BC Rugby has announced updates to its coaching education, as well as information on coaching courses will look like moving forward.

Firstly, BC Rugby are now offering coaches the chance to complete their NCCP / World Rugby level 2 post-course observation online, as opposed to the pre-COVID practice of an in-person observation. This allows coaches to film their rugby session and submit it to be evaluated by our World Rugby coach evaluators. This is a major step forward in supporting coaches across the province to certify their coaching qualification at their own pace in their own coaching environment.

BC Rugby has also been selected to pilot a new blended version of both online and in-person learning for the NCCP / World Rugby level 2 coaching course. This pilot will be the first of its kind in Canada, making use of online meeting platforms to deliver presentations and coaching tasks to our coaches. There will still be a small in-person session to ensure all competencies are evaluated by our World Rugby coach educators.

BC Rugby and Rugby Canada are anticipating the new delivery to be available to all coaches in early 2021. The blended delivery level 1 course was recently piloted in Eastern Canada and will also be available for delivery in early 2021.

Rugby Development Manager Aaron Takel is now leading the delivery and administration of all coach education & development for BC Rugby and has been working hard to change our processes to align with the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic and improve the safety of all participants. Any in-person education sessions must adhere to existing restrictions in the Return to Rugby in BC plan including distancing and sanitization measures, as well as participation agreements and daily attestation. Courses will also have a dedicated COVID-19 Safety Officer. The COVID-19 Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring all protocols are followed at all times. This is in addition to the World Rugby Educator(s).

The level 1 course is designed to enable coaches to acquire basic skills so that players new to the game learn to play safely, with enjoyable competition. It is an 8 hour Trained Only course with no post-course evaluation.

The level 2 course is designed to provide coaches with the skills needed to coach teenage and adult players in a club or school environment. It is extremely important that coaches have an understanding of rugby before taking this course, which is delivered over 18 hours. Coaches do not have to complete the level 1 course to be eligible for the level 2 course.

If you would like to book a course or evaluation please contact Aaron Takel [email protected]Courses that are 100% in-person delivery are available now prior to the availability of the blended delivery. If you are looking for the blended online and in-person delivery, please be advised that this will not take place until early 2021 and will need to align with our coach educator availability. Courses will operate on a 1 to 8 educator to participant ratio.

During National Coaches’ Week, BC Rugby also launched their Coach Logic platform for facilitating coach collaboration. It is a social-media like platform for sharing coaching videos, game analysis, webinars, stats, documents, and anything else that could be valuable to the rugby coach community in BC. Interested coaches can sign up for free here.

The updated version of the Return to Rugby in BC plan is available on our Return to Rugby page.