Coaching
On this page:
How to: Get Trained, Value of a “Certified” Coach
How to: Get “Certified” as a coach
Coaching Courses:
- Instruction Beginner
- Competition Introduction
- Competition Development
- More information: NCCP Operation Manual and NSO/PTSO Guide to Coaching Programs
Who are: Coaching Development Advisory Group
What is: Minimum Coaching Standards for Nationally Sanctioned Events
How do I: Coach Outside of Canada
Coaches are important!
Coaches are the primary drivers of a boxing program. They mentor, promote healthy attitudes towards fitness, and develop confidence & responsibility in their athletes.
The Value of a ‘Certified’ Coach:
Coaches who are certified by Boxing Canada have proven themselves through education about boxing, fitness, life-skills, Abuse-Free Sport, and are connected with the larger coaching community encompassing all sports in Canada. They are recognized by the Coaching Association of Canada. Some levels of competition (such as Canada Games) require certain minus levels of coaching training and certification. Knowing that your coach is trained and certified by Boxing Canada is a good way to know that you are going to have a positive experience!
How to become certified as a coach:
To take training as a Coach in Canada you need:
- To be a current member of Boxing Canada (memberships are available through your provincial boxing association)
To be a operate as a Coach in Canada you need:
- To be have a “Coach” membership with Boxing Canada (memberships are available through your provincial boxing association)
- A police records check
- To become “Trained” in one of the below coaching levels (take the course, complete the assignments)
- To become “Certified” at that level by completing an evaluation process (depending on the level this might be all online, or all in person)
Depending on the type of boxer you want to coach new coaches can start with Instructor Beginner (lead group classes or fitness classes in a boxing gym) or Competition Introduction (to prepare and oversee boxers who compete) levels.
Competition Development coaches are generally head coaches in a club, or who are working with athletes focused on national level competition.
How to be evaluated?
Go to the Boxing Canada Store to purchase a Remote Evaluation
The Value of a ‘Certified’ Coach:
Coaches who are certified by Boxing Canada have proven themselves through education about boxing, fitness, life-skills, Abuse-Free Sport, and are connected with the larger coaching community encompassing all sports in Canada. They are recognized by the Coaching Association of Canada. Some levels of competition (such as Canada Games) require certain minus levels of coaching training and certification. Knowing that your coach is trained and certified by Boxing Canada is a good way to know that you are going to have a positive experience!
Coach Status: what is the difference between “In-Training”, “Trained”, and “Certified”?
Any Boxing Canada member who has taken a Boxing-specific coaching course (Instruction Beginner, Competition Introduction, Competition Development) gets the status of “In-Training”. This status is never lost, but can be upgraded to “Trained” by completing the necessary “Multi-Sport Modules” associated with that Boxing-specific course. Once a coach is “Trained” they are ready to be evaluated. The evaluation process ensures that the coach has demonstrated to a third-party that they have met the minus level of competency expected to work with Boxing Canada members. After successfully completing the evaluation a coach is recognized as “Certified”.
Instruction Beginner Coach:
- Works with athletes:
- LTAD Stages: Active Child, Fundamentals, Learn to Box, Active for Life
- Age Groups: 6-12 years old; 13 years-old-and-older Men and Women learning to Box for the first time
- Goals: Fun, skill development, fitness, participation not competition
- Pre-requisites:
- No boxing experience necessary, but can be helpful
- Police background check
- Course Materials:
- How to become an Instruction Beginner Coach:
Note that experienced coaches can “Challenge” the evaluation process and bypass step 3 – Boxing Instruction Beginner course. Additional verification of boxing experience may be required.
For written evaluation items: Best practice seems to be for coaches to print out the evaluation package, complete the forms on paper, and then send pictures of those pages back via email.
For video evaluation items: Best practice varies based on coach comfort with video. We recommend changing the quality setting of the video to less than 1080p as this reduces file size. Videos can be emailed, drop-boxed, Google drive’d, etc. If that isn’t going to work we could also do a skype call for a “live” evaluation.
Competition Introduction Coach:
- Work with athletes:
- LTAD Stages: Learn to Box, Train to Box, Train to Compete, Active for Life
- Age Groups: 8+
- Goals: Skill refinement, fitness, sparring, participation in some competition
- Pre-requisites:
- Some background/experience in boxing
- Instruction Beginner Certification is helpful (steps 2, 4, 6, 9, 10, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d are part of the Instruction Beginner evaluation)
- Police background check
- How to become a Competition-Introduction Coach:
Note that experienced coaches can “Challenge” the evaluation process and bypass step 3 Boxing Competition Introduction course. Additional verification of boxing experience may be required.
For written evaluation items: Best practice seems to be for coaches to print out the evalution package, complete the forms on paper, and then send pictures of those pages backt o me via email.
For video evaluation items: Best practice varies based on coach comfort with video. We recommend changing the quality setting of the video to less than 1080p as this reduces file size. Videos can be emailed, drop-boxed, Google drive’d, etc. If that isn’t going to work we could also do a skype call so we can evaluate “live”.
Competition Development Coach:
- Works with athletes:
- LTAD Stages: Train to Compete, Train to perform
- Age Groups: 15+
- Goals: Skill refinement, fitness, sparring, interprovincial and national competition
- Pre-requisits:
- Competition Introduction Certified or equivalent experience
- Police background check
- Visual Pathway for Competition Development Coaches
- Alternate pathway available for coaches with extensive experience (contact us for details)
- How to register for the Competition Development Workshops:
- Check on your Learning Progress (Currently ONLY for Comp Dev coaches; you will need a login and password)
- Who to contact to be evaluated: Boxing Canada Coach Evalution Request
NCCP Operations Manual for Boxing
Boxing Canada NCCP Operations Manual: Detailed information on the coaching system.
PTSO/NSO Guide to Coaching Programs: Overview of for Provincial Coaching administrators
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Coaching Development Advisory Group
Coming Soon.
Nationally-Sanctioned Events Coaching Standards
Boxing Canada is implementing minimum coaching standards for Nationally Sanctioned Events to ensure that:
- All athletes are serviced by well educated, vetted coaches
- All coaches attending national-level competitions have a shared minimum understanding of the rules and behaviours required for successful participation
This is similar to the minimum standards in place for officials at national-level competitions.
| Current 2024, 2025 Calendar Years | Status of my coaching level | |||
| “In Training” | “Trained” | “Certified” | ||
| My Coaching Level in TheLocker.ca | No Boxing-Specific Education | Training Areas only, No Field of Play, No Corner | ||
| Instructor Beginner | Training Areas only, No Corner | Corner with any Certified Coach | No / Pas de Restriction | |
| Competition Introduction | Training Areas only, No Corner | Corner with any Certified Coach | No / Pas de Restriction | |
| Competition Development | Corner with any Certified Coach | No / Pas de Restriction | No / Pas de Restriction | |
Rationale for the 2024-25 standards:
All athletes are within arms reach of a certified coach while in the field of play.
| Proposed 2026 and beyond | Status of my coaching level | |||
| “In Training” | “Trained” | “Certified” | ||
| My Coaching Level in TheLocker.ca | No Boxing-Specific Education | No coaching; spectator only | ||
| Instructor Beginner | Corner with any CI or CD Coach | |||
| Competition Introduction | Training Areas only, No Corner | Corner with any Certified Coach | No / Pas de Restriction | |
| Competition Development | Corner with any Certified Coach | No / Pas de Restriction | No / Pas de Restriction | |
Rationale for the 2026+ standards:
Only coaches in the Competition stream of NCCP Coach education are participating at national-level events, while providing opportunity for newer coaches who are not yet certified to participate under the direct supervision of a certified coach.
| Canada Games Standards | Status of my coaching level | |||
| “In Training” | “Trained” | “Certified” | ||
| My Coaching Level in TheLocker.ca | No Boxing-Specific Education | No coaching at Canada Games | ||
| Instructor Beginner | ||||
| Competition Introduction | ||||
| Competition Development | Assistant coach with exemption and with a Certified Coach | Assistant Coach | Head Coach | |
Coach standards for Canada Games will be published 24 months in advance of the Games, within each sport’s technical package.
Exemptions are available up to 90 days in advance of the Games. A coach may only receive one exemption in their career.
Coaching Outside of Canada
Coaches who are looking to take athletes to competition outside of Canada need to be aware of some specific rules and suggestions:
- Canadian Athletes, Coaches, and Officials taking part in any competition outside Canada should complete the International Travel Pass (ITP) form.
- This is required by many international jurisdictions to prove Canadians are members in good standing with Boxing Canada. Failure to complete the form could mean you won’t be able to compete.
- Boxing Canada uses the information collected about how old athletes are when they begin travelling, where are Canadians travelling to, how often they are travelling, and which clubs/provinces are travelling the most to revise our Gold Medal Profile, adjust participation forecasts, update our insurance providers, and seek special funding.
- Team Leaders can use the completed form as part of their emergency action plan for the tour.
- Just because you are Canadian and outside of Canada doesn’t mean you are “Team Canada”. That designation is reserved for athletes/coaches/officials selected through a publicly-accountable process. Please be mindful that presenting yourself as Team Canada or the Canadian National Team is not acceptable. You should not be wearing any National Team clothing, nor should “Canada” or “Team Canada” appear next to your name on results sheets. You might have to remind promoters of this fact. While competing internationally you should be representing your club or your province, depending on who is leading the tour.
- All Boxing Canada members participating in Boxing activities internationally are representing Boxing Canada as a member and you are expected to uphold the Boxing Canada Code of Behaviour and Ethics.