USAV Collaborates on NFHS Certification Program

Bill Kauffman
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 18, 2009) - The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), in conjunction with USA Volleyball and the American Volleyball Coaches Association, has launched a national certification program for interscholastic coaches with the Level 1 Accredited Interscholastic Coach certificate.

To become certified by the NFHS, a coach must take three required professional development courses online - Fundamentals of Coaching, First Aid for Coaches or its equivalent and a sport-specific course or Teaching Sports Skills - and complete an application online at www.nfhslearn.com. The cost of Level I certification is $50.

Photo: Copyrighted by USA Volleyball A screen shot from USA Volleyball's online "Fundamentals of Coaching Volleyball." The collaborative project between the NFHS, USA Volleyball and AVCA is an Internet-based on-demand coaching course called “Fundamentals of Coaching Volleyball,” which satisfies the sport specific component of the NFHS Level I certification. The online course was developed in partnership with the NFHS and the AVCA. The course is endorsed by the AVCA, the NFHS and USA Volleyball. This two-hour course provides a unique student-centered curriculum containing essential volleyball coaching techniques and methods for interscholastic teacher/coaches. Olympians Kevin Barnett (2000 and 2004) and Deitre Collins-Parker (1988) host the online course and present the material to the coach. Skills videos and printable materials are readily available to the coach through the Resources section of the course. Coaches taking this course also have the opportunity to become USA Volleyball IMPACT certified at a discounted rate. For more information on “Fundamentals of Coaching Volleyball,” visit www.usavolleyball.org/pages/7136.

Coaches are encouraged to become certified for a number of reasons: to create a more educational environment and minimize risks for students, to stay current in the profession and to be nationally recognized - to name a few.

"Schools have many challenges facing them today, not the least of which is hiring coaches who understand their role in teaching life skills to students through the sport experience," said Tim Flannery, NFHS assistant director and director of the NFHS Coach Education Program. "This does not automatically happen. It must be intentional."

About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Ind., is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through it 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 19,000 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7.5 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.

Tags: American Volleyball Coaches Association, AVCA, CAP, CAP Course, Coach, Coaching Education, grassroots, IMPACT