Coaches Certification

Goals and General Requirements

Ongoing coaches education is the most significant factor in the improved training of athletes. The goals of Special Olympics' Coaches Education program are:

To provide every coach working in a sport with a basic knowledge of that sport (events, rules, basic skills and how to teach those skills).
To provide all coaches with knowledge about Special Olympics, its history, philosophy and goals.
To provide all coaches with knowledge about persons with intellectual disabilities and the current trends in this field.
To provide coaches with information on sports injury, risk management and providing a safe environment.
To provide a practical experience coaching Special Olympics athletes, in order to put into practice information provided by the Coaches Education Program.
To provide coaches with general knowledge about the art and science of coaching sports.

Special Olympics' Coaches Certification program is designed to ensure that all persons involved with the coaching of Special Olympics athletes have a minimum base of knowledge about the sport(s) they coach.

For all state level events, including Sectional Tournaments, each County program is required to have a minimum of one sports specific certified coach present for each sport in which the county is participating.
Coaches new to Special Olympics must take part in the certification process within one year of beginning coaching.
Coaches who are currently certified have to renew their sports specific certification every 4 years, either by taking a more advanced level of Special Olympics coaches training, or by taking an approved non-Special Olympics course.

Steps to Becoming a Certified Coach

Complete a Class A Volunteer form. For communication purposes and for the safety of our athletes, every coach must be a registered Class A Volunteer and undergo a criminal background screening. You will not be able to commence any coaching activities until you have been deemed an approved Class A Volunteer by Special Olympics Florida.
While waiting for your Class A Volunteer application to be processed, take Special Olympics' requisite on-line Protective Behaviors training (your background screening will not be processed until we are notified by Special Olympics that you have successfully completed this on-line training). This is so athletes and volunteers alike can help create a safe and healthy atmosphere for everyone involved.
Talk to your County Coordinator to schedule a time for you to attend a General Orientation training (requisite for all coaches). This brief training will give you an overview of Special Olympics and will provide you with information you will need in your role as a coach.
Attend a sport specific coaches training course, offered by Special Olympics Florida (see below).
Work a minimum of 10 hours with Special Olympics athletes (individual or team), in a specific sport, and document your hours on our Application for Sports Certification form.
Submit a copy of your Application for Sports Certification form to the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it department.

Coaches Educational Courses

Skills Course: Offered in each of the sports, this course focuses on the basic skills and strategies of a sport. This course is designed for those who are interested in coaching, but do not have prior sports experience, such as competing or coaching at high school, college or equivalent levels.

Tactics Course: This sport-specific course focuses on development of higher-level sports skills, game/competition tactics and strategies, expanded skill instruction, and enhancement of athlete performance.

Motor Activities Training Program (MATP) Course: This course offers training for working with athletes with the most severe limitations, focusing on activity stations which enhance motor skills, sports skills and physical fitness.

Unified Sports® Course: Special Olympics Unified Sports is a program that combines athletes with and without intellectual disabilities (called "Partners") on sports teams for training and competition.

Online Training

Special Olympics is offering two break-through online education resources for its coaches, aimed at improving the quality and consistency of Special Olympics’ coaches training worldwide. Special Olympics partnered with two leading sport coaching education providers: American Sport Education Program (ASEP) and the National Federation of State High Schools (NFHS) to develop and deliver Special Olympics-customized online courses that meet entry-level certification requirements for Special Olympics coaches.

Through the ASEP-offered Coaching Special Olympics Athletes online course, coaches will develop a better understanding of how people with intellectual disabilities learn and how they participate in sports. The course offers an overview of the coaching principles and successful techniques involved in working with Special Olympics athletes, as well as practical ideas that can be used during coaching.

The NFHS-offered Coaching Special Olympics Unified Sports^® course helps coaches understand and implement the most successful coaching strategies for this very special mix of teammates. The course features an introduction by former NFL quarterback, and Special Olympics supporter, Kurt Warner.

These courses represent much-needed, web-based alternatives to traditional in-person trainings. Special Olympics PDF resources are referenced throughout the course, along with photos, audio, video, and narrated presentations.

Training Schools

Scheduled/upcoming training schools can be found on our Calendar of Events.

Recertification

The purpose of recertification is to ensure that all certified coaches continue to stay up to date with sports rules and techniques, as well as continually enhancing their coaching skills. Recertification classes only count toward one sport. Coaches who coach multiple sports must take multiple recertification classes. A CPR/First Aid course will recertify a coach in all sports every other certification period.

American Sports Education Program (ASEP)
Special Olympics North America has formed a partnership with ASEP for online coaches courses. These sport-specific courses can be used as tactics courses to further the coaches' knowledge of the sport. Coaches who successfully complete the course must provide a receipt/proof to Special Olympics Florida.

Recognition

We believe in recognizing the hours of dedication and volunteerism it takes to be a coach. That's why once a coach completes a level of certification and notifies Special Olympics Florida, we offer items in recognition of your commitment to quality coaching.

Level 1: Coach has completed General Orientation and Protective Behaviors, attended a certification course and completed 10 hours of practicum work with Special Olympics athletes.

Recognition: Lanyard and credentials

Level 2: Coach has completed Level 1 requirements, has completed 3 years of coaching, maintained their coaching certification(s) and has added a sports skills course.

Recognition: Level 1 items, plus a T-shirt

Level 3: Coach has completed Level 1 and 2 requirements, has completed 6 years of coaching, maintained their coaching certification(s) and has added a sports skills course.

Recognition: Level 1 and 2 items, plus a sports pin.

Level 4: Coach has completed Levels 1, 2 and 3 requirements, has completed 10 years of coaching, maintained their coaching certification(s) and has taken an advanced course. In addition, the coach must teach at least one coaches training course.

Recognition: Level 1, 2 and 3 items, plus a coaches Polo shirt.

Note: Upon completion of Level 4 requirements, the coach has become certified for life and no longer has to become certified.

Questions?

Contact our This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it department.

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