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Back to Coaches Registry

Education Standard

Background

To further elevate the professional credibility of the USATF Coaches Registry and its members, USATF established the Education Standard for qualification into the USATF Coaches Registry (effective January 1, 2019). The Education Standard provides for a baseline standard of professional education or coaching accomplishment in the sport of track and field for coaches seeking admission to the Registry. 

By establishing a baseline standard of professional education or coaching experience, the Education Standard aligns with the best practices for professional certifications in other fields, within the coaching industry at large, and with licensing protocols of other Olympic family national governing bodies.

The Education Standard is a one-time requirement, subject to any applicable recertification requirements of the respective course of education. Once a coach has met the Education Standard, he or she has fulfilled the requirement for as long as the coach is part of the Registry.

Instructions (applies to all approved pathways)

All coaches seeking to complete verification of the Education Standard of the USATF Coaches Registry must submit verification of completed/applicable qualification under “Coach Certifications” on USATF Connect. Coaches must be USATF 3-Step Safe Sport Compliant prior to submitting their qualification on their USATF Connect profile. 

Meeting the Education Standard 

There are two different paths to meet the Educational Standard for the Coaches Registry:

Path 1: Complete a verified cErtification Level Course of Education.

Complete any one of the following options: 

USATF
  • Developmental Coach Program now with NFHS Coaching Track and Field built in

  • Level 1 

  • Level 2

  • Level 3 

  • Cross Country Specialist Course

  • Marathon Specialist Course

  • Podium Coaches Camp

NFHS
  • NFHS Level 2 or 3 Coach*

Sport-Specific course of choice must be Coaching Cross Country or Coaching Track & Field

RRCA
  • RRCA Level 1 or 2 Coach
USTFCCCA
  • USTFCCCA Technical Certification (201 or 251)
  • USTFCCCA Event-Specialist Certification (302-306)
  • USTFCCCA Master's Certification (501-514)

Excluded USTFCCCA courses: Strength and Conditioning (310), Speed Specialist Certification (321), Program Management (402), Test and Measurements (403), Meet Management for the Track & Field Coach (404), Sports Psychology for the Track & Field Coach (405), Injury Management for the Track & Field Coach (406).

World Athletics
  • World Athletics Level I, II, III, IV, or V certificate holder.

Certificate of completion for any of the above courses serves as verification of Education Standard. Certificate must be current to be recognized and submitted under Coach Certifications on your USATF Connect profile.

Path 2: Accomplish an Education Standard equivalency during one's coaching career, through a body of work, a career honor, or demonstrated professional coaching career.

Demonstrate any one of the following: 

Place Finish (Body of Work)
  • Primary coach of record of a top eight placer at the Olympics, Youth Olympic Games, World Marathon Major, or a World Athletic Series competition, that includes:
    • World Athletics World Indoor and Outdoor Championships

    • World Athletics U18 Championships

    • World Athletics U20 Championships

    • World Athletics Continental Cup

    • World Athletics World Cross Country Championships

    • World Athletics World Race Walking Team Championships

    • World Athletics World Half Marathon Championship

    • World Athletics World Relays

  • Primary coach of record of an individual medalist at the USATF Indoor, Outdoor, U20 (Junior) Championships, USATF Running Circuit Championship, Pan American Games, Paralympic Games, or World Para Athletics Championships.
  • Primary coach of record of a top three placer at NCAA, NJCAA, or NAIA Championships for cross country, indoor or outdoor track (credential, link to result and verification letter from Athletic Director or Director of TF/CC must be uploaded to application).

  • Primary coach of record of an athlete who holds current verified World Para Athletics World Record holder in an individual medal event on the Paralympic Games Program. The record must place the athlete first in the World Rankings overall for the medal event in combined events. Must have been primary coach of athlete at the time the record was obtained.
Award/Career Honor
  • Hall of Fame Coach for USATF, USTFCCCA, National Scholastic Track Coaches Association or NFHS.
  • Member of an international coaching staff selected by USATF over the last 5 Olympic quadrennials

  • National Coach of the Year for USATF or USOPC.

  • USTFCCCA National Head or Assistant Coach of the Year for men's or women's (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA) cross country, indoor or outdoor track & field.

Employment
  • Employment as a head or assistant track coach at a scholastic, collegiate institution or USATF registered/approved club for a 10-year period verified by employer human resources department. 

The USATF National Office staff will provide oversight of all components of the Coaches Registry. An oversight subcommittee from the Coaches Advisory Committee will review and evaluate any issue with a coach's education standard. 

For more information, contact coachesregistry.verifications@usatf.org. 

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