AIS shopCareersSign In or register

Community Coaching Essential Skills

IMPORTANT

The Community Coaching Essential skills course was updated in April 2025. The key changes included include:

What you’ll learn

The new approach will reshape the sporting experience and encourage more people to play, coach and enjoy sport

Module 1:

Who you coach

Engaging participants

  • Identify your basic roles, responsibilities and professional boundaries as a community coach
  • Be aware of your participants' different motivations for playing sport
  • Recognise what helps you create a positive and engaging sports environment for everyone.

Module 2:

Where you coach

Space, equipment and facilities

  • Identify the space, equipment and facilities required to deliver your sessions
  • Understand how to use them safely and appropriately
  • Adapt your activities to meet any challenges that arise.

Module 3:

What you coach

Session planning

  • Identify the key characteristics and elements of safe and effective session planning
  • Recognise how different coaching approaches can be used to develop fitness, technical and tactical skills
  • Be aware of the impact that an effective plan can have on the enjoyment and improvement of individuals and the team or group.

Module 4:

How you connect

Communication

  • Be able to identify different types of communication that are commonly used in a community sport environment
  • Gain an understanding about what effective communication is and how to deliver it
  • Be aware of the impact effective communication has on creating safe, inclusive sporting environments.

Module 5:

How you engage

Stakeholder management

  • Identify key stakeholders within community sport and how they can assist you
  • Recognise the value and importance of volunteers
  • Understand how to engage with key stakeholders and involve them in your coaching plans.

Module 6:

How you deliver

Group management

  • Be aware of what effective group management involves within community sport and how to achieve it
  • Gain an understanding of how to ensure your practice sessions and competitive events are inclusive for all participants
  • Identify ways in which to encourage positive behaviour and role modelling.

Module 7:

How you improve

Self-reflection and assessment

  • Gain an understanding of what effective self-reflection is and how to use it
  • Recognise why self-reflection is important for the development of your participant's sporting experience
  • Be aware of the importance of self-reflection as a developing coach.

More information

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has partnered with Sport Integrity Australia to incorporate important integrity content throughout the course. This content educates coaches on how to protect themselves and their participants, by helping coaches understand how to act, speak and behave in line with current community expectations.

For sport-specific training and support for coaches, please contact your national sporting organisation.

The Community Coaching Essential Skills Course has replaced the General Principles Course.

For more information about embedding the modern officiating approach in your sporting organisation, contact the ASC Coaching & Officiating Team at coaching@ausport.gov.au

Related resources

Download the coaching plan template and create your own personalised coaching plan as you progress through the Essential Skills Course.

Back to top