 4 years to maintain their certification. Without this training coach certification expires which means the coach would need to take the new coach course over again. Examples of continuing education training are Tactics, Principles of Coaching, Unified Sports®, Officials Training, Educational Updates on Sport Specific rules and strategies and online training. *Please note: There is no online training available for new coaches.
Multi-Sport Training Schools
2010 Training School Dates TBD
Sports: Aquatics, Golf, Floor Hockey, Athletics, Bocce, Tennis, Softball, Basketball, Volleyball, Bowling, Soccer, Long Distance Running/Walking, and Powerlifting.
To Register: Contact your local program manager (Local Programs)
Training Schools for Roller Skating, Gymnastics, Equestrian, Alpine Skiing, Nordic Skiing, Snowshoeing, Speed Skating and Figure Skating will be offered upon request.
Help Wanted: The success of a training school is measured by the quality of instruction. If you are very knowledgeable about your sport including successful experiences as a coach, teacher and presenter please consider volunteering to be a Special Olympics Sport Clinician. Click here for Clinician Application
Any questions, call 1-800-233-5161.
Join the team of Special Olympics Heroes!
Online Training
Certified Coaches may take online courses to maintain their certification in their respective sports. There is a charge for these courses. Special Olympics does not receive any portion of those charges.
Continuing education credit is approved for all sports by successfully completing the Positive Coaching Alliance's online Double Goal Coach or Second-Goal Parents course. The American Sport Education Program's online Coaching Youth is for sport specific coaches in the following sports: basketball, softball, tennis, volleyball and soccer.
Steps in Purchasing On-line Courses for Continuing Education Credit
- Coach needs to complete 10 hour practicum with athletes for each sport needing recertification and submit a SOPA Sport Training Application along with the Positive Coach certificate of completion to the Camp Hill office.
- Estimated time to complete this training is one hour. In order to receive a certificate, you must receive a passing grade on the quiz. You may take the quiz more then once if needed.
- The cost is $25 to be paid online via a credit card. Once you log in, you will be given a certain number of days to complete the course.
- To Get Started go to PCA home page www.positivecoach.org and select either Double-Goal Coach or Second-Goal Parents. Links are found in orange box in top right corner.
American Sport Education Program (ASEP)
- Coach needs to complete 10 hour practicum with athletes and submit a SOPA Sport Training Application along with the ASEP's certificate of completion to the Camp Hill office.
- Estimated time to complete this training is six hours. In order to receive a certificate, you must receive a passing grade on the quiz. You may take the quiz more then once if needed.
- The cost is $19.95 per sport to be paid online via a credit card. You will receive a book and coaching video. The sport selections are tennis, basketball, soccer, softball and volleyball. Once you log in, you will be given six months to complete the course.
- To Get Started click on the course below and then follow these steps
- scroll down the page to see descriptions of each sport
- click on a sport specific online course
- click on Add to Cart to complete the log in information for a new user.
- For your information the partnership organization is Special Olympics North America. ASEP Online Training Course
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