Cheer Coaches’ Certification 

NEW – Nationwide Requirements

Cheer Canada is rolling out nationwide Coach Credential Requirements across Canada. Starting from the 2024/25 season, coaches must fulfill all requirements by October 31, 2024 to obtain a valid SCA Coach Certification.

Certification Pathway

Our certification process focuses on safety to ensure our athletes receive the best instruction possible and in order to align with the insurance we provide our members.  It is mandatory that ALL coaches are certified prior to coaching independently.  Coaches must be at least sixteen years of age to become certified. 

SCA Cheer Coaches' Certification Policy

Certified Coach

The following courses and documents are mandatory for all SCA cheer coaches to be considered certified:

  1. Valid Coach SCA/Cheer Canada Membership
  2. Valid First Aid and CPR: Only certificates from Canadian Red Cross or St. John’s Ambulance are accepted. 
  3. Enhanced Criminal Record with Vulnerable Sector Check within 2 years (for coaches 18+ years old).
  4. SCA Online Exam
  5. In-Person SCA Exams
  6. Respect in Sport
  7. NCCP Courses

      • Making Headway

      • Emergency Action Planning

      • Safe Sport

      • Rule of Two

      • Planning a Practice

      • Making Ethical Decisions

Coaches will not be considered “SCA certified” until documentation is provided proving all requirements have been met.

All required coaching credentials must be met and uploaded into the respective coaches’ SportLomo accounts by October 31, 2024. 

Coaches who fail to complete certification/re-certification will be subject to fines.

Valid Membership - SportLomo

The cost for SCA membership for the year is $20/participant. The additional Cheer Canada membership cost for a coach membership is $26.50.

Coaches only have to purchase their memberships ONCE for the fiscal year of July 1 to June 30. 

Register in SportLomo

Click here for more info on how to upload your credentails into your SportLomo Account

First Aid & CPR Training

All coaches must complete valid first aid and CPR training. Only certificates from Canadian Red Cross or St. John’s Ambulance are accepted.

Please be informed that the SIPAC course is no longer considered valid first aid certification. However, coaches who have completed the SIPAC course within the last three years will have until October 2026 to complete valid first aid training.

Please note that any previous exemptions with the SCA for coaching requirements (e.g., registered nurses not needing First Aid/CPR) will likely no longer be valid, as Cheer Canada is standardizing all coach certifications.

St. John’s ambulance – www.sja.ca
Red Cross – www.redcross.ca

Enhanced Criminal Record with Vulnerable Sector Check

All coaches 18 years of age and older must provide an enhanced criminal record with vulnerable sector check. The check must have been completed with-in the past two-years.

There are many ways to do this, and the easiest method is to Google and search for how to obtain a criminal record check in your area.

SCA Online Exams

Intro to Coaching and Online Safety Exams

The “Intro to Coaching” includes a power-point presentation, which can be helpful through-out the safety exams. Coaches must complete the online safety exam(s) for the level(s) the coach wishes to receive certification in.

All coaches must complete the general safety exam and the level to which they are coaching. The safety exams test the coaches’ knowledge of the ever-changing rules.  The SCA reviews the safety exams annually. The online safety exams do not expire, however should the exams be updated due to significant changes in the rules, coaches will be informed that they must re-take the online safety exams.

REGISTER

SCA In-Person Exams

Coaches must also complete the SCA in-person certification exam.  This is a one-on-one exam between the coach and an SCA certified examiner.  The examiner will ask the coach a series of stunt and tumbling based instruction questions with-in the leveled/divisional parameters.  For example, the all star level 1 SCA exam will consist of questions surrounding the instruction of level 1 stunts and tumbling skills.  The examiner is looking for answers that demonstrate the coach’s knowledge of how to safely and successfully teach athletes the at level skills for the level/division being tested.  Coaches will be informed of their success rate at the end of the exam. Certification cost is $25/level.  The SCA certifies up to all star level 6 and Scholastic University Premier.  SCA certification expires after three years.

Coaches must certify by progression, meaning an all star coach must be successful at level 1 prior to proceeding to level 2 certification, and so on for all star.  For scholastic, they must pass the beginner level prior to proceeding to novice, and so on.

REGISTER

Respect in Sport

The Respect in Sport Activity Leader Program educates youth leaders, coaches, and officials to recognize, understand and respond to issues of bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination (BAHD).  Sask Sport Inc., along with the support of the Saskatchewan Government, has launched this required program for Coaches in the province to help to provide a safer and more respectful sporting environment for all to participate. The online training program is being provided free of charge for all users. 

REGISTER

NCCP Modules

Mandatory NCCP Courses 

    • Making Headway

    • Emergency Action Planning

    • Safe Sport

    • Rule of Two

    • Planning a Practice

    • Making Ethical Decisions

MORE INFO

Coach Certification FAQs

Failure to Certify

SCA coaches/junior coaches (not CITs) who fail to complete certification by December 1st of the current season will individually be subject to a $100 fine for failing to complete their certification in a timely manner. In addition, coaches actively coaching in Saskatchewan without certification will result in coach ineligibility at SCA sanctioned events until certification is completed. In some cases, coaches will be subject to loss of coaching membership. This policy came into effect July 1, 2021.

Failure to Re-Certify

Certified coaches that consecutively coach for 4 years (ie throughout their certification expiration date) and fail to renew their certification by December 1st of the current season will individually be subject to a $250 fine for failing to complete their re certification in a timely manner. This includes any portion of their certification that can be subject to renewal under the current SCA coaching certification program (updated 2020). In addition, coaches actively coaching in Saskatchewan without certification will result in coach ineligibility at SCA sanctioned events until certification is completed. Coaches will receive 1 email reminder no later than September 1st of the current season to renew their certification, but ultimately it will be up to the coach to track and be responsible for their own certification. Coaches with questions about the status of their certification may email executivedirector@sca.ca for an update at any time. This policy came into effect July 1, 2021.