Coaching can be a rewarding and fun experience for basketball enthusiasts. Basketball WA conduct a number of State and Nationally accredited courses during the year designed to increase the number of qualified coaches delivering and teaching to participants but also help individual coaches progress with their own development.
There are several levels of Coaching Accreditation with all requiring a Working with Children Check. Below is a quick summary of each of the courses delivered and endorsed by Basketball WA.
Community Coach (Formerly L 0 )
This is the introductory level course which is designed to cover General Principles of Coaching while encompassing basketball specific fundamentals and exploring the role of the coach. Candidates must be at least turning 13years of age in the year of the course enrolled and no specific basketball background is required. Club coaches, parents, teachers, and secondary students with an interest in sports coaching are ideally suited for this course.
Club Coach (Formerly L 1 )
This is a Nationally Accredited course by the Australian Sports Commission through its National Coaching Accreditation Scheme (NCAS).
Candidates need to have completed the Community Coach Course and maintained coaching for at least 12 months before applying for this course. Mature-age applicants may apply for Recognised Prior Learning (RPL) with the relevant reasons in their application. The course takes 15 hours to complete and involves both on-court and off-court components in its content.
Typically coaches in representative’s sides such as WABL should have this level of accreditation as a minimum.
Association Coach Coach (Formerly L 2 )
This is advanced 21 hour course that is designed to elevate a coach’s understanding to the standard of the athletes they are coaching. Typically, coaches who are looking to be involved in State teams, various Stat Leagues (SBL, ABA) and National Leagues (WNBL, NBL) would benefit from completing this course. There are certain prerequisites in choosing to apply for this level of accreditation. Please contact Basketball WA for more information on enrolling for the Association Coach Course.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
Basketball WA has put in place a new process for coaches who wish to seek formal Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for its courses. At this point Community Coach and Club Coach Courses are the only courses with RPL eligibility options.
Current and active coaches who feel they have the necessary skills, experience and knowledge can now apply for RPL if they can appropriately demonstrate that they have met the set outcomes for both Coaching curriculums through their active coaching duties.
For those interested in a Club Coach RPL, Basketball WA suggests that coaches who have been a Head Coach of a WABL team for a minimum of 3 years and those regularly involved with Basketball WA’s High Performance programs may be suitable applicants for RPL.
Elite playing experience, education and sports medicine qualifications may also be a factor in consideration when applying for RPL.
However, a coach’s ability to demonstrate how they have completed the set outcomes for the Club Coach course will be the main mode of assessment for application.
Coaches interested in applying for a Club Coach RPL must supply the following for an application.
- Cover Letter
- Comprehensive basketball resume including qualifications
- RPL Club Coach Curriculum document (supplied by Basketball WA upon application)
Recommended Coach Guidelines:
- Current and Active Coach
- WABL Head Coach for a minimum of 3 years
- Involved in Basketball WA’s High Performance programs for a minimum of 2 years
If you are interested in applying for a Club Coach RPL please contact the Education and Training Officer at Basketball WA on 62720751.
