Coach it is then. I embraced this vague term only because I had to. But, the rest of the business would be different from the usual coach training. At the Academy, I decided to ensure that all my coach training courses have a minimum entry requirement and a rigorous assessment process. I want the Academy to be a stand-alone educational institution. With that in mind, if someone comes to us and says: “I want to be a coach”, the answer is: “Do you have what it takes to become one?”

This question has multiple answers and we expect to get a yes for all its nuances before we sign anyone up. 

• First, you need to have the inherent skills one should have to become a coach. Studying alone is not enough. 
• Then, we need you, the aspiring coach, to have patience and time. It takes a minimum of a year to get to coach a client. 
• Third, you need to understand the various performance levels so you can understand the academic levels. You start off as a junior coach with little experience and as years go by, this experience, in addition to the next level of training, can give you a higher-level certification. As simple as that.

I will take the last point because this is what I wish to clarify in this article. Consider the university studies you have completed or if not, from your world knowledge, know what is the case. After high school, you go to college or university. No college or academic programme at that level just past high school lasts only a year, and we are not talking photography or apprenticeship. The coaching industry has broken down this university-style timeline and offers you the opportunity to, say, attend the “coaching uni” by the year. 

Year One is the junior level. You learn the basics and go out to practise while being supervised and assessed. 
Year Two you move on to the next level, to additional subjects and classes you need to take after Year 1. Again, you go out and practise while being supervised and assessed.
Year Three is harder than the other two. You have done the prep work and now it is time to do your research and start writing your thesis while developing your own coaching style. 

Is there a Year Four? There may or there may not be. It depends how difficult Year Three was. From Year Four onwards (not that you should not be doing that during the previous years) you should definitely attend a number of small courses that help you develop specific skills you need to hone or you learn new methods, new tools and techniques or, you, yourself may do research and present your findings to peers. 

To sum things up, this is how you become a coach at the Academy: you attend the core training (there are different levels, of course, per year), you practise in class and out of class, you are supervised and assessed, and you get your completion certificate. Then, you may apply to any official coaching body to add their own credential to your wall of certificates. This is not a joke. Many companies now have stipulated that you cannot coach their people unless you have an official credential. 

What does that mean for our Academy? It means that we have ensured that all our teaching material is directed towards coaching excellence first and foremost, and so, by default, it helps you succeed in your application to the coaching bodies to get your official credential. As simple as that.

So, all you need to do is

1. Check the level of coaching knowledge you have.
2. Decide on the course you will attend depending on your level.
3. Attend the Core Training for your chosen level.
4. Complete the Competence Assessment Module for your chosen level.
5. Put together your portfolio with all the coaching work and training you have done (the coaching bodies have it all laid out and this is what we pass on to you).
6. Apply for your official credential.