Coach Education & Development 2025/26 - Coaching Education Pathway - Coach Development 2025/2026

Sep 24, 2026

Coach Education & Development 2025/26 outlines a structured coaching education pathway established by the Canadian Soccer Association, supporting coaches across Canada and all age groups. It is guided by the Long-Term Player Development model and aligned with the National Coaching Certification Program and related coaching associations. Responsibilities are split between BC Soccer and Canada Soccer, detailing community workshops, mandatory certification, grassroots stages, and practical workshop formats. It also describes British Columbia’s pathway summary and includes a 2025/26 certification calendar and program guidance for coach development.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Coaching Education Pathway

Mandatory Coaching Certification

Grassroots Coach Education Program Workshops

Community Stream Delivery and BC Soccer Pathway

ASA Course Certification Calendar 2025/26

Coaching Sisters and Women’s Coaching Development Strategy

COACH EDUCATION & DEVELOPMENT 2025/26 Coaching Education Pathway The CANADASOCCER COACHING EDUCATIONPATHWAY is established by the Canadian Soccer Association. It represents the pathway for Coaches to achieve the required level of education to coach player(s) in Canada, at all age groups. It is guided by the principles of Long-Term Player Development Model (LTPD) and aligned to the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) and the Coaching Association of Canada. BC Soccer is responsible for the delivery of all Community Stream Workshops and C License. All other modules are the responsibility of Canada Soccer Association. Coach Development 2025/2026 Page 2 of 12 Coaching Education Pathway (cont…) The BC SOCCER PATHWAY below provides a summary of the programs, competitions and levels that soccer is played in British Columbia which include various environments and age specific coaching standards set by BC Soccer. It is a roadmap for ALL soccer players wishing to play the beautiful game regardless of age and ability. Coach Development 2025/2026 Page 3 of 12 Mandatory Coaching Certification Canada Soccer isresponsible for the development and certification of all coaches working with players across all environments in Canada, through its Coach Education & Certification Program. Canada Soccer’s Grassroots Coach Education Program has four workshops based on Stages 1, 2, 3, and 7 of the Long-Term Player Development Model. The first three workshops, Active Start, FUNdamentals and Learn to Train, deal with soccer training and the importance of physical literacy for players up to 12 years of age. The fourth workshop is called Soccer for Life and focuses on working with players age 13 and olderthrough to “master’s soccer”. The Soccer for Life stage includes a wide array of participants who play for fun and fitness, those who enjoy recreational soccer, as well as those who prefer to play competitively but not at a high-performance level. Coaches wishing to gain training through the Grassroots Coach Education Program would do so in the following manner: Active Start Workshop Designed for coaches of U4 to U6 players and consists of completing 1.5 hours of online training followed by a 2-hour Practical On-Field Workshop. No pre-requisites required. FUNdamentals Workshop Designed for coaches of Boys U6-U9 and Girls U6-U8 . It consists of completing 1.5 hours of online training followed by a 3-hour Practical On-Field Workshop. Coaches are also expected to complete the NCCP Make Ethical Decisions Workshop and Online Evaluation; the NCCP Making Headway Concussion Awareness Workshop, the NCCP Online Emergency Action Plan Workshop and the Respect in Sport Activity Leader Course. No pre-requisites required. Learn to Train Workshop Designed for coaches of Boys U9-U12 and Girls U8-U11 . It consists of completing 2 hours of online training followed by a 4-hour Practical On-Field Workshop. Coaches are also expected to complete the NCCP Make Ethical Decisions Workshop and Online Evaluation; the NCCP Making Headway Concussion Awareness Workshop, the NCCP Online Emergency Action Plan Workshop and the Respect in Sport Activity Leader Course. No pre-requisites required. Soccer for Life Workshop Designed for coaches of Boys U13+ and Girls U12+ . It consists of completing 2 hours of online training followed by a 4-hour Practical On-Field Workshop. Coaches are also expected to complete the NCCP Make Ethical Decisions Workshop and Online Evaluation; the NCCP Making Headway Concussion Awareness Workshop, the NCCP Online Emergency Action Plan Workshop and the Respect in Sport Activity Leader Course. No pre-requisites required. Note: there is no evaluation in theGrassroots Coach Education Program. Coaches completing all of the expectations noted above will be classified as Trained Coaches. Coach Development 2025/2026 Page 4 of 12 To assist with the new flex-delivery model, our Technical Director and Technical

FAQs

Who establishes and guides the Coach Education Pathway for 2025/26?

The Canadian Soccer Association establishes the pathway. It is guided by the Long-Term Player Development model and aligned to the National Coaching Certification Program and the Coaching Association of Canada.

What workshops make up Canada Soccer’s Grassroots Coach Education Program?

The program includes four workshops based on LTPD stages: Active Start, FUNdamentals, Learn to Train, and Soccer for Life.

What are the training and on-field practical requirements for each Grassroots workshop?

Active Start requires 1.5 hours online training plus a 2-hour practical on-field workshop. FUNdamentals, Learn to Train, and Soccer for Life each follow a similar online-plus-practical structure with 3-hour or 4-hour on-field durations depending on the stage.

How do coaches progress through the Grassroots program and how are they classified after completion?

Coaches complete the relevant workshop and the listed NCCP/related modules and online evaluation where applicable. Coaches meeting the stated expectations are classified as Trained Coaches, and the document notes there is no evaluation within the Grassroots Coach Education Program.

Sep 24, 2026

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