Coaching Pathway - Coach Education - Development

ECB Coaching Pathway

Time to Progress

Our commitment is delivering five levels of UKCC endorsed qualifications for coaching cricket.

This involves continuing to work with all elements of the cricket coaching community as well as the other ‘fast-track’ sports (rugby union, swimming, athletics, triathlon and rowing) to ensure that cricket is able to “provide appropriately trained and skilled coaches to support players at each stage of their development through the most successful and respected Coach Education programme in the world”.

The timeline for delivery of the revised qualifications was:

ECB Coaching Assistant (UKCC1)
– launched September 2005

ECB Coach Award (UKCC2)
- launched September 2005

ECB Head Coach Award (UKCC3)
- launched September 2006

ECB Master Coach Award (UKCC4)
- launched September 2006

ECB Coaching Fellowship
- launched September 2006

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The graphic above illustrates the Coach Development pathway. In contrast to the current ‘stepped’ structure the new model incorporates the philosophy of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Essentially this means that as soon as a coach passes through a level specific ‘gateway’ they have the opportunity to proceed immediately towards the next level by accessing formally accredited ‘units’ or ‘modules’. This builds on the existing ‘Coach Development Programme’ but adds value by integrating these into a formally recognised qualification.

The Coaching Assistant and Coach Award qualifications are delivered and assessed locally by ECB accredited tutors and assessors (Staff Coaches). The Head Coach Award is available on a national basis only.

The Master Coach Award is also a national programme, delivered and assessed bi-annually. The specifics of the Coaching Fellowship are yet to be determined.

Relationships with local training providers (Colleges of Further Education) and an independent Awarding Body (1st 4 Sport Qualifications) provides a level of quality assurance, which has not previously been possible.

One of the most significant changes in the new structure is the opportunity, following qualification at Coach Award level, for coaches to specialise in either ‘development’ or ‘high-performance’ coaching.

We have learned from the Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model that the very early stages of a child’s development have a profound impact on their performance in later years.

It is essential therefore that coaches who choose to operate at this level are given access to the very highest possible qualifications to ensure that the fundamentals or ‘building blocks’ of performance are established at the appropriate time in a child’s development.

Coaches holding previous ECB qualifications will have the opportunity to, if they so wish, to transfer to the new UKCC endorsed awards via a series of adapted ‘modules’ or ‘units’ which are currently being developed.

Further technical bulletins and updates will be available on these web pages as they become available.