Coaching in Singapore

When I started coaching, it was like jumping in the deep end and trying to stay afloat! Luckily for me, I had bits of advise from my coaches, my experience as a skater, and some teaching experience (in the classroom) to fall back on. I quickly got into the swing of things.

Until now, there is no coaches' training course in Singapore. There are no required qualifications to coach... sorry, my mistake there is one requirement - that the rink will take you in.

So, it is good news that the Singapore Ice Skating Association (SISA) is trying to start a practical training for coaches. This would be part of the Singapore Sports Council's (SSC) National Registry of Coaches (NROC) requirements - that coaches fulfil a theory and a practical part for each level. The SSC will also recommend that schools should only use NROC coaches for their activities.

Unfortunately, it is not easy getting coaches' buy-in. After all, SISA does not have jurisdiction over who can or cannot coach at the rink right now. On top of that, bringing in overseas trainers to conduct the practical training is costly, and of the few coaches currently available, even fewer would see it worthwhile to fork out a few hundred dollars to do the training.

Honestly, much as I would like to do the coaches' training, I still cannot justify why I would spend the money on that, rather than as a skater in the seminar. After all, I am still actively skating, and coach only part-time!