Select Page

Coaching Requirements 2020-2021 ONLY (COVID)

Some changes EXTENDED FOR THE 2021-22 season

Due to limited space in coaching courses, Ringette Canada and Ringette Alberta are therefore extending the relaxing of some of the coaching requirements to include the 2021-22 season.

If you have questions, please first contact your Local Association’s Coaching Director – they get direct messages about coaching and should be able to answer most of your questions, and if not, can forward it to Ringette Alberta.

CI Evaluations WILL take place this fall, so if you are a U14AA HC, or U16A/AA/U19A/AA HC or AC you should register to get this done. If we are unable to accommodate everyone then it will be deferred and you will not be penalized. 

 

All Coaches & All Teams need...
TEAMS
  • Must have at least one coach who has completed the typical coach requirements for that division, whether it’s CSI Trained, CI Trained, or CI Certified.
  • Female coach is REQUIRED* (this is a change from the 2020-21 season where, due to cohorts, we removed this requirement. Should cohorts be reinstated at any time, and coaches limited to 1 cohort, this could be reviewed)
COACHES NOT MEETING THOSE “TYPICAL” REQUIREMENTS:

Both of these are self-directed online courses.

REMINDER

As always, ALL coaches:

  • Must adhere at all times to the Rule of Two (see graphic below – includes electronic communication!!)
  • Must follow their provincial/local association screening policy (including criminal record checks)

*Although female coaches are too often used only to fill the requirement, the purpose of it is actually to encourage women to step into coaching roles and actively engage our athletes.

Coaching Courses
  • Coaching clinics will be available no sooner than October 15th and will be offered exclusively online. Registration and dates will be announced on to coaching directors and on social media soon.
  • Space in online courses is limited compared to in-class, so we may not be able to get as many coaches into training as would like to do the training.
  • A coach at a level that requires CI Trained could therefore be approved with CSI Trained. A coach who requires CI Certified could be approved with CI Trained.
  • At this time it’s unclear whether or not we will be able to offer CI Evaluations this season. Stay tuned!

We encourage coaches to complete the courses, especially if they plan to continue coaching, but have a plan in place in the event it’s not possible to get everyone through.

Cohort vs. Non-Cohort Team Staff

Please familiarize yourself with Ringette Alberta’s Non-Cohort Team Staff document from August 20, 2020.

Cohort size is set at 50 by Alberta Health Services. Any questions about cohorts should be directed to AHS. The makeup of the cohort is not determined by Ringette Alberta, but rather by local associations and/or leagues.

Non-cohort team staff is permitted at the U14, U16, U19, Open & NRL provided they:

  • are registered with a local association,
  • have the appropriate coaching qualifications,
  • do not enter the dressing room,
  • do not access the player’s bench during competition
  • maintain physical distance (3m during athletic activities), and
  • wear a mask

Non-cohort staff is not permitted at Active Start, U10, or U12 because it’s not possible to physically distance with athletes that age. Cohort composition should take into consideration providing room for adequate supervision of athletes. For example fewer teams in the cohort, or fewer athletes per team.

Supplemental Coaches

A supplemental coach is a non-cohort role allowed at ALL AGE DIVISIONS. This is intended for someone coming in to instruct power skating, or goaltending. It is not intended for long-term use, and supplemental coaches should maintain physical distance and be wearing masks.

Junior Coaches

We love our Junior Coaches! With cohort restrictions, there are two ways a Junior Coach could be allowed:

  1. At the U14 or U16 levels could be non-cohort Junior Coaches. Please read/review through the non-cohort staff rules.
  2. At any level, a junior coach who is NOT playing this season (not in a sport cohort) but played last season COULD join a cohort at any level provided there is room in that cohort while still providing adequate ADULT SUPERVISION. With limited numbers in cohorts this seems unlikely.
If a Coach is unavailable

Many teams have a limited number of coaches in their cohort – coaches who can go on the bench during games. If a team only has 2 coaches and ends up in a position where they may not have a coach who is able to attend, or they only have one and would like two, the only option available is to borrow a coach from another team in their cohort.

Example: a cohort has 3 teams, Blue, Red, Green. There’s a game: Blue vs. Green, but Green doesn’t have coaches. They would try to borrow a coach or two from Red who isn’t playing. Or if Blue has 3 coaches, borrow one of them.

This is the same principle as will be applied to athletes who can’t attend and a team is looking for affiliates.

Coaches also have to referee?

Due to cohort restrictions, and the fact that many of our officials also play ringette, there is a massive shortage of officials (only have about 30% of usual). Therefore, mainly at younger levels, coaches may need to act as the referee.

There will be a short training module for coaches to ensure athlete safety – more info on that coming very soon.