As you start mapping out your spring and summer plans, make sure you leave space on your calendar to attend an NSCAA course or two.  Traditionally, spring and summer is the busiest time of year for NSCAA educational programming.  Whether you are looking for an entry level non-residential course or one of the more advanced residential courses, we have something for you.  Visit the Master Schedule on NSCAA.com to see all courses currently scheduled.

The NSCAA boasts a wide-ranging non-residential course program that provides education, support and professional growth for coaches at all levels of the game.  Because the NSCAA appreciates the desire of coaches to take courses that apply to the level of player they are coaching, only a few of the courses have prerequisites.  Nonetheless, coaches who progress through all NSCAA courses benefit immensely from the developmental approach taken in our curriculum.  Among the courses that fall into the non-residential category are:

If there is a certain course you are interested in but isn’t offered near you, call your State or Regional Director.

Residential courses are intended to be taken progressively (i.e. National prior to Advanced National, etc.) and it is strongly recommended that coaches wait one full year between these courses. This allows them to learn from using the knowledge garnered in one course before moving on to the next course.  Residential courses allow coaches to become fully immersed in the learning process of coaching education; to focus exclusively on improving themselves as coaches for a week; to meet, network, and develop friendships with other coaches from across the nation; and to experience, in many of the courses, the amenities of some of the finest educational institutions in the nation.

NSCAA residential courses are scheduled at predetermined sites for a one-week period of time. Residence on-site or in the area of the course is required.  This summer, the NSCAA has a full slate of residential courses scheduled.  Between the National, Advanced National and Premier Diplomas, we will visit seven different college campuses.  Returning for 2012 courses are Stanford University in Palo Alto; Calif., Regis University in Denver, Colo.; San Francisco State University in San Francisco, Calif.; Bloomsburg University in Bloomsburg, Pa. and Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Ill..  We have also added two new sites to this summer’s list.  For the first time we will be holding courses at Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C., and at Curry College in Milton, Mass.

If, however, a week-long residential course doesn’t work for you, we now offer both the National and Advanced National Diplomas in a two-weekend non-residential format.  These courses are scheduled on an on-demand basis, similar to the other non-residential courses, so additional courses may be scheduled to supplement to what we already offer.  Although we do have candidates that fly in for these courses, they are intended for local coaches who cannot fit a week-long course into their schedule.  Seven two-weekend courses currently are scheduled: Clarence, N.Y.; Dallas, Texas; Gulfport, Miss.; Cary, N.C.; Overland Park, Kan.; Sacramento, Calif. and Baton Rouge, La.  If none of those sites fit your needs, check NSCAA.com frequently to see if other courses have been added.

The other option for a course or two this spring or summer is our Goalkeeping Academy.  The Goalkeeping Academy was created to focus attention on the education of coaches working in the specialized area of goalkeeper training and to improve the ability of all coaches to integrate goalkeeper training into total team training.  There are three options for goalkeeping courses: Goalkeeping Level I, Goalkeeping Level II and Goalkeeping Level III.  All are offered on an on-demand basis and there are several of each course currently scheduled.  Again, if there isn’t one in your area but you would like to host one, call your State or Regional Director to get information about hosting a course. 

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