The National Coaching Accreditation Scheme (NCAS)
>> Find NCAS Introductory Coaching Notes by Di Keach at the bottom of this page.
The NCAS is a programme of the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) that promotes consistent accreditation of coaches in all sports, including a range of horse sports, from pony club to dressage, polocrosse, driving and western. It was introduced to Pony Club Australia (PCA) in 2008, with a roll-out scheme commencing in the NT from September with a Prelim NCAS workshop.
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How do I get into NCAS accreditation?
NCAS Prelim and NCAS Level 1 workshops will be held each of the regions in 2009, coordinated by PCANT in conjunction with the instructor's panel and the NCAS mentors (see below) who can present the workshop.
Once at a workshop, the process is relatively simple. All you will need to do, is order a workbook and syllabus book from PCANT (for $20). The workbook must be completed and signed off by a mentor before the theory part of the accreditation may be passed. The candidate must then demonstrate their practical knowledge of coaching, including handling a small lesson of D/D* riders -- this is covered as part of the seminar. To be passed as a Prelim NCAS Instructor, the candidate must then outline a minimum of 13 lesson plans (outlined in the syllabus & workbook) and be supervised by an assessor teaching at least 3 short lessons at D/D* level.
Staying Accredited
NCAS Accrediation must be maintained to ensure coaches remain active and up to date in their knowledge and methods. The NCAS workbooks outline the requirements for maintaining NCAS accreditation, including certificate examination, coaching during rally season, judging at Pony Club competitons, and plenty more.
