COACH EDUCATION PROGRAM

Qualified coaches are critical to the long-term growth and success of our sport. The education and development of coaches will play a pivotal role in ensuring sustainable athlete success from grassroots to high performance. The long-term aim is to develop more technically proficient players and teams across all levels.

USA Field Hockey's Coaching Education Program (CEP) has been developed by some of the most prominent experts in the game to welcome and mentor new coaches as well as inspire and assist veteran coaches, including those who coach professionally. Our goal is to provide a coach education system that supports, sustains and grows our sport by producing exceptional leaders, instructors and coaches.

Craig Parnham | USA Field Hockey's Director of Coach Education & Learning

Parnham was appointed to the role of head coach of the U.S. Women's National Team in January 2013. Through his determined leadership, Parnham guided the team to their best Hero FIH World Ranking in USWNT national team history of 5th and most recently propelled the international squad to a 5th place finish at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, a vast improvement from landing last at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Among his collection of other noteworthy accomplishments, he won gold medals at the 2015 Pan American Games and 2014 Champions Challenge, claimed fourth place at the 2014 Rabobank World Cup and made the USWNT an international threat on the pitch. From the first day of his appointment, he has been instrumental to the USWNT's successes.

In January 2017, Parnham stepped into a new role as USA Field Hockey's Director of Coach Education and Learning. He is passionate about coach education and coaching as a profession. He believes that sustainable player pathways are underpinned by robust Coach Education programs.

Parnham has competed in both the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games and coached in three, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games. He has been coaching professionally for more than 20 years and is a qualified Level 4 Coach and holds a post-graduate diploma in Elite Coaching Practice.

Liz Tchou | USA Field Hockey's Senior Manager of Coach Education & Learning

Tchou has been with USA Field Hockey in some capacity for the majority of her life. She played collegiately at the University of Iowa (1984-87), where she competed in three NCAA Final Fours and won a National Championship in 1986. Following college, she joined the U.S. Women's National Team and represented Team USA for 10 years. She competed in many international competitions including the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.

Tchou went on to become the head coach at Duke University from 1996-2002 and the head coach at Rutgers University from 2003-2012, before joining USA Field Hockey's Sport Development Team in 2012. In 2015, Tchou shifted roles and became USA Field Hockey's Senior Manager of Coach Education and Learning. She believes that the real work of the Coach Education Program is to provide clear guidance for coaches on how to develop and engage young players so they have a strong foundation of fundamentals and a passion for the game on which to build. She is passionate about establishing a culture of collaboration and mentorship within the coaching community to help coaches deliver a great field hockey experience for beginner through elite players.

USA Field Hockey's Coach Education Program
USA Field Hockey's Coach Education Program consists of in-person courses that make up the Coaching Certification Program and an expanding collection of online tools and resources:

Level 1 Instructional Coaching Clinic

The Level 1 Instructional Coaching Clinic is the first level of Certification in the Coach Education Program. This course is recommended for field hockey coaches of all levels. The game of field hockey has changed significantly over the past decade. The introduction of synthetic turf and continual innovations have sped up the game, inspiring new tactics, techniques and rules to accommodate the faster play. Whether you coach players on grass, field turf, water or sand-based turf, teaching these new skills properly, and in a fun engaging way, will enable you and your team to develop and succeed, and your program to grow.

Level 1 Clinics are an 8-hour in-person offering that covers a broad range of topics essential for coaching success. Some course preparation is required. Level 1 Clinics provide an opportunity for professional development and networking within your local field hockey community. Upon completion of the course, all participants will receive their Level 1 Coaching Certification. This certification will remain valid as long as your USA Field Hockey Coaching Membership remains current and certification will lapse without a current membership. Coaches interested in working in USA Field Hockey's Futures Program must have a Level 1 Certificate and a current USA Field Hockey Membership to be eligible to apply.

Classroom Presentations and Discussions

Importance of Coaching Philosophy
Coaching as a Profession - How to Coach Principles
Learning & Age-Appropriate Development Principles
Introduction to “Teaching Games for Understanding”

On-Field Learning & Application

Basic Rules & Field Set-Up
Fundamental Skills of Field Hockey - Grip Management
Introduction to Attack and Defense Principles - Small Games
The Basics of Goalkeeping
Designing Fun and Effective Training Sessions

Pricing

Member Price: $95 (*Note: lunch is provided)
Non-Member Price: $145 (includes one-day membership)

Please check the USA Field Hockey website COACHING CLINICS for a list of upcoming Level 1 Instructional Coaching Clinics. If you would like to attend a Level 1 Instructional Coaching Clinic but do not see one listed in your area, please contact coaching@usafieldhockey.com.

Level 2 Instructional Coaching Clinic

USA Field Hockey’s Level 2 Instructional Coaching Clinic is a 14-hour offering that expands on several of the topics covered in the Level 1 Clinic and will challenge participants to further define and evaluate their individual coaching philosophies, styles, techniques while encouraging self-assessment. This course is also recommended for field hockey coaches of all levels. Coaches will work in groups to share best practices and receive peer feedback in a comfortable and encouraging environment. Level 2 Clinics offer an additional opportunity for professional development and local networking and mentorship. Upon completion of the course, all participants will receive their USA Field Hockey Level 2 Coaching Certification.

This Certification will remain valid as long as your USA Field Hockey Coaching Membership remains current and will lapse without a USA Field Hockey Membership. Coaches interested in being Regional Futures Coaches and AAU Junior Olympic Games coaches, attending the National Coaches Forum or becoming a USA Field Hockey Coach Educator, must have a current Level 2 Coaching Certification to be eligible.

If the coach's membership and/or background check expires, their certification becomes invalid. Once a member renews either of those two items, the certification is reinstated. Currently there are not any "re-certification" requirements for this level, other than making sure the renew your membership and keep the background check current. USA Field Hockey's Coach Education Program is working on developing a re-certification process for this Level.

Classroom Presentations and Discussions

Developing Your Coaching Philosophy
Teaching Games for Understanding & Guided Discovery/Learning Principles
11 v 11 Concepts/Formations
Effective Session Planning
Collaborating with Other to Provide Solutions to Strategic Challenges
Participate in On-Field Group Presentations Covering Important Coaching Topics

On-Field Learning and Application

Participate in Group Presentations Covering Important Coaching Topics
Apply “Teaching Games for Understanding” Principles that include Exercise Progressions
Skill Acquisition - Error Detection and Correction
Design Fun and Effective Training Sessions - Small Games

Pricing

Member Price: $250 (*Note: lunch is provided on Day 1)
Non-Member Price: $325 (includes two-day membership)

Please check the USA Field Hockey website COACHING CLINICS for a list of upcoming Level 2 Instructional Coaching Clinics. If you would like to attend a Level 2 Instructional Coaching Clinic but do not see one listed in your area, please contact coaching@usafieldhockey.com.

Current USA Field Hockey Coach Education and Learning Offerings Include:

Foundations Courses - An introductory in-person course that targets physical education programs and first exposure to coaches with little to no field hockey experience.

2019 National Goalkeeping Coaches and National Coaches Forum (December 12-14, 2019, Lancaster, Pa.) – USA Field Hockey invites coaches to attend the fifth annual National Coaches Forum at Spooky Nook Sports in Lancaster, Pa. The National Goalkeeping Coaches Forum will take place on Thursday, December 12 and the National Coaches Forum will be held on Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14.

Level 1 and 2 Instructional Coaching Clinics - The Level 1 Instructional Coaching Clinic is the first level of Certification in the Coach Education Program. This course is recommended for all field hockey coaches of all levels. USA Field Hockey’s Level 2 Instructional Coaching Clinic is a 14-hour offering that expands on several of the topics covered in the Level 1 Clinic and will challenge participants to further define and evaluate their individual coaching philosophies, styles, techniques while encouraging self-assessment. This course is also recommended for field hockey coaches of all levels.

Technical Skills Workshop - The Technical Skills Workshop is a new Coach Education offering. As the game of field hockey evolves, so do the skills required to play. This three-hour workshop is the perfect opportunity to focus on the correct teaching of the key technical skills necessary to succeed in preparation for the upcoming season. It’s also a great way to network and collaborate with fellow coaches. Coaches of all levels are welcome and will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Goalkeeping Workshop - In addition to the Technical Skills Workshop, USA Field Hockey has added a Goalkeeping Workshop to the new workshop series. We recognize that teaching goalkeeping and developing and managing goalkeepers is a common challenge. This three-hour workshop will help coaches teach the correct goalkeeping skills and provide suggestions on working with multiple goalkeepers in a team setting. New and experienced coaches of youth, club, high school and collegiate athletes are welcome.

Goal Scoring Workshop - The newly developed Goal Scoring Workshop is a further addition to the sport specific skills workshop series that form part of the USA Field Hockey's Coach Education Program. The Goal Scoring Workshop will identify and teach the key skills required to help coaches develop effective goal scorers. The workshop will include a variety of specific game related individual skills as well as providing practice examples that will highlight some of the tactical considerations and decisions teams and individuals are presented within the attacking circle.

Attacking Principles Workshop - TheAttacking Principle Workshop is a three hour on-field practical session designed for coaches who are looking to further develop their teams attacking play. The workshop includes key technical and tactical elements that support player and team development. Participants will learn how to create game based practice sessions that introduce, develop and transfer the attacking principles from the training ground to match day.

Defending Principles Workshop - TheDefending Principles Workshop provides coaches with the essential principles and supporting sub-principles to help build more effective defensive teams. The workshop will look at the individual technical defensive skills required and how those skills can be utilized to develop tactical decision making relating to areas such as pressing and managing counter attacks. This three hour workshop is designed to provide practical and usable technical and tactical tips to help coaches support their teams.