This is the first of a new series of coaching communications to ensure you are kept up-to-date with all things coaching.

• Charlie Childs has now been appointed to be ETTA Vice Chairman of Coaching.
  
• ETTA Coaching Conference is to be held at Liileshall over the weekend of 1st and 2nd November 2008. This will also encompass the annual Coaching/Volunteer Awards and Dinner.
  
• A new series of revised ETTA Coaching qualifications aimed at teachers, leisure centre staff, sport leaders, etc have now been created and are ready to be launched at the ETTA Coaching Conference.
  
• Eight (8) new ETTA Regional Coaches have been appointed:

• Matthew Stanforth
  North East Region
  
• Katy Parker
  North West Region
  
• Sally Shutt
  Yorkshire Region
  
• Andrew Rushton
  East Midlands Region
  
• Helen Lower
  West Midlands Region
  
• Natalie Green
  Eastern Region
  
• Aaron Fennell
  London Region
  
• Alex Green
  South East Region
  
  These coaches will be working as part of the “Club and Coach” project, which is 70% coaching within specified clubs, and 30% administration and regionally focussed work.

National Coaching Framework
We are starting a period of great change for coaching across all sports with the introduction by sports coach UK of the “National Coaching Framework”, which seeks to provide world class coaching in all sports in all coaching scenarios by 2016. For Table Tennis this means that we have to move forward to provide a world class experience in all of our coaching events, from coaching in our local clubs to the provision of world class coaching for our disabled players who wish to compete on equal terms at International level. The ETTA has already committed to the National Coaching Framework and its implementation in our National Coaching Scheme. There are 5 key Strategic Action Areas within the Framework, sub-divided into 12 specific actions which ETTA has to implement.

Coach Licensing Scheme
This will start in November 2008 for ETTA Coaches. To qualify for an ETTA coaching Licence a coach must satisfy the following:

• Hold a valid and current Criminal Records Bureau check (CRB)
  
• Be a qualified coach at UKCC Level 1 or ETTA Level 2 or above

The fee for the ETTA Licence will include civil liability protection and personal accident cover for the coach. The benefits of holding an ETTA Coaching Licence are:

• Civil Liability Protection cover to £5,000,000
  
• Personal Accident insurance cover
  
• Recognition and support from the ETTA
  
• Inclusion in the Licenced Coach list – used by potential employers/deployers of coaches

The coach licence will be developed over the next few years up to 2012 to include continuous professional development opportunities such as child protection and emergency life support training.

United Kingdom Coaching Certificate (UKCC)
One of the major strands of activity for the National Coaching Framework project is the adoption of UKCC for our Coach Accreditation System. A great deal of work has already been carried out to implement this system for the lower Level 1 and Level 2. Courses for Level 1 and level 2 have already been successfully run in many parts of the country. A comprehensive programme of these courses is already underway for all regions during the forthcoming season.

UKCC Bridging Courses
Coaches who hold an ETTA Coaching qualification at Level 1 and above will very soon be able to attend Bridging Courses to gain a UKCC qualification. The diagram attached to this newsletter shows the potential pathways for existing coaches to UKCC. The ETTA recommend that coaches should try to convert to the UKCC qualification, there are many benefits to doing so and the following are a few of those benefits:

• Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for Table Tennis coaches is an excellent way to keep your knowledge and technical coaching skills up-to date. The UKCC courses will be continuously assessed to ensure that they deliver the latest coaching requirements for sport.
  
• Employing organisations will on an increasing basis seek to employ coaches who have UKCC qualifications. This employment change will be driven by Sport England who are major funding partners of all sports.
  
• UKCC coaches for Table Tennis have to attend Child Protection and Emergency Life Support courses as an integral part of this accreditation for Table Tennis.

The good news is that ETTA has secured funding towards the costs of the first three bridging courses, and these will be held in the North, Midlands and South to provide an opportunity to as many coaches as possible to attend. They will be offered at the massive discount price of £20. Places will be limited and places will only be reserved on receipt of the application form and fee.

Frequently asked questions about UKCC

Question
I hold an ETTA Coaching qualification. Do I have to convert this to a UKCC coaching qualification?
Answer
No but in order to stay as a licenced coach after 2012, ETTA coaches have to ‘bridge’ to a UKCC award before that date. Further information on bridging courses is provided elsewhere in this newsletter and the exact details will appear on the ETTA website in the coaching section.

Question
Will my previous knowledge and experience as an ETTA qualified coach be counted towards a UKCC qualification?
Answer
YES, common syllabus areas between ETTA and UKCC have already been mapped so that existing ETTA coaches will not need to complete the entire UKCC Level 2 course. However there are many areas of difference as the UKCC syllabus is more comprehensive as befits coaching in a more demanding sporting world. A Bridging Course has now been developed to cover those coaching aspects, which are required by UKCC and were not in the ETTA course syllabi.

Question
Will I have to do a practical assessment of my coaching to gain a UKCC qualification.
Answer
Yes, regardless of your previous coaching experience.

Question
As a paid professional coach do I have to convert to a UKCC coaching qualification?
Answer
It is advisable as a UKCC qualification will indicate, especially to new employers, that your knowledge and technical coaching skills are up-to date. In addition, after 2012 you will need a UKCC qualification to be eligible for an ETTA Coach Licence.

Question
Do I have to convert to a UKCC coaching qualification if I am an ETTA qualified or UKCC qualified Tutor or Assessor?
Answer
Yes

More about UKCC here

Apply for courses here

Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
Another aspect of the implementation of the National Coaching Framework is the introduction of a compulsory Continuous Professional Development (CPD) system for coaches. This CPD system will initially be to facilitate better communication on coaching issues (technical or otherwise) through a series of twice yearly “Coach Update” sessions held across the country.

For this season the first of these is in fact the ETTA Coaching Conference at Lilleshall where many new coaching initiatives will be launched. The second date for is for Sunday 11th January 2009. It is hoped that all regions will hold regional “Coach Update” sessions. The important issue about these sessions is that they are to be held on dates which are “protected” in the ETTA calendar, so that no other conflicting ETTA approved events will take place they same day.

Diagram for Coach Migration pathways