While most coaches recognize the key role they play in promoting youth development, they often don’t feel supported in doing so. Coaches report that existing trainings are either too costly, too time consuming or too hard to implement. Less than one third of the country’s six million coaches have been trained in youth development practices. This is a missed opportunity.
The Susan Crown Exchange, through the Million Coaches Challenge (MCC), is committed to funding initiatives that will help train one million coaches by 2025 in youth development and skill-building techniques that help kids succeed on and off the field.
USA Fencing, USA Triathlon, and USA Weightlifting are the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) for their respective sports and are headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado. These three progressive NGBs are partners in the Million Coaches Challenge and have created a Youth Coach Fellowship Program that is designed to enable youth coaches that work with athletes in underserved communities to:
Confidently coach young people to develop skills and attributes essential inside and outside of sport
Learn from other coaches working with youth
Feel supported in their coaching journey
What coaches will do as part of the Fellowship:
Complete the Coach online training modules that will serve as the focus of some cohort discussions. These include Effectively Coaching Generation Z, Elevating Your Coaching IQ and Creating Belonging. For the 2023-24 membership season, complete the additional requirements of a USA Fencing Coach membership, including the online modules Essentials of Coaching and Foundations of Fencing
Engage fully in a virtual Community of Practice by participation in discussion boards, attending monthly virtual webinars, and completing assigned work
Complete pre- and post-program evaluations
Continue to actively coach youth at least 8 hours per week during the program
Coaches will receive a tuition scholarship to cover the cost of a USA Fencing Coach membership for the 2023-24 membership season. Coaches will be required to complete USA Fencing Coach member requirements and attend monthly virtual Developmental sessions of the cohort, which are designed to help support the multi-sport group through their work in the field. Coaches will be given a small stipend ($300) to cover their time in meetings and work on a summary project.
There are up to 10 seats available to be awarded to Fencing coaches for this Fellowship that is set to begin in June 2023. Applications must be received by May 10. Recipients will be notified by May 20. No more than four seats will be awarded from the same organization/club/program to ensure broad distribution of opportunity.
Minimum Requirements
Applicants must be 18+ years of age and work with or intend to work with underserved populations in fencing (can also work with additional sports) for 8+ hours per week.
Preferred
Applicants with less than 5 years of coaching experience.
Applicants who can demonstrate a commitment to working with youth in fencing
Applicants with high levels of social impact on youth and their communities through sport.
Go here to apply. The deadline is May 10, 2023.
