Course Requirements for Coaches

Hockey Nova Scotia Coaching Requirements

• All Coaches, including  assistants, at the Atom ‘AAA’, ‘AA’, ‘A’ ‘B’, Peewee ‘AAA’, ‘AA’, ‘A’, ‘B’,’ Bantam ‘AAA’, ‘AA’, ‘A’ ,‘B’,C,  Midget Major, ‘AAA’ Minor, ‘AA’, ‘A’, ‘B’, and C’  and Junior ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ divisions within HNS must be trained at the N.C.C.P. Development Level I  Clinic;
• All instructors at Initiation division (players aged 5 & 6) are to be trained with a minimum Intro/Community Coach Program
• All coaches at the Novice division (players aged 7 & 8) are to be trained with a minimum Intro/Community Coach Program
• All  coaches at House/Recreational level from Atom, Peewee, Bantam, Midget must trained in the minimum Intro/Community Coach Program or old Initiation Program. NCCP DEVELOPMENT I is acceptable for House/Rec coaches

NOTE: Coaches at higher levels who are required to take the NCCP Development Level I clinic will not be permitted to take the Intro Coach clinic. Also, coaches and instructors at the Initiation entry level and Novice levels will not be permitted to register for the NCCP Development Level I clinic. Coaches and instructors must register in the clinic established as appropriate to the age grouping of the players they are coaching/instructing. 

• All bench officials/coaches, including assistants and trainers at the “AAA”, “AA”, and “A” divisions at all levels must be trained in the Hockey Canada Safety Program. This training must be renewed every three years and coaches are responsible to verify their currency annually.
• All medically trained professionals must take the HSP Course. It deals with rink safety, hockey equipment fitting and various other non first aid topics that are specific to hockey
• All teams at the “B”, “C”, and Recreational divisions must have at least one member of the bench staff trained in the Hockey Canada Safety Program. Bench staff includes Head Coach, Assistant Coaches and Trainer. (Note: Recreational divisions include the Initiation Program and Novice division
• All Initiation Program and Novice Teams/ Groupings must have at least one coach or instructor trained  in the Hockey Canada Safety Program
•  It is recommended that all teams at the “AAA”, “AA”, and “A” levels have at least one member of the bench staff trained at the HCSP Level II. HCSP Level II is available to individuals who hold a valid First Aid certificate and CPR Level “C” from a recognized agency. HCSP Level II is provided once an individual provides proof of certification. There is no clinic training required for this certification. With this certification, an individual will have to refresh every five (5) years instead of every three (3) years.  Individuals interested in obtaining this certification may do so by providing proof of the required qualifications to Hockey Nova Scotia. Contact Hockey Nova Scotia at (902) 454-9400 for more information.
• A new coach (1^st year) will only be required to attend a maximum of one (1)  clinic in any one (1) season. If a coach is new and requires both the NCCP and the HSP, they would take the NCCP Development Level I or Intro Program clinic (as applicable in year one and the Hockey Safety Program Clinic in their second season. This would allow the coach to be eligible for both seasons.)

NOTE: For the NCCP, coaches who have previously certified in either the NCCP Coach or NCCP Intermediate levels are not required to take the new NCCP Development I Level Clinic where that is required. They will be eligible to coach with what they currently have.  Coaches with the Initiation Program Coaching Course, do not have to take the Intro Coach Program.

Definitions:
Coach or Assistant Coach
A person who is both on the bench during games and is on the ice during practices

Trainer
A person who is on the bench during the games to attend to any injuries. This person is on the bench or in the rink during practices as well - but does not go on the ice at all to help with any practices

Manager
A person who volunteers to help out a team with booking ice time, submitting tournament applications and making travel plans, coordinates team budgets and fundraising events. This person does not go on the bench during games and does not go on the ice during practice