Careers and education
An integrated approach to sporting excellence
The National Coach and Athlete Career and Education (NCACE) is a program of the Australian Sports Commission, delivered through the Australian Institute of Sport and state and territory institutes and academies of sport. It provides eligible coaches and athletes with career, education and personal development services as well as transitional support through personal and sporting changes.
The challenge confronting many coaches and athletes is how to integrate their sport with the rest of their lives. The NCACE program aims to support coaches and athletes in achieving this balance without compromising sporting goals.
More than 3000 elite athletes, from amateur and professional sports, access NCACE each year, utilising the national network which is unsurpassed within the sporting industry. Up-to-date research keeps NCACE at the cutting edge.
NCACE supported sports
| AFL | Cricket | Gymnastics (Rh) | Soccer |
| Archery | Cycling-Road | Hockey | Softball |
| Athletics | Cycling-Track Endurance | Judo | Squash |
| Baseball | Cycling-Track Sprint | Netball | Swimming |
| Basketball | Cycling-MTB Downhill | Rowing | Tennis |
| Bowls | Cycling-MTB X Country | Rugby League | Triathlon |
| Boxing | Diving | Rugby Union | Volleyball Indoor (M) |
| BMX | Equestrian |
Sailing |
Volleyball Beach |
| Canoe-Slalom | Golf |
Shooting |
Water Polo(W) |
| Canoe-Sprint | Gymnastics | Skiing/Winter Sports (OWI) | |
What does the research say?
Research shows that coaches and athletes with an integrated lifestyle are more likely to achieve their sporting goals, cope better with stresses such as injury and retirement, and have more confidence in what the future will hold after sport.
The National Coach and Athlete Career and Education program, in conjunction with the University of Southern Queensland, is currently conducting a longitudinal study exploring the relationship between participation in the program and sporting performance. This is anticipated to be completed in 2008 and preliminary findings will be published annually.
Why has it been so successful?
The NCACE program was the first program of its kind, developed and implemented in Australia in 1995. It is the leader nationally and internationally in its field. It is staffed by a team of fully qualified personnel who are experts in their understanding of the needs of elite athletes in both amateur and professional sports. Staff employed within the program complete the international benchmark qualification for the industry - Graduate Certificate in Career Counselling for Elite Performers (see link below).
The program operates to stringent quality assurance guidelines which are reported against at a national level.
This, combined with the professional requirements of NCACE staff, ensures quality control of program development and service delivery, and provides accountability guidelines of the highest order.
Related links:
Graduate Certificate in Career Counselling for Elite Performers.
