Coaching credentials

[4711]

I know, I have been slacking, I need to finish my story, because I know you are all to eager to read it 

Question:
Coaching credentials:
~What does it take to get them, qualifications, courses, tests, etc.

~Can a skater be actively competing and have coaching credentials at the same time?
(I know this is probably a stretch, but way back when, I was told that many German soccer players go their soccer teacher certification while very young and active 'while it's still easy t learn' vs later on in life having been out of a school situation for a long time.

I am asking because for plot reasons (this story is turning into an epic that could go on for decades, like 'The Guiding Light' or something) I need the actual coach to be someplace else, while one main character coaches the other in a competition.

Also:
Nebelhorn trophy:
I understand it has lost some of it's relevance, not being the first international competition of the season anymore, but do I see that right, the head governing body of the country decides who goes?

(and if all goes well, I will impose and ask for beta readers, especially for the on-ice parts...oh, in maybe another year or two.... )

[Query]

Coaching credentials:

~What does it take to get them, qualifications, courses, tests, etc.

I'll mostly let a real coach answer your questions, but if Bama refers to an African city, where I think it is, not many people, if any, on this board, will know what rules apply.

In the United States, there are a variety of credentials for teaching group lessons (within ISI or USFS syllaba), for private lessons, for coaching at competitions of various levels within ISI, USFS and ISU, and for judging tests and competitions within ISI, USFS or ISU. 4 different organizations give credentials of various sorts:

(1) The ISI (Ice Skating Institute).
(2) The USFS (U.S. Figure Skating, formerly and still sometimes called the USFSA [A=of America])
(3) The ISU (Ice Skating Union, an International Body). I think the main route for ISU Credentials for U.S. coaches is to first get USFS credentials. But it is possible some well established skaters and coaches from other countries who coach in the U.S. have been able to bypass some of the USFS training requirements.
(4) The PSA (Professional Skaters Association). To some extant, PSA training is needed for USFS credentials, and possibly for ISI credentials. Their entry level training is purely on-line, involves some memorization, but requires no skating skill or teaching experience. (In principle the USFS Basic Skills Instructor's Manual says a coach should be able to able to demonstrate the skills they are teaching, but this is not checked. I'm not sure about their high level training. But you need a reference to get in to the PSA. A lot of skaters are picked by their current coach, or a rink, to help teach their group lesson program, and take entry level PSA training to get certified for that, so at entry level certification isn't all that hard.

Different rinks and skating clubs have different requirements on who can coach at their rink.

You can theoretically become a USFS Basic Skills instructor without any training or skill. All you need is for a program manager to say they want you to teach, and for someone to pay $32 to the USFS. I volunteer as an instructor at a rink where some of the instructors only have hockey experience, but still teach entry level USFS figure skating classes. (Hey, how much knowledge do you need to teach "March, Glide and Dip"? And some of these people are very good at teaching.)

Various organizations also give out "ratings", based on a combination of other credentials and how well your best students have done in tests and competitions.

Beyond that, you need insurance in most teaching programs at most rinks, but not all.

It is fairly difficult to get credentials, beyond the most basic levels. As with all teacher certification programs, credentials do not correlate all that strongly with teaching ability, but they serve a useful purpose to the organizations that give them - they make money for them! They also serve to keep out those who aren't truly dedicated to getting them, which is why figure skaters have been willing to tolerate this unwieldy system.

You also need to pass a background check. (At least you have for the past several years, in part because there have been problems with some coaches. They probably look for felonies, and for signs that you might be a threat to children.)

There is sufficient money involved paying off the various involved organizations that some coaches who only teach on a very part-time basis complain it isn't worth it.

There are some small ice rinks that don't require credentials from any of the major organizations. By the way, most ice rinks in the U.S. are themselves insured through the ISI or USFS - but not all. There are many other insurance companies that insure a few rinks.

You didn't used to need accreditation to teach hockey, and most of the coaches are still just parents of would-be hockey players who used to skate. But now various hockey organizations give out credentials, and most hockey clubs require them, in part because they include a background check, and in part because organizations like USA Hockey require their own credentials. That said, hockey players are free to take lessons from other coaches, such as figure skating coaches.

I have no idea whether there are any credentials needed to teach speed skating. I also don't know much about roller and in-line skating.

BTW, many people teach skating associated lessons off ice (e.g., ballet for figure skaters, off ice exercises, choreography and music), as well as various medical specialists and skate technicians (skate fitting, modification, sharpening, for which there are no universally recognized certifications). In many cases, these people have little knowledge of or credentials for skating. (Medical specialties of course involve their own non-skating related training, credentials and insurance, specified separately by each state.) Nonetheless, the best people are often well recognized for their previous work within the skating community.

Beyond that explanation, you need a real coach and/or judge to answer your questions.

~Can a skater be actively competing and have coaching credentials at the same time?

Yes.

It's always been OK within the ISI. Within USFS (and therefore within ISU) it's been OK for the past 15 or 20 years (?), but you have to give the USFS and the PSA their cuts. Cuts aren't on a per-student or per-lesson basis, but there is a fair bit of money involved for certifications, professional memberships and insurance.

Many competitors teach to help support their habit, and as practice for what might be their future profession, or because their coaches want them to assist teaching.

In other words, in the U.S., there are no simple rules about these things. And each country makes its own rules.

P.S. I'm not a coach, unless you count the volunteer BS instructor thing. I don't have the in depth knowledge to fully answer your questions to the level you want. Someone else would have to provide more info.

[fsk8r]

Skaters are allowed to earn money from skating (ie coach or perform in shows) but their actions must be approved by their national governing body so that they retain their eligibility, and are therefore able to compete in competitions approved by the ISU or their national body.
I know in the UK that a skater who coaches must submit a declaration each year about what their coaching activities are. I think you can download it from the NISA website and so that might give you an idea of the requirements they need to fulfill. These requirements are set out by the ISU.
And on top of this there are all their coaching qualifications which depend on the country they are working in.

When you mention one skater coaching the other at competition, I know that Christopher Dean used to do a lot of the choreography for him and Jane when they were competing. It wasn't all done by their coaches.

[4711]

Bama an African city!  awesome! (feels this way some times, with all of 3 rinks in the state!)

ok, since I am living in Fantasy Land....
So basically, the dude can have coaching credentials while competing (that would be basically having the card, but not having anybody to actually coach) basically for the benefit of having done it while the learning is still easy.

But actually, this fills another little plot hole nicely I thought I would have to do some excessive tap dancing to fill in. Sweet.

Basically the idea is to send the kids off to a big event, while the main coach has to do some personal stuff. one kid 'coaching' the other, the holding hands, waiting for the scores kind of deal.

[TreSk8sAZ]

For a U.S. Figure Skating competition, there are three levels of certifications. Level C is basic skills, and requires a background check and I think at least one test. Level B allows a coach to put skaters on the ice for non-qualifying events (so your club/local competitions) this requires additional courses plus the C stuff. Level A means that a coach can be ice-side for a qualifying competition (Regionals, Sectionals, Nationals, etc.) again, requires everything from the lower levels plus additional classes. Plus there are US Figure Skating and PSA membership requirements.

Most of the high level skaters that are skating and coaching in my area do not get their Level A due to time and expense, plus the reality is they generally don't need it. They usually coach lower level students or are secondary for the qualifying kids, so wouldn't put them out at a qualifying competition (they might be skating at it, and that would be more difficult I would think).

I really don't know how many of them go through the courses for any reason other than to make money to help supplement their training. I don't know that it makes a difference that they're actively training as there is not a physical componenent to the test (well, I mean you don't have to go out and do a triple to be compliant - but you do have to know how to teach a jump).

This is an oversimplification of the process. If you would like to know more specifics, go to the U.S. Figure Skating site. There is a button at the top for coaches, and it has all of the compliance information.

[4711]

Thank you, you guys have been most helpful, as usual! 

[blue111moon]

One more note:  if it's USFS you're talking about, then the competitor who would fill in as coach for another skater would have to be registered AS A COACH at the the competition in order to receive credentials that would allow him/her to be rinkside with the skater during the competition.  Registration has to take place ahead of time;  I don't know what the procedure would be if it was a last minute substitution. 

[CaraSkates]

One more note:  if it's USFS you're talking about, then the competitor who would fill in as coach for another skater would have to be registered AS A COACH at the the competition in order to receive credentials that would allow him/her to be rinkside with the skater during the competition.  Registration has to take place ahead of time;  I don't know what the procedure would be if it was a last minute substitution.

Good point! A friend of mine is a level B coach and wanted to be able to put her younger sister on at a local competition. However, her sister had not listed her as a coach when registering for the competition, so she wasn't on the approved list of coaches. She was able to work it out but had to show her insurance cards and CER certificate and I think it also helped that a coach from our rink knew the competition chair and explained what had happened. It did take some time to get straightened out though!

[TreSk8sAZ]

One more note:  if it's USFS you're talking about, then the competitor who would fill in as coach for another skater would have to be registered AS A COACH at the the competition in order to receive credentials that would allow him/her to be rinkside with the skater during the competition.  Registration has to take place ahead of time;  I don't know what the procedure would be if it was a last minute substitution.

Yes, you can. However, it's not quick and it's not easy. First, the skater must be the one to initiate the change. They have to go to the registrar/club official and let them know they want the coach to be added. The coach must have all of their paperwork (proof of background check, compliance with courses, identification, insurance, etc) and be able to provide it to the LOC. The LOC must then verify everything with the US Figure Skating database to ensure what they were given has been properly registered. So, while it can be done, it probably shouldn't be expected within a couple of hours or less of the event.

[blue111moon]

I was told by a friend who worked the coaches' registration table at a Regional Qualifying competition that adding an unregistered coach would not be allowed.   Which is why skaters generally list two or more coaches on their applications, just in case of an emergency switch.

[Query]

For a U.S. Figure Skating competition, there are three levels of certifications. Level C is basic skills, and requires a background check and I think at least one test./quote]

But you don't actually need a Level C Certification to teach Basic Skills group lessons. I'm not sure about coaching BS at competitions.

See http://www.usfsa.org/content.asp?menu=coaches&id=486

and the links on that page.

But none of this is relevant if the skater/coach isn't coaching through USFS.

I don't know if you really need to become a coach while young. It is easier to pass skating tests and to compete while you are young - and that determines a lot of how would-be students view you. It is very nice to say you have passed the Gold level tests (triple gold = Freestyle/Dance/Moves in the field). And it is very nice to say you did very well at National and International competitions, preferably earning medals. But on paper, you don't need that to be a coach.

OTOH, many skaters do teach group and/or private lessons when young to make a little extra money. In Maryland, near DC, most group lesson instructors earn about $45/hour, and most private lesson instructors earn at least $60/hour, whereas Maryland minimum wage is $7.25/hour, so you can guess why it is common.