An exciting schedule of NSCAA National and Advanced National Diploma courses is on tap for the first two months of 2012, taking advantage of the warmer winter climates of western and southeastern portions of the country. 

National Diploma courses will be held in San Bernadino, Calif., the weekends of January 27-29 and February 10-12 and in Columbia, S.C., the weekends of February 3-5 and 10-12.  Advanced National Diploma courses will be held in Cupertino, Calif., the weekends of January 6-8 and 20-22 and in Gainesville, Ga., the weekends of January 20-22 and 27-29.

NSCAA National Staff Coach Kim Sutton has directed several courses in the two-weekend format and is excited by this educational option.   

"The two weekend model provides the same curriculum and camaraderie as the residential courses, but allows dedicated coaches to continue their coaching education while maintaining their busy work schedules,” said Sutton. “It also allows time to reflect upon the topics and utilize them with their teams in the days between the two weekends." 

The National Diploma course offers instruction in both the progressive teaching methodology and the coaching in the game teaching methodology, with an emphasis on training players in individual technical skills and small number tactical decision making.  Coaches also have an opportunity to sharpen their match analysis skills and discuss ethical dilemmas and team management concerns with their peers.  A highlight of the course is the three opportunities for each participant to coach a squad and receive evaluation and feedback from NSCAA educators, all of whom are National Staff Coaches.

The Advanced National Diploma’s teaching focus is on the training of groups of players within a squad - goalkeepers and backs, midfielders and forwards and assisting coaches in facilitating the relationship of each of those groups with the others.   The NSCAA’s National Staff will instruct coaches in four different coaching methodologies during the course:  functional training, phase of play, shadow play and coaching in the game.  Candidates have two opportunities to coach and receive feedback from NSCAA educators and also participate in classroom sessions that cover such areas as tactical theory, match analysis and psychology.

The curricula of the two-weekend courses are identical to those of the residential versions of the NSCAA’s National and Advanced National Diploma courses, which have been popular with American and international coaches for more than a quarter century.  Enrollment in each two-weekend course is limited to 26 in the National Diploma and 30 in the Advanced National Diploma, so seize the moment and register today!

Check out our upcoming National and Advanced National Diplomas and see what fits your schedule. If there are no courses in your area, see what it takes to host your own!

NSCAA members log in to comment. Not a member? Learn more today.