Coaching

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Welcome coaches, trainers, and managers to the 2023/2024 season! 

Introduction
The coaching coordinator in your association is your main source of coaching information. Please read through the following pages to learn what you need as a coach/manager/trainer for the 2023-24 season.

Contact Info
Most coaching questions are answered here on this page. If you do have a question please contact Caryn McKee, GAARA Coaching Coordinator at coaching@gaara.ca

 

Important information for 2023-24:

1. Bench staff NO LONGER NEED a police check for the 18+ open GAARA league.  
2. All bench staff must be qualified for their positions by November 30th, 2023.  Qualifications have changed.  Ringette Ontario Coach Qualifications 18+ (OPEN) AA/A/BB/B/CC/C/DEV COACH REQUIREMENTS include only the online course of:
   • Safe Sport Training - https://safesport.coach.ca/participants-training 
   • Managers must take the managers certification course - https://cloud.rampinteractive.com/ringetteontariogames/files/Coaches/Manager-Certification-Requirements-2021.pdf 
   • Trainers must have standard first aid or the equivalent - https://cloud.rampinteractive.com/ringetteontariogames/files/Trainer%20Position%20Requirements.pdf 
3. The coaches meeting date/place is TBA
4. Rule change clinic TBA

 

If You Are New to Coaching, You Need a National Coaching Certification Program Number (NCCP#)

 

You should start by going to coach.ca, select “The Locker” and create an account for yourself. This will allow you to get an NCCP#, also known as your coaching number, and you will use this for the courses that you take.

Training Requirements

If you don't know what courses you need, a summary of the Ontario Ringette Bench Staff Qualification Requirements can be found at: 

https://www.ringetteontario.com/content/team-staff-qualification-pathways 

All coaches/managers/trainers should visit this link to confirm the training that they need to coach this upcoming season. (Ringette Ontario).

 

For those interested in coaching in U19 and below, the following is information about courses you may need.  

Coaching FAQ

1. What is Coach Initiation in Sport
2. What is Community Sport Initiation (CSI)
3. What is Competition Introduction (CI)
4. I am a new coach at 18+ BB and lower; Do I need to do CI?
5. I am a new coach at 18+ A or AA; Do I need to do CI?
6. How do I maintain my certification? 
7. If I need professional development (PD) points for my certification, do I need to retake a course?
8. How can I get professional development (PD) points?
9. What happens if I don’t complete the required professional development requirements within the five year cycle?
10. Do B.B. teams or lower need a coach or player coach on the bench?
11. Who qualifies as “Designated Bench Staff”?
12. Who must attend rule change clinics?
13. How often are rule change clinics held?
14. If I am a new coach to GAARA and did not coach in the youth associations, do I need CSI and CI?
15. Do I need a police check?
16. Where can I get more information about the Ontario Ringette Association coaching requirements?
17. What do I need to know about league sanctioned events and coaching? 

 

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1.  What is Coach Initiation in Sport

Coach Initiation in Sport

Anyone who is new to coaching ringette needs to take this online course first. To access Coach Initiation in Sport follow this link:

  https://thelocker.coach.ca/account/login?ReturnUrl=%2fonlinelearning#CIS-E

 This page will provide you with details on how to go to “The Locker” to sign up for the course.  The course takes approximately one hour to complete 

2.  What is Community Sport Initiation (CSI)?

Community Sport Initiation

This workshop will give you all of the tools you need to hit the ice with confidence as a first-time ringette coach. Over the course of 10 hours, this in-class and on-ice workshop will help you:

• Understand the level of athlete you are coaching (typically children from U9 to U12);
• Equip you with the basic tools to plan safe, fun, and effective practices;
• Show you how to teach basic ringette skills in a fun and inclusive way.

https://ringetteontario.com/the-people/coaches/coaching-clinics/

Who should take this workshop?
Anyone with limited or basic ringette experience who wants to get involved at the community level to coach; parents/guardians volunteering with their child’s ringette program; coaches of recreational ringette.

3.  What is Competition Introduction (CI)?

Competition - Introduction:

This two-day workshop provides a foundation for your coaching career and introduces new coaching methods that will enhance both your coaching and your program’s effectiveness.
Through a mix of classroom and hands-on learning on the ice, this workshop focuses on:

• Preparing coaches to plan and execute fun and safe practices for their players;
• Introducing basic and more complex technical and tactical elements relevant to ringette;
• Providing an opportunity for coaches to practice the above elements on the ice;
• Preparing coaches to plan for an entire season of ringette, ensuring their athlete's abilities progress over the course of the season; and
• Ensuring coaches are aware and understand the guiding principles of Long-term Athlete Development (LTAD) in order to appropriately plan their seasons.

https://ringetteontario.com/the-people/coaches/coaching-clinics/

Who should take this workshop?

• Coaches working with competitive youth players in U12 and higher; and
• Recreational ringette coaches working with older athletes in the Active for Life stage of Long-term Athlete Development.
• Coaches working with adult players and are new to certification (ie have no coaching courses yet) only need to complete the CI course.

4.  I am a new coach at 18+ BB and lower; Do I need to do CI?

No.  For bench staff requirements see the following link:

https://www.ringetteontario.com/content/team-staff-qualification-pathways 
 

5.  I am a new coach at 18+ A or AA; Do I need to do CI?

No.  For bench staff requirements see the following link:

https://www.ringetteontario.com/content/team-staff-qualification-pathways 

 

6.  How do I maintain my certification for U19 and below?

When does the five year certification count begin?

Aside from the first cycle, which starts on January 1st, 2014: when you begin any NCCP training, the five year count begins. For example, if you are CI certified, your clock will begin ticking on January 1st, 2014, but if you participate in a CD course in 2015, you clock will be reset. When you move from ‘in training’ or ‘trained’ to ‘certified’ status, a new five year cycle will begin.

Context	Minimum Professional Development Credits Required for a Period of Five Years
Community Sport Initiation (CSI)	10 points
Competition Introduction (CI)	20 points
Competition Development (Comp-Dev)	30 points

The five year clock is always reset on January 1st. Therefore, if you complete new activity in a context, the clock will be reset the following January 1st. For example: if you complete certification status in March 2014 your five year clock will reset January 1st 2015.   Ringette coaches will be required to complete professional development to maintain certification in a five year cycle. In this case, the first cycle deadline will be December 31st, 2018. Any professional development activity will be calculated in “points”. Each context requires a different number of points to remain certified. Below is the chart that indicates the number of points required for each context in Ringette: https://coachingringette.ca/index.php?page=353
  

7.  If I need professional development points for my certification, do I need to retake a course? 

No, you do not need to retake a course.
 

8.  How can I get professional development points?

ACTIVE COACHING POINTS Coaches will receive 1 PD point per year for active coaching. These points need to be SELF-DECLARED. To declare your active coaching: Log in to The Locker Under your profile, click CERTIFICATION on the menu tab Click the Self-Report Whistle on the left hand side Record Active Status Self-directed points can be earned up to a maximum of 3 points per maintenance cycle. Learning that falls into this category include:

1. First Aid Training 
2. College/University Coaching Related Courses 
3. Officials Training 
4. Conference/Seminar

These points need to be SELF-DECLARED.

To declare: Log in to The Locker Under your profile, click CERTIFICATION on the menu tab Click the Self-Report Whistle on the left-hand side Go to Coach Self-Report Complete Details and Save

 

	Activity Category		Points		Limitations
Sport- specific	Active coaching		1 point/year for every  season coached 1 point/year for learning facilitator or evaluator activity		To a maximum number of points equal to the number of years of the certification renewal period: 5 years
	NCCP activity		5 points/module		No maximum or minimum
	Non-NCCP activity*		3 points for approx.3 hours activity		No maximum or minimum
	Coach self- directed activity*		3 points for the valid certification period		Maximum of 3 points for certification renewal period
	Re-evaluation in context		100% of the points required for PD credit in the context		No other PD is required if coach chooses re-evaluation
Multi- sport	NCCP activity		5 points/module		No maximum or minimum
	Non-NCCP activity		1 point/hour of activity up to 3 points maximum		To a maximum of 50% of required PD credit for the context in a certification renewal period
*For Non-NCCP activities, and coach self-directed activities, coaches must get approval from Ringette Canada’s Coaching Development Committee to confirm that credit can be claimed.  https://coachingringette.ca/index.php?page=353
Professional Development Activity Chart
Approved Professional Development Activities
Activity	Units	Context		Provider	Notes/Comments
CI module: Basic Mental Skills	5	CSI CI		Home Study Provincial Coaching Association	* contact your PSO to find out when they are available, or contact your provincial coaching association directly.  It is recommended that CSI Coaches complete the CI  ?modules in the following order: Teaching and Learning, Basic Mental Skills and Nutrition,
CI module: Teaching and Learning	5	CSI CI		Home Study Provincial Coaching Association	* contact your PSO to find out when they are available, or contact your provincial coaching association directly.
CI Module: Nutrition	5	CSI CI		Home Study Provincial Coaching Association	* contact your PSO to find out when they are available, or contact your provincial coaching association directly.
Fundamental Movement Skills	5	ALL		Provincial Coaching Association
Prevention in Motion	3	ALL		Canadian Red Cross Provincial Sport Organization
Respect in Sport	3	ALL		Provincial Sport Organization	www.respectinsport.com
Speak Out	3	ALL		Hockey Canada
Principles of Healthy Child Development	3	CSI		High Five	www.highfive.org
Petro-Canada Sport  Leadership conference	5	ALL		Coaching Association of Canada	www.coach.ca

https://coachingringette.ca/index.php?page=353

 

9.  What happens if I don’t complete the required professional development within the five year cycle?

Failure to accumulate the required professional development credits within the specified time causes the coach’s status to be changed to Certified (Not-Renewed). A coach who completes the required Professional Development credits after the end date of the period for renewal of certification will achieve Certified (Renewed) status but the subsequent period for renewal of certification will begin on the original date by which the required Professional Development credits should have been complete.

 

10.  Do B.B. teams or lower need a coach or player coach on the bench?

18+ and 35+ teams are required to have a qualified bench staff member registered on their TRF and present during sanctioned events. It is strongly suggested that teams consider having a non-player coach on the bench but this is not a requirement at this time.

For “A, BB, B, C, Dev” playing levels:

• The qualified bench staff member may be a coach, trainer or manager
• The qualified bench staff member may be a player as long as they are identified on the TRF as coach, trainer or manager

Where there is a player-coach, that individual is responsible for the team and will be subject to all disciplinary actions, including ejection during the game. It is strongly recommended that teams have a non-playing member of the Bench staff on the Bench for sanctioned play.

 

11.  Who qualifies as “Designated Bench Staff”?

A Designated Bench Staff is Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Trainer and Manager.

 

12.  Who must attend rule change clinics?

According to 4.3.1 of the coach manual of the ORA operating manual it is the head coach or assistant coach that must attend for A and AA. In the adult manual for BB teams and below it becomes the registered bench staff member when there is not a head coach identified.

 

13.  How often are rule change clinics held?

They are held every second year and are mandatory for a designated bench staff member from each team to attend.
 

14.  If I am a new coach to GAARA and did not coach in the youth associations, do I need CSI and CI?

No.   For bench staff requirements see the following link:

https://www.ringetteontario.com/content/team-staff-qualification-pathways 
 

15.  How can I get a police check?

You no longer require a police check as of the 2023-24 season.

 

16.  Where can I get more information about the Ontario Ringette Association coaching requirements?

https://www.ringetteontario.com/content/team-staff-qualification-pathways 

 

17.  What do I need to know about league sanctioned events and coaching? 

We have created a living FAQ document to help answer some of the most asked questions around attending a tournament - substitutions, schedules, and suspensions - among others! The RO team will continue to add to this as things come up over the season. It's also posted on the RO website under Operating Resources>Competitions.

   

 

Coaching Resource Links:

Ringette Canada: https://www.ringette.ca/
Ringette Ontario: https://ontario-ringette.com/
The Eastern Ringette Association: Coaching resources: http://easternregionringette.ca  
The Coaching Association of Canada: https://www.coach.ca
The National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP): https://www.coach.ca/coach-training-in-canada-s15408
Adult Development Manual: https://ontario-ringette.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/3.-Adult-Development-10-2017.pdf
Coaching Development Manual: https://ontario-ringette.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/5.-Coaching-Development-10-2017.pdf
Maintenance of Certification: https://www.coachingringette.ca/index.php?page=353