The role of sport in South Africa continues to grow in social importance. If sport is to become truly accessible for all South Africans, it is essential that coaches receive the best possible education and training at all levels to enable all citizens to participate in sport.

This qualification focuses on the technical and tactical skills requirements associated with the coaching of athletes for participation in competitions in particular and differentiates itself from sports science, which focuses on the support system for the athlete and coach to improve the performance of the athlete and strive towards excellence.

If coaches are aware of the unique physical and psychological characteristics of aspiring athletes, they can promote the concepts of enjoyment and fair play in addition to encouraging the development of fitness and the acquisition of new skills. This scientifically based, integrated approach to educating coaches has been designed to increase the capacity and the volume of accredited coaches for sports.

Sports Scientist primarily deals with scientific testing, performance monitoring, bio-medical analysis, and providing a reference for the athlete recovering from injury or illness. In practice, candidates holding a Sports Science qualification will work hand in hand with the Sports Coach so as to promote a scientific approach to coaching.

Sports Scientist, together with the Sports Coach, takes responsibility for constructing and implementing training programmes. The Sports Coach, however, plays the role of leader and role model to the athlete and team that ensures the application of scientific principles towards excellence.

Building a sound basis for coach education will have important positive implications for top-level sport in South Africa given the extreme demands which are placed on sportsmen and sportswomen who compete at the highest performance levels.

By focusing on the fundamentals of sport through applying a supportive scientific approach to training, participants in sports will develop good habits that will lay the foundation for pursuing and achieving higher levels of performance. A well-coordinated approach to coach education will encourage the desire to participate as well as promote the development of sports codes.

The commitment to sports education, at the level of this qualification, has the potential to influence progressive growth toward mature and successful performances at the highest levels of competitive sport in the country. Therefore, this qualification represents an important contribution to the pursuit of the noble ideal; which has, as its objective, the creation of an active and winning nation.

Coaching competencies in this qualification can be applied to areas such as:

Sport coaching has entered a period of rapid growth as a profession. There is an increasing need for sports coaches to be trained and recognised for their abilities. Currently, schools are hiring sports coaches to deliver sports programmes and there is an increase in the number of private clubs, which offer employment opportunities for sports coaches.

Learning Assumed to be In Place

It is assumed that Candidates entering this programme are competent in: