Coaching
Scottish Hockey is committed to developing coaching throughout Scotland and if you are looking for any information on coaching please contact the full-time Coach Education Development Manager at coaching@scottish-hockey.org.uk.
Coaches are vital to the development of the sport and without quality coaching we will not be able to develop effective player pathways from Grassroots to National Squads.
Scottish Hockey organise a variety of courses leading to qualifications at different levels and hold workshops and seminars focussing on various aspects of coaching. These will help you develop your skills and knowledge as a coach on hockey specific and generic topics.
Many Teachers have a role in the development of players and there are 1 day in-service training opportunities organised on a National basis twice a year and then Local Authorities or individual Schools can deliver 2-3 hour sessions on demand as Continuous Professional Development.
Qualification Structure
Scottish Hockey over the past few years have invested along with other NGB's in developing their coaching courses to align itself with the United Kingdom Coaching Certificate (UKCC). These courses are formal qualifications and are processed by SQA. This will provide standards for content, delivery and training of personel across all Home Countries for each of the Levels of Qualification. Each level of qualification allows the participants to learn more about the 'How to Coach' elements such as organisation, explanation, demonstration and feedback while integrating various technical and tactical areas of the sport. Further information can be found on the Sports Coach UK website.
Leaders Course is a 6 hour introduction to the basic skills in hockey and is targeted at volunteers, senior pupils, parents and teachers to increase their knowledge of the skills in hockey. It is approx £30 per person to attend and minimum age is14 years old.
UKCC Level I Course is an assistant coaching award and minimum age is 16 years old. It is 2 and a half days and introduces theoretical areas of coaching and technical elements such as passing, receiving and elimination skills. Current cost is approx £150.
UKCC Level 2 Course is a Club Coach award. It is approximately 4 days and increases the depth of knowledge of the skills and introduces the tactical topics such as attacking, defending and set pieces. Minimum age is 18 years old and cost is approx £400 non residential.
UKCC Level 3 Course is a Head Coach award. It is currently delivered in conjunction with England Hockey and Welsh Hockey Union once a year. It involves attending a weekend course, 6 modules on various tactical areas and collating information and session planning over a season.
Relicence Scheme
Coaches will be asked to re-validate their qualification every 3 years in order to continue to be 'active' on the Scottish Hockey coaches database with the introduction of the UKCC. It involves collating information about sessions delivered and courses attended whether they are hockey specific or generic.
Continuous Professional Development
There are opportunities for sports specific and generic workshops and courses to be attended in order to keep knowledge and delivery up to date. These are delivered by sportscotland and Local Authorities mainly through Sportscoach UK courses and Scottish Hockey throughout the year.