Coach Licensing
Alpine Canada and the ACA‑CSC require all coaches actively coaching during the season to maintain an annual Licensed status through ongoing professional development. See Licensing Policy
Best practice: Coaches should be licensed before working with athletes.
Licensing must be renewed every year.
Purpose of Coach Licensing
The licensing program supports:
✅ Continuous improvement and lifelong learning
✅ Reduced risk of accidents and liability
✅ Coaching excellence at every level of the Canadian development system
✅ Professionalization of ski coaching in Canada
Who Needs to Be Licensed
- Only active coaches are required to hold a license
- Active coaches must be registered and licensed annually with ACA‑CSC
- Obtaining and maintaining licensed status is the coach’s responsibility
Key Dates
- License cycle: September 1 – August 31
- Licensing deadline: January 31
- Coaches not licensed by January 31 lose their registered coach in good standing status
Licensing Requirements
Coaches are considered licensed and in good standing once all requirements are met, their status on Uplifter will show as COMPLETE (green):
- Payment of annual coaching dues & sign waivers, code of conduct.
- Valid E-PIC Criminal Record Check covering the full licensing cycle
- Completion of NCCP Safe Sport training
Completion of required 4 professional development and 1 risk‑management credits every season
Clubs, regions, and provincial organizations can deliver professional development that counts for licensing credits.
For more information see Coach Professional Development – Guidelines and Procedures for Approval – ACA
Licensing Benefits
Active Coach Members Benefits at a Glance
Everything you need to coach with confidence.
Certification and recognition
Insurance while coaching or attending ACA-CSC courses
Learning and professional development
Discounts, tax receipts, and seasonal updates
ACA-CSC registration gives coaches access to key tools, coverage, and support.
Detailed Benefits
National Coach Certification Program (NCCP) - Programs & Recognition
Professional development - Training and licensing recognition
Tax Receipts - For course fees and license fees
Liability Insurance - Third-party liability Coverage while working for an ACA member club or attending an ACA-CSC course
Sport Accident Insurance Program (SAIP) - Option to purchase coverage while working for an ACA member club or attending an ACA-CSC course
Professional Standards: Code of Conduct compliance required & Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS)
Resource Discounts : Savings on coaching resources
Coach Updates : Year-round news and social media presence
Check License Status
- Sign in to Uplifter
- Click the Home button
- Select current season membership
- In Requirements section, if any items are red, complete them before January 31.
Safe Sport: Complete the multi-sport module through The Locker.
Find NCCP Number
Your NCCP number is listed under User Account Settings in Uplifter.
Background Check
Mandatory criminal background screening is part of Alpine Canada Alpin’s Safe Sport commitment. It helps create safer training and competition environments for athletes, provinces, and club programs.
Screening supports the selection of safe, honest, and ethical coaches while helping reduce risk for athletes and employers.
Policy
Since the 2017–2018 season, a background screening policy has applied to all ACA-CSC accredited coaches. To ensure a consistent process, ACA uses Sterling BackCheck for formal screening. ACA-CSC Safe Sport Screening Policy
Criminal record checks
- Sterling Backcheck performs an Enhanced Police Information Check (EPIC)
- Checks are valid for two seasons
- Check are to be conducted through our integrated process during licence renewal process
Where to get your check
ACA and Uplifter partners with Sterling BackCheck to provide police background checks. Active coaches must use this service. Electronic processing usually takes only a few hours (up to 48 hours) before results are added to your ACA-CSC coach profile on Uplifter.
The discounted cost is $25.00 plus tax and applicable fees, payable during annual dues renewal in the ACA SnowReg platform.
Access to results
Coaches receive results by email from Sterling BackCheck within 48 hours and a copy is stored in coach’s profile. ACA also receives a copy.
It is advised to share the report with your employer.
How to access your criminal background check copy from your Uplifter profile:
Once logged into your Uplifter account:
Step 1 – Click on “My Profile.” top right corner, on your initials Or “User Account Setting”, in left menu
Step 2 – In the “Background Check” section, click on the three dots (…) to download the desired file.
