# What are the requirements for being a coach



## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

USA Archery is the only organization that I know of in the USA that certifies archery coaches. As far as I know, they don't teach any "secret" information that's not readily available from other sources. The primary goal of USA Archery coach training is to feed archers into the Olympic team, so they teach techniques and train coaches to do that. 

Anybody can call themselves an archery coach. Some of the best coaches, especially coaches who teach compound archery don't have certifications. Example is Terry Wunderle. He's generally acknowledged as the best compound archery coach available, but as far as I know, he has no certifications. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong about that.

There are people all over the country that have the ability to teach archery. Some have the certification, others don't. It's not a highly regulated industry.

Does that answer your question?


----------



## jim p (Oct 29, 2003)

Is olympic archery all recurve? If so then maybe no one certifies compound archery coaches.

The reason that I brought up this topic is that with all the information available on here and on youtube it would seem that anyone that wanted to do the research and learn how to coach could do so. There also seems to be several schools of thought about archery should be taught.

Maybe the bottom line is that a coach is someone that gets paid for teaching other archers.


----------



## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

has the NFAA dropped their coaching certification courses ?.


----------



## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

ron w said:


> has the NFAA dropped their coaching certification courses ?.


I think so Ron. There is nothing about it on the website.


----------



## aread (Dec 25, 2009)

jim p said:


> Is olympic archery all recurve? If so then maybe no one certifies compound archery coaches.
> 
> The reason that I brought up this topic is that with all the information available on here and on youtube it would seem that anyone that wanted to do the research and learn how to coach could do so. There also seems to be several schools of thought about archery should be taught.
> 
> Maybe the bottom line is that a coach is someone that gets paid for teaching other archers.


Olympic archery is all currently all recurve. However, I don't believe that they certify coaches based on type of bow. Many of the certified coaches are primarily compound archers. The Level 3 coach at my club who coaches our JOAD program is strictly compound. While Olympic archery is all recurve, there is a lot of international competition for compound archers.

There are a lot of resources for coaches. Steve Ruiz who publishes Archery Focus Magazine has a couple of books on coaching.

Allen


----------



## wa-prez (Sep 9, 2006)

ron w said:


> has the NFAA dropped their coaching certification courses ?.


NFAA and USA Archery have made an agreement to use a unified coach certification, at least for the first couple levels.

At the higher level of proficiency, and different event specialties, there is some differences in focus between USA Archery which leans toward the Olympic style Recurve and Target events, and NFAA which is predominately Compound Freestyle with lots of emphasis on Indoor, Field, and 3D shooting.


----------



## Moebow (Jul 8, 2010)

USAA just started a compound JDT and I think they are working on an NTS for compounds -- a work in progress? So while the current USAA cert is mostly for Oly style recurve, they are building for compounds. At least that's my "read."

Arne


----------



## JF from VA (Dec 5, 2002)

I just attended a USAA Level 3-NTS class at Lancaster taught by Larry Wise. I am already a Level 3, but I attended it more out of curiosity than anything because I wanted to see what was being taught regarding NTS. What I found is that a version of the NTS for compounds has been developed and it now being taught at this level. I don't think this is widely known, at least I didn't know about it.


----------



## PSE Archer (Oct 26, 2014)

To me - 

A true coach deals with more than showing someone how to shoot a bow. It's deeper than that. It's having a philosophy. It's being able to teach your students on the mental game. Practicing habits. It's being able to adapt to your students. It's also being able to say - I have reached my coaching limit and the student needs to move on to someone with greater knowledge. 

Do you have to be certified? Maybe not, but not everyone is a Terry Wunderle either.


----------



## jim p (Oct 29, 2003)

Thanks for the information. The reason I asked the question is because some here on AT were saying that a person was not a coach. This made me wonder what determined a coaching status.

It seemed to me that with so much information available about archery that anyone that wanted to do self study could reach a point that they could coach.


----------



## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

correct me if i'm wrong, but I believe, there is no more "certification" available, beyond what the NFFAA recognizes as "Level II". hence the agreement between the NFAA and World Archery. beyond that, it is up to the individual, to obtain the knowledge that qualifies him or her as a "higher level coach". acceptance of this recognition, is fully dependent on the coach's performance and the reputation that performance establishes as to the coach's desirability, amongst archers seeking advice.


----------



## ron w (Jan 5, 2013)

jim p said:


> Thanks for the information. The reason I asked the question is because some here on AT were saying that a person was not a coach. This made me wonder what determined a coaching status.
> 
> It seemed to me that with so much information available about archery that anyone that wanted to do self study could reach a point that they could coach.


 the irony of that is exactly as you state. the certification is designed to unify what is accepted as known and established, basic fundamental elements of good archery, beyond that, there is really no need, or justification, for more certification, because the basic foundational elements are present, no matter how advanced the archer's competence with a bow. the more elevated value as a coach, lies in being able to spot problems and devise remedies that present themselves outside of the basic fundamentals. these are so varied, that no set of standards could possibly be established to guide the formulation of remedies.


----------



## bendigator (Jul 4, 2006)

Here is my opinion on the subjet. We are either born to shoot and shoot 60x 600 or not. Wayne Gretzky was born to play hockey was he coached yes but he had a born in inate ability that few get, as with any athlete. We can give the basics but you either have it or you don't.!


----------



## DedDeerWalking (Dec 10, 2009)

bendigator said:


> Here is my opinion on the subjet. We are either born to shoot and shoot 60x 600 or not. Wayne Gretzky was born to play hockey was he coached yes but he had a born in inate ability that few get, as with any athlete. We can give the basics but you either have it or you don't.!


I don't believe that at all. 
All talent does is help you get started in any discipline. Mastering a craft is done with practice, hard work, and a will to improve. 
Are some people better at certain thing then others to start out with? Yes, no doubt about it, but, I believe that someone with more determination to become better and constantly improve will pass the person with natural talent if they do not put in the work.


----------



## subconsciously (Aug 22, 2009)

Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.


----------



## SamWhiteArchery (Jan 16, 2015)

In my opinion a coach is a person that can teach a person/student how to correct their form mistakes. They also need to know the mental game of archery and the techniques to help the student succeed. It helps to be apart of an organization, but it is not needed if you are just going to coach beginners. You need to be able to know the struggles that the archers go through and you need to understand how they feel.


----------



## carlosii (Feb 25, 2007)

ron w said:


> correct me if i'm wrong, but I believe, there is no more "certification" available, beyond what the NFFAA recognizes as "Level II". hence the agreement between the NFAA and World Archery. beyond that, it is up to the individual, to obtain the knowledge that qualifies him or her as a "higher level coach". acceptance of this recognition, is fully dependent on the coach's performance and the reputation that performance establishes as to the coach's desirability, amongst archers seeking advice.


Someone else pointed out that USAA (The organization recognized as the entity which trains and selects olympic archers) has four levels of certification. The first two levels are recognized by both USAA and NFAA.

Scholastic 3D has a training program for adults who work with kids in that program.


----------



## Sasquech (Dec 15, 2014)

5 levels of certification but then who's counting. Really usaa does so little to focus on compound which is what is keeping the sport alive it is embarrassing. Nfaa needs to step up and fill the gap


----------

