Notre Dame College Launches New Coaching Certificate Program

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio- May 3, 2003-Notre Dame College's new Coaching Certificate Program begins this summer with courses designed for school, community and CYO coaches. Two tracks are available in this program: the credit track for the teacher/coach who wants to earn graduate credit and a non-credit track for the volunteer coach in the CYO or community recreation programs who want to gain additional professional development.

The new program is unique to the area. Courses in Coaching Principles and Sports First Aid are the American Sports Education Program (ASEP) courses and taught by ASEP-certified instructors from the Cleveland area. Notre Dame College joins the University of California at Davis as a higher education partner of ASEP offering these courses for college credit.

Coaching Certification has three different levels: Level I for the novice coach covers Coaching Principles and Sports First Aid/CPR; Level II for the coach with some experience or the athletic director covers specific Sports Clinics, Conditioning and Recovery from Injury, Nutrition, and Sports Psychology topics; and Level III for the seasoned coach or those aspiring to an athletic director or community recreation supervisor role, covers specific Sports Clinics, Facilities Management, Sports Management, Sports Marketing & Promotion, and Risk Management-Liability Issues. Courses are taught by experienced coaches, athletic directors, sports psychologists, and faculty from Cleveland Sports Health-Cleveland Clinic.

The Coaching Certificate program is the result of an advisory committee that studied the need for such a program in Greater Cleveland. A needs survey was conducted among school superintendents, athletic directors, and community recreation personnel in Northeast Ohio. The overwhelming response was that they want and encourage this type of program for their coaches in both schools and in the community recreation areas.

Members of the planning committee include Bill Schumacher, Twinsburg Schools athletic director and president-elect Northeast Ohio Athletic Directors Association; Tim Flannery, associate director, National Federation of High School Athletics; Christopher Farroni, director of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese CYO programs; Dr. David Udelf, clinical psychologist, Becker, Udelf & Associates; and Chris Callender, CYO education director; Tom Schoen, athletic director and head football coach, Villa Angela-St. Joseph; Chuck Cangelosi, vice president for development and former head men's basketball coach, Notre Dame College; Karen Poelking, vice president for professional development, admissions, and athletics, Notre Dame College; Sue Hlavacek, athletic director, Notre Dame College; and John Petrunak, director, Center for Professional Development, Notre Dame College.

The new program is endorsed by the National Federation of High School athletics, whose mission is to provide professional development for coaches, and the Cleveland Diocese CYO. The program meets and exceeds current Ohio High School Athletic Association and Ohio Department of Education standards for school coaches. It provides excellent training for newly appointed school coaches and for CYO and community recreation volunteer coaches.

Notre Dame College's team of experienced instructors includes Tom Summanen, Athletic Trainer, No. Olmsted Schools; Marty Verel, Physical Education Instructor, Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, and Special Olympics; Gary Wrobolewski, former assistant trainer with the Cleveland Browns, current athletic trainer, Cleveland Heights-University Heights City Schools; Linda Bacho, guidance counselor and assistant track coach, Trinity H.S.; Judy Blair, head girls basketball coach, Holy Name H.S.; Vance Linamen, athletic director, Memorial Middle School, South Euclid-Lyndhurst, and assistant basketball coach, Villa Angela/St. Joseph; John Kall, athletic director and track coach, Trinity High School; and Jack Lesyk, Ph.D., director, Ohio Center for Sports Psychology. Additional experienced athletic directors and coaches continue to be added for the Fall.

Flexibly-scheduled classes begin May 31 with a non-credit Coaching Principles class. Credit courses begin June 16. Notre Dame College is located at 4545 College Road in South Euclid. For information and a summer course schedule, contact John Petrunak, Director of the Center for Professional Development at 216-373-5286 or e-mail at jpetrunak@ndc.edu <mailto:jpetrunak@ndc.edu>.