COACHES CORNER

HCBC Coaching Program COACHES CORNER

The coaching programs that HCBC administers on behalf of Equestrian Canada have been in place in varying formats since the 1980’s. Each coach was developed and certified under the system that was available at the time and were evaluated at the current standards. BC produced excellent coaches who have in turn mentored and helped produce subsequent generations of coaches.

The Equestrian Canada coaching programs have undergone quite a few revisions over the past 40 years. EC has gone from Coach levels 1 to 4 to Competition Coach, Competition Coach Specialist and High-Performance coach. Provincial Instructors changed to Instructor of Beginners and now to Instructor. No one would have dreamed 40 years ago that we would be able to evaluate new coaches using video, yet we are using this technology very successfully now.

The coaching system that Equestrian Canada provides evolves in an effort to keep up with rapidly changing external partner requirements, new studies, technology and sports science. Consideration is given to best practices for the evaluation of coaching ability. There are also increasing expectations from parents to make sure that their child is safe when working with a coach. This is combined with the requirements of the National Coaching Certification Program, the organization that oversees and approves 67 sports certification programs. Every coaching certification must meet the standards and requirements as well as the specific outcomes that the NCCP stipulate. As the NCCP changes and grows, so must the EC Programs.

Coach certification must also make changes to support inclusive sport. Terminology must be inclusive, programs cannot be exclusive to any gender or age group. More than using correct terminology the programs must actually put into practice the meaning of inclusivity.

The revised coaching programs are putting increased emphasis on training and mentoring. This is intended to produce coaches or instructors who are not only able to demonstrate teaching equestrian skills, but also have the training to help them put those skills into everyday practice. EC is developing tools that are accessible online with lesson plans, help in teaching the “Learn To” programs as well as online learning that is directed to coaches and instructors. There will be more emphasis on the ability to coach and teach rather than on the candidate’s current ability to compete or ride. or Fostering Healthy Relationships in Equestrian Sport has been added for those coaches who wish to purchase a Coach License. The issues covered in these courses are extremely important for coaches to understand and build into practice.

There is no place for the abuse of children and vulnerable athletes or the abuse of power in ours, or any sport. Parents have higher expectations of the coaches that they choose to teach their children to ride. This training also protects the coach with the knowledge of how to avoid behaviors that may open them up to complaints. Concussion training has been added to the requirements of all coaches to enter the certification program.

When the Long-Term Athlete Development Model was created in 2007, sport had started to study athletes of all ages and stages, learning how athletes were developed in respect to age, gender and physical maturity. We learned that young riders were being developed using adult learning and competition models. Equestrian sport developed their own version called the “Long-Term Equestrian Development” (LTED). The principles of LTED have been built into the coaching and instructor programs to help our coaches produce athletes with strong skills that are age and developmentally appropriate. The need for all athletes to learn Fundamental movement skills and physical literacy has been added to the coach training. We see riders as athletes who need to be physically fit. A very important part of the LTED is the understanding that not all riders want to develop into International competitors. The Active for Life stage is one of the largest demographics in BC, these are recreational riders who might compete once in a while or spend their time riding on trails. The Instructor stream has been revised to not only address beginner riders, but also those who want to learn to be better riders, not competitors.

Instructor certification has been improved and refined. It is important to note that the Instructor teaches the most important aspect of riding, the fundamental skills. Competition Coaches will build on these important skills and improve them so that they can compete successfully at all levels.

Looking back, Equestrians in BC are lucky to have some amazing coaches who have been developing riders in all disciplines and at all skill levels. Looking forward for the next 40 years, we will see even more instructors and coaches coming up through the system to carry on their legacy. Additionally, the EC Coaching Programs that HCBC administers will undergo continued changes, staying current with the wants and needs of equestrians in Canada.

TRAILS & RECREATION ‘Sign Here’ – New Access to Improved Road Signage for Equestrians

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) has made a welcome change to the way equestrian warning signage is implemented on British Columbia’s roads.

Effective Spring 2019, equestrian groups around BC that would like to add or improve road signage in areas where riders must use public roads will be able to contact Ministry district and subdistrict offices and ask for enhanced signage.

The familiar diamond-shaped, yellow and black profile of a horse and rider warning sign will be either installed, or if already present, augmented upon written request, by a supplementary tab stating ‘Share The Road’, or a tab stating the kilometre or metre count within which motorists can expect to see horses on the road, or a ‘Crossing’ tab.

Dr MaryJane Bowie of Rocking Horse Loop Riders in Nanoose Bay, in cooperation with the Recreation desk at Horse Council BC, worked with Ross McLean, Manager of MoTI’s Provincial Sign Program and Jennifer Hardy, MoTI Senior Traffic Standards Engineer to come up with the enhancement program. On behalf of all our members, and all road riders in BC, we are grateful to Mr McLean, Ms Hardy and to the Ministry for recognizing a need and taking positive steps to address it. Equestrians report that they have found the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to be helpful and cooperative when they’ve requested strategic new or updated signage in their areas.

Note: this initiative is effective only on roads under the jurisdiction of the MoTI.

Road riders are encouraged to wear high visibility items such as fluorescent vests whenever they’re coming into contact with vehicle traffic, and to ensure that their horses are road-trained and ready for the experiences they’ll encounter.

To find out what you need to request enhanced signage yourself, please visit: https://www.hcbc.ca/index.php/trailsrec/ road-safety/road-sign-help/