Background to the International Framework

The International Sport Coaching Framework (ISCF) has been prepared by the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE), the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), the IOC Entourage Commission (EC) as well as World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) following a process of development and consultation that commenced in April 2011. This initiative signals a new and collaborative effort to recognize and support the role of coaches at all levels of sport across the globe, providing the basis for initial implementation and further worldwide development and consultation from those parties involved. ISAF has identified that with a growing appreciation of 'coaching' within both 'Participation' (Learn to sail) and 'Performance' (Learn to race) domains as well as the challenges that accompany the role of the coach, the sailing community and all of its key stakeholders now recognize the need for a common set of competence criteria to inform the development and subsequent certification / qualification of 'coaches' within sailing at National and International level.

'Coaching is a process of guided improvement and development in a ingle sport at identifiablestages of participant devlopment.'

The development of an ISAF Coaching Framework aims to provide all ISAF Member National Authorities (MNAs) with a common ground for developing and evaluating coaching qualifications / certification, encouraging coach education and training, working across international boundaries and establishing ethical guidelines and models for standards of international best practice

Foundations

Coaches play a central role in guiding the development of both recreational sailors and athletes as part of any National Sail Training Programme (NTP). The welfare of all participants is the foremost concern to coaches in the design, implementation and evaluation of appropriate practices at National / international Level. While there are many common areas of sail training, unique characteristics in national sail training programmes exist. ISAF understands that coaching and the increase in participation in the sport of sailing are best served when the principles and policies of the International Federation and those of its members work in harmony with the needs and experiences of sailors in local communities and the organisations facilitating their participation. The ISAF Coaching Framework will provide a reference point that will have global applications. The process of 'mapping' al of the national sail training programmes that already exist and seeking to align those yet to develop to the guidelines within the ISAF coaching framework will provide the International Sailing Federation with a detailed overview of the way in which training of sailing coaches in both 'Participation' and 'Performance' domains is delivered nationally and globally. The process of 'mapping' MNA National Sail Training Programmes will vary greatly depending on the stage of development of the systems in our MNAs.

The ISAF Coaching Framework is not a 'one size fits all' solution and makes allowances for geographical, cultural and governance related national differences.