The launch of the United States Center for Coaching Excellence in December 2016 was the culmination of over 20 years of hard work and the dedication of many individuals passionate about building and supporting quality sport experiences through quality sport leadership. 

 

In the mid 1990’s the U.S. Coaching Coalition was formed by sport organization leaders to discuss coaching and coach education in the United States.  Over the years this informal group distilled down to the coaching education leaders from within the United States Olympic Committee, National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Federation of State High School Associations, SHAPE America (previously AAHPERD) and the National Strength and Conditioning Association, who met annually to discuss key issues in the field. One of the core efforts of the U.S. Coaching Coalition was host the National Coaching Conference (NCC). 

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Academics and individuals from a wide range of sport national governing bodies (NGBs), not for profit and for profit sport organizations also came together in the mid 1990’s under the guidance of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE; a part of SHAPE America) to create the National Standards for Athletic Coaches in 1995.  The revised second edition, the National Standards for Sport Coaches: Quality Coaches, Quality Sports  was published by NASPE in 2006.  The standards represent 40 core domains identified as being essential areas of knowledge and training for sport coaches and the publication was supported by over 100 organizations.

 

NASPE also lead efforts in quality coaching education through the creation of NCACE, the National Council for the Accreditation of Coaching Education (NCACE).  Based on the National Standards for Sport Coaches: Quality Coaches, Quality Sports and the Guidelines for Accreditation of Coaching Education , NCACE accredits sport coaching education programs across different sport levels and contexts across the United States.   

 

It was on the solid foundation of the NCC and NCACE and in response to the growing international development of the field of professionalism in coaching and sport coach education development lead by the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE), that the United States Center for Coaching Excellence (USCCE) was able to grow on August 2016.  With the support of SHAPE America, the USCCE also took on the responsibilities associated with accreditation efforts in coaching education as NCACE became a standing committee within our organization.  Additionally, as a leadership organization, the USCCE is now the proud host of the National Coaching Conference, renaming it the North American Coach Development Summit in 2018 to reflect the emphasis on the importance of the continued professionalization and developmental support of the field.

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The USCCE is grateful for the efforts and hard work of all the individuals and organizations that made it possible for this organization to be formed.  We look forward to serving and supporting the coaching education and development efforts for sport coach professionalization programming in the United States.