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Advisory Notice
Due Diligence – Gymnastics Coaches Qualifications
March 2007
Attn: Sports Development Managers
Facility Managers
We have become aware that there is some confusion regarding the level of qualification required for a gymnastics coach to deliver local authority classes, and in particular pre-school gymnastics. In order for you to conduct proper due diligence on your coaches or clubs operating out of facilities you own we are issuing the following guidance.
Gymnastics Classes
Coaches are required to have a minimum Coach (UKCC Level 2) qualification to deliver gymnastics in a local authority run class. If a coach is setting up a gymnastics club operating out of a Local Authority facility, but under their own operating structure, they are required to have a Club Coach (UKCC Level 3) qualification.
Coaches with a Scottish Gymnastics Association (SGA) Foundation Leader coaching award are qualified to lead Local Authority general gymnastics classes. Please note this qualifies coaches to teach floor, vault and beam but does ¬not qualify them to lead pre-school classes or lead a club.
Pre-School Gymnastics
Pre-school gymnastics coaches MUST have a specialist pre-school gymnastics qualification and should be qualified to Coach Level (UKCC Level 2) to deliver Local Authority classes. Coaches with General Gymnastics qualifications are not qualified to deliver pre-school classes. The Local Authority or Leisure Centre may be exposed in the event of an accident as their own insurer may require evidence that the attendant coach was suitably qualified, which they will not be without the appropriate pre-school qualification.
Clubs hiring local authority facilities
Many gymnastics clubs hire hall space from local authorities and in some instances the local authority will advertise club classes in their calendar of events. A small number of coaches believe that they will be covered by the Local Authority public liability insurance if they are using a Local Authority facility. This should be checked with your own insurers as it is often not the case unless such coaches are employed directly by the Local Authority to operate gymnastics classes.
Out with the above, coaches operating with insurance obtained via their British Gymnastics (BG) membership must meet various additional conditions:
• A gymnastics club must have a lead coach qualified to a minimum of Club Coach Level (UKCC Level 3) in the disciplines they are delivering and have a valid British Gymnastics membership. Once again, they are not insured to deliver pre-school gymnastics classes unless they are qualified Pre-School Club Coaches (UKCC Level 3) The Club Coach course includes a module on club management and no club may register with the governing body unless they have a coach qualified to this standard.
• The club must affiliate annually to Scottish Gymnastics and register their gymnasts with Scottish Gymnastics. If any of these requirements are not met, the coach would not be compliant with the terms of the BG insurance policy in the event of an accident or the articles of association for Scottish Gymnastics. All SGA registered clubs are issued with a Certificate of Employers Liability annually.
Coaches with a Scottish Gymnastics Foundation Leader qualification are not qualified to run a club in their own right.
Due Diligence - Next Steps
We recommend you take the following steps to ensure that you are not potentially exposed in the event of an accident.
• Ask your gymnastics coaches to provide you with a copy of their coaching certificate to keep on file
• Contact Scottish Gymnastics Education department to find out what the qualification is valid for as different qualifications entitle you to coach different skills or disciplines
• Ensure that your gymnastics coaches are maintaining their membership of British Gymnastics – this is required in order to keep their qualification valid and will be essential once the British Gymnastics coach licensing scheme is introduced in 2008. Equivalent British Gymnastics Associate membership i.e. Assistant Coach & Foundation Leaders, should instead register directly with Scottish Gymnastics for insurance purposes
• Ensure that all coaches leading Local Authority classes are qualified to a minimum of Coach Level in the discipline that they are delivering
• Any clubs hiring hall space from you, whose coaches are not directly employed by you, should be registered with Scottish/British Gymnastics to ensure that they have appropriate insurance and structures in place
• Ask any gymnastics club operating out of your facilities to provide you with a copy of their Certificate of Employers Liability annually
Coaches who need to obtain a new coaching qualification can do so by completing the relevant SGA coaching course. SGA publishes an annual coaching calendar, which can be found at www.scottishgymnastics.org
It is likely when the coach licensing scheme commences, that there will be a mandatory requirement to provide evidence of attendance at a Child Protection Awareness Course. These courses are offered on an annual calendar from Scottish Gymnastics Ethics and Welfare department.
If you are require any further guidance or assistance pertaining to qualifications, child protection or insurance related issues please write to me or email me at jac@scottishgymnastics.org
Jackie Archibald
Education & Development Director
