Becoming a hockey coach

Q: What training do I need to become a hockey coach?
A: If you want to be a coach, you must obtain the appropriate National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) certification, by the deadline set by your Hockey Canada Member. These dates vary from province to province, so please check with your Member.

The course you require to become Trained and/or Certified depends on the level you are – or will – be coaching. Each stream of training is tailored to offer the information and skills content appropriate for that level of athlete.

You can find out what coaching clinics you need to attend by visiting the NCCP Levels and Requirements page.

If you still need to complete the Coach 1 (Intro to Coach) or Coach 2 (Coach Level) courses, you must complete modules online through Hockey University and then attend and fully participate at an in-person coach clinic to earn Trained status.

To summarize, three steps to becoming a Trained coach:

STEP 1: Log in to Hockey Canada Registry
STEP 2: Find your Member, select a clinic from the list and register
STEP 3: Attend an in-person clinic

Q: What is the minimum age for coaching hockey?
A: The NCCP policy on minimum age states that “the minimum age for the designation for a coach as NCCP Certified is 16 years of age.”

Anyone younger than 16 and older than 14 may enroll in and complete NCCP or NCCP qualifying development opportunities where a national sports organization:

• Plans to offer NCCP or NCCP qualifying development opportunities to anyone younger than 16.
• Agrees to provide these opportunities within the framework of the NCCP.
• Agrees to maintain the records on the NCCP database.

Your provincial/territorial government or designated delivery agency could also authorize your enrolment in multi-sport modules.

Anyone 14 or 15 years old will be designated on the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) database with an underage status indicator.

Q: Help, I can’t find the clinic I want to sign up for.
A: Please contact your Hockey Canada Member directly if you can’t find a coaching clinic being offered in your area.

Q: I have never used eHockey before, and do not have an account. What do I do?
A: eHockey is an online platform containing resources for coaches, players, officials and safety personnel. You can log in or create a new account by accessing the Hockey Canada Registry webpage.

Q: Do I need to start at Coach 1 in the NCCP and work my way up?
A: No. You can take the course that you are required to have for the level you are coaching. For example, a coach can register for a High Performance 1 course without having completed any other programs. Each stream is designed to cover the pertinent learning and skills content appropriate for the level of athlete which you’ll be coaching.

The NCCP Levels and Requirements page offers details about certification pathways.

Q: I have taken a coaching course a while back. Why is it not showing on my eHockey file?
A: Please contact your Hockey Canada Member. Provide it with as much information as possible and it will look in to your coaching records/profile for you.

Information you will need:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Approximate date of clinic
• Coach card
• Clinic type (Development 1, Coach Level, etc.)
• Any other coaches or the clinic instructor who were there
• Location of the course

Q: Do I have to be certified to be a hockey Coach?
A: Certification is not required at all levels. Hockey Canada’s minimum standards can be found on the Levels and Requirements page. Be sure to check with your Member as well. It may have further requirements for coaches within your province. 

Q: How do I get certified as a coach with Hockey Canada?
A: Certification with Hockey Canada requires, at a minimum, a successfully-evaluated written assignment and an online multi-sport evaluation through a partnership with the Coaching Association of Canada. Development 1, High Performance 1 and High Performance 2 also require successful field evaluations. For more information on certification pathways, please visit the NCCP Levels and Requirements page.  

Q: Can I get certified at all levels in Hockey Canada’s coaching programs?
A: A coach can certify in Coach 2 – Coach Level, Development 1, High Performance 1 and High Performance 2. For more information on certification pathways, please visit the Levels and Requirements page.

Q: How long does it take to get certified?
A: Levels of the game that require field evaluations can take much longer than the courses that only require a written assignment. The certification process can range from a month up to two full hockey seasons. The Levels and Requirements page contains more details about this process.  

Q: Would my hockey education or certification from another country have any equivalency to Hockey Canada’s programs or requirements?
A: There are no equivalencies offered. You must complete Hockey Canada’s courses to coach in Canada. For more information on certification pathways, please visit the Levels and Requirements page.