As part of the Canadian Weightlifting Federation Halterophile Canadienne (CWFHC’)'s commitment to advancing coach training and competency, we are proud to announce the new "competency-based" format for coach certification in weightlifting.  This new format replaces the old NCCP model, which ranked coaches in levels from 1 through 5.  The new coach certification levels for weightlifting are:

  • Club Coach

  • Performance Coach

  • High Performance Coach

Advantages of the new format:

  • Recognizes excellence at each level of coaching.  For example, although one coach may excel at working with international caliber athletes, they may not have the skills to coach beginner or intermediate athletes.  As a result, the new format recognizes and promotes excellence at each level of coaching specialization.

  • Requires each coach to satisfy practical requirements in both the training and competition environments. Although the standards differ between the two, Performance and High Performance certification levels require the weightlifting coach to have a documented history of athletes at high levels of performance.

Workshops and courses

Beginner Instructor Workshop

Designed to be presented to athletes and coaches from other sports and participants from the health and fitness sector wishing to use Olympic weightlifting skills to improve their performance, this 2-day workshop can be tailored to any age range, and is offered in both a weightlifting training hall and classroom setting. Participants will ultimately learn proper weightlifting skills and techniques, as well as learn how to assist athletes in their lifts.

Competition Introduction Technical Course

This is the first step to being certified to be able to coach athletes at AWA-sanctioned events. 

Coaches will leave this course feeling confident about developing their weightlifting athletes’ performance and will be equipped to steer them toward a progressive competitive environment. Designed for people who have an Olympic weightlifting background as an athlete, assistant coach, or trainer, this 2-day workshop will enable coaches to gain the skills and knowledge to confidently present their athletes in competitions.

Practical Evaluation

All coaches wishing to be evaluated must be actively coaching a minimum of one new athlete to the sport of weightlifting. Athletes who have competed before will not be accepted as the new coach’s athlete as part of the practical evaluation process.

All athletes and coaches participating in the evaluation process must have a current membership and in good standing with the AWA. Evaluations take place at AWA-sanctioned competitions; therefore, athletes must be registered in the competition. 

​Coaches are required to complete all of the following prerequisites. No exceptions will be made.

  • NCCP Competition Introduction technical course

  • Three mandatory multi-sport module 

    • Make Ethical Decisions and complete the online evaluation

    • Nutrition

    • Plan a Practice

  • Submit portfolio

Competition Development Analyze Technical & Tactical Performance Workshop

This course is intended for coaches who want to coach at the national level in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting.

Prerequisites:

  • Competition Introduction Certified in Weightlifting in your NCCP profile. If you became certified under the old system, you must be “Level 1 Certified.”

  • Make Ethical Decisions Online Evaluation

Note: There are extensive requirements to be completed after taking this course before you can be "Competition Development Certified.” Please see AWA Certification Flowchart for more information. 

Practical Evaluation

All coaches wishing to be evaluated MUST be actively coaching for a minimum of 1 year after completing the Competition Development Analyze Technical and Tactical Performance workshop. In addition, coaches must have prepared and monitored their athlete(s) through the yearly training and preparation cycle towards Nationals.

Prerequisites:

  • Competition Introduction Certified in Weightlifting in your NCCP profile.

  • NCCP Competition Development Analyze Technical and Tactical Performance workshop

  • Completed the following online evaluations:

  • Make Ethical Decisions

  • Leading Drug-Free Sport

  • Managing Conflict

  • Your athlete meets the senior qualifying standard and is selected for the Junior team for Junior Nationals OR meets the eligibility requirements to compete at Senior Nationals.

  • Submit portfolio

For more information, visit our Coach Resources page.

Alberta Weightlifting Association acknowledges that we are on the traditional lands of the Indigenous Peoples who lived among and travelled through the land in the area currently known as Alberta. We honour the Peoples of Treaty 4, 6, 7, 8, and 10, Alberta’s Métis and Inuit people and their profound contributions to the health and well-being of this region and to our members, where we recognize that health and well-being through our sport of weightlifting is not only physical, but also spiritual, emotion and mental and is accessible to all, rooted in the principles of respect, equity, diversity and inclusivity.