Learning to become a coach in any sport is always a blend of education and experience. A good coach needs both. The ITTF Coaches Education Program helps provide a minimum level of education, not a maximum level. When combined with a lot of hours on the table, a person can learn to become a good coach.
The ITTF Currently has 3 levels of Coaching Courses and each corresponds with a different level of athlete and the needs of the athlete at that level.
ITTF-PTT Level 1 Course is 30 hours over 5 days and then also 30 hours of supervised post course coaching which is graded. At the conclusion, the Coach receives an ITTF-PTT Level 1 Certificate. The course is designed for the coach working with young beginning athletes. ITTF Level 2 Course is 36 hours over 6 days and then 50 hours of supervised post course coaching. This course is designed for working with intermediate level (developing technically) athletes. It is very much a technical course with every stroke variation and all elements of footwork covered. ITTF Level 3 Course is 48 hours over 8 days and then 80 hours of supervised coaching working with National Level Athletes. This course covers all aspect of creating and working with National Level Athletes including how to construct tactical and strategy lesson plans and training cycles to prepare athletes for major competitions. Also physical training, recovery, mental skills training, and much more is covered. The above courses have to have a one year time frame between each to allow the coaches to gain experience. Also in Level 2 you have to score high on the exams to be eligible to take a future L3 Course. While most coaches will pass Level 1, some do fail in L2 and only about 1/2 that pass score high enough to move on to try Level 3.
Of course all of this knowledge is not effective unless the coach also has put many hours of practical coaching into the mix. Likewise, experience without education also limits a coach as they can only teach a limited skill set.
All-in-all, it takes a lot of education and experience of coaching athletes at all levels to become a qualified Coach. There is no quick path and no piece of paper makes a coach. Coaches are always judged by the athletes they create and few people ask about certifications. Coaches take courses because good coaches are also good students and hungry to find ways to improve their coaching skills. The most dangerous coach is the one who thinks they know everything and stops learning themselves.
More than 50,000 coaches have become certified in the ITTF System.
Coach McAfee, ITTF International Course Conductor Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 and Trainer
------------- Coach McAfee
|