Coach Education

"No stream rises higher than its source" - Frank Lloyd Wright

The AIA Academy's coach education program is founded on the CHILD curriculum designed by Dr. Darren Treasure and Dr. Robert Pangrazi. The goal of CHILD is to enhance the social conditions necessary for youth to engage in a healthy sport experience. We define a healthy sport experience as one that emphasizes participation in developmentally appropriate physical activities. These activities provide children with opportunities to learn life lessons, particularly in regard to healthy lifestyles and sportsmanship. The acronym CHILD stands for Character, Health, Integrity, Leadership, and Development and represents the five key areas of the program.

Two levels of coach education are currently offered by the AIA Academy:

Level 1 Coach Clinic: A three hour training is offered for new coaches or coaches who have not been CHILD trained. The clinic combines practical instruction and classroom sessions. Sessions included in the Level 1 training include:

• The role of the coach in youth sport
• The ultimate goal of youth sport
• Characteristics of a quality practice session
• Healthy lifestyle issues
• Improving communication with your athletes 

Level 2 Coach Clinic: A two and a half hour training is offered for coaches who have participated in the Level 1 training. Level 2 training builds on the learning experiences offered in the original training. Through practical and classroom sessions, coaches will gain more information on how to maximize the experience for young athletes.

To date, the AIA Academy has trained over 4,000 coaches from partner youth organizations across the state of Arizona.

If you are interested in attending a Coach Clinic or having a Coach Clinic conducted at your organization, please contact us for more information.