Coaches’ corner

Volunteer coaches

In addition to having a full time head coach on staff, Argonaut Rowing Club depends on the involvement and contribution of the volunteer coaches to fully cover all the athletes, programs and their coaching needs.

While a commitment from volunteer coaches is required, as long as the expectations are set and understood between the head coach and the volunteer coach, different level of commitment can often be accommodated. Here is the up to date list of our coaching staff.

There are several reasons why you may want to become a coach:

  • A family member (child) started rowing and you wanted to get involved.
  • You used to row and would like to stay involved, give back to the club and the sport by becoming a coach.
  • You want to become a professional coach.
  • It’s fun!

Here is how to get there:

  1. Take a LTR coaches/instructors course
    • Start coaching LTR for one or two seasons
    • Start coaching recreational and novice rowers
    • Enrol with Coaching Association of Canada (www.coach.ca) to get NCCP number, through “The Locker”
    • Take Make Ethical Decisions (online course)
  2. Go to the coaches conference with ROWONTARIO (held in Toronto, late November each year)
    • Start coaching novice rowers and novice competitive
    • Start coaching junior rowers
  3. Take further NCCP courses
    • Take RCA Coach Weekend I and II (to become trained) and then get evaluated to become certified.
    • Start coaching different competitive programs: Masters M or W; Juniors, Seniors between Weekend I and Weekend II
    • Undertake professional development exercises

If anyone wants to become a professional coach they have to enroll in to the NCCP program and completed it.

If you are interested, please contact coach@argonautrowingclub.com for more details, but here is some paperwork that will be required before you can coach. Most of this is based on the government standards, and if you have coached at another club, or even another sport, they will look familiar.

  • All volunteer coaches are required to sign a contract for the Argonaut Rowing Club. You can find the contract at this link.
  • You will need to complete Worker Health and Safety Awareness course online, and provide the club with the certification of completion. You can find the course at this link.
  • You will need to complete the quizzes that are part of the The Ontario Human Rights Code and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act presentation, available at this link.
  • If you expect to coach on the water, and operate the coach boat, you will need a Powered Vessel Operators Permit. More details are available at this link. Note that this permit is issued by the Toronto Port Authority and goes beyond the Pleasure Craft Operator Card issued by Transport Canada.
  • Mandatory Police Record Check. See here for details.

This may sound like a lot, but really isn’t that bad. Please contact coach@argonautrowingclub.com and we can get you more information and details.

While at it, you can take a look at the operating manual for our new outboard motors.