By completing the CCA GOLD certification I have developed not only as a cheerleading coach, but even more so as a coach in general and even as a person. The program covers so many topics, of all possible aspects of coaching and of the human being. If you look at the program at first it might seem a bit overwhelming, because there’s just so much. And then once you start the program you’ll notice it’s all chopped up into manageable pieces, and it just all makes sense. The pieces of information are mixed with video’s that explain more about the topic and go more into depth.

Important things are repeated as you go through the modules and everything follows through in a logical way. You will get lots of info about how the human body works, how things can go wrong if you don’t use it correctly, how you can fuel it, how the human psychology and motivational processes work and so on, but also more specific about coaching techniques, coaching language, and skill specific info. If you can name it, the course is sure to cover it. After each part you will get an online test. This helps you to make sure you understand what you just studied, and if something is not clear you can go back to that part or ask for support if needed. You will learn that coaching, whether it’s cheerleading or another sport, is so much more than just the technicalities of the sport on its own. You’ll go through every facet of the human being, from physiology, through psychology, to motivation and nutrition and you’ll learn that every little thing is part of the bigger picture. It’s truly fascinating to learn how everything has its part in coaching and coachability. Next to the theory part there are also live seminars and zoom meetings throughout the course of the certification. These offer even more an in depth research about what you’ve been reading. You get more new insights as well as input from others who have been going through the same contents as you are, but because of their different background see it maybe just a little bit different. You encounter things on a deeper level and it’s such an enrichment for you as a coach and a person. It is an investment, both time wise and mentally, but it has brought me so much I would definitely say it was worth it. I would do it again in a heartbeat and I can’t wait for what’s more to come!