Sports coaching

Take your coaching skills to the next level

NZ Certificate in Sport Coaching (Level 3)

2026 facilitated cohort

Kia kaha ki te whakangungu | Coach with confidence. Back yourself.

Beginner or developing coach? This cohort is designed to help you sharpen your coaching skills with your own team, in your own code, and feel confident backing your decisions on and off the field. You’ll learn practical, athlete-centred coaching and earn a nationally recognised NZQA qualification while you coach. (NZQF Ref: 3228, Level 3, 40 credits, 8 months).

Quick facts:

  • Who it’s for: New and developing community coaches working with a club team (any sport). Age 16years+

  • Commitment: about 1 hour/week spent completing course questions or planning/completing practical work (self-directed), plus support at 6x 1hr online sessions throughout the course and on-the-job learning with your team. (You’ll submit evidence from your actual coaching.)

  • When:
    o Enrol by: Wed 15 April 2026
    o Induction: Week of 27 April 2026
    o Sessions begin: Week of 4 May 2026
    o Final submissions due: 15 December 2026
  • Cost: Free for New Zealand citizens and residents and Australian citizens (this cohort).


Tono ināianei | Enrol now

Pātai mai | Ask a question

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Why this programme?

A qualification that builds confidence: Gain an NZQA-recognised credential that validates your coaching skills so you can trust your judgement and lead with confidence.

Learn by doing (at your club): Training, observation and assessment are workplace-based - you collect evidence from the real sessions you run with your team.

Practical, time-smart format: Complete the course in your own time along with support from experienced coach facilitators in the scheduled online sessions on Microsoft Teams.

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What you’ll learn:

You’ll build the fundamentals that great community coaches rely on, across people, practice and safety:

- Knowing yourself and why you coach (Ko wai au?)

- Being a good sport (Whakamana, manaakitanga me kaitiakitanga)

- Planning, running and reflecting on your coaching (Ngā whakaaro, whakamahi me aromatawai)

- Plus essentials like health, safety and injury prevention for your code.


Designed duration: 8 months to complete (40 credits) - this cohort runs April–December 2026 with clear milestones and support.

How the facilitated 2026 cohort works

  • Live online | Teams:

    60minute sessions to coincide with each course module to unpack topics, swap ideas with other coaches, and prep your next piece of evidence

  • Individual session:

    One session will be an individual session to talk through a verbal assessment about rules of your sporting code

  • On-the-job learning:

    Plan, deliver and reflect on sessions with your own team; your workplace (club) supports you to gather evidence.

Assessments you’ll complete

  • Short written answers (knowledge checks)
  • Two coaching plans (plan → deliver → review)
  • Reflections on your coaching sessions
  • Observe another coach and analyse practice
  • Two videoed coaching sessions (you can use your phone).

Are you eligible? (Tono āheitanga)

To join this cohort, you must:

  • Be 16+ and currently coaching 3 or more athletes in your sport
  • Coach under a recognised club or organisation (school-run teams aren’t eligible unless they sit under a trust or club’s remit)
  • Have your club/organisation sign a Relationship Agreement with Te Mahi Ako (we’ll help with this)
  • Have reliable internet and a laptop or iPad with camera/mic, plus access to a recording device (e.g., phone) for practical evidence.

Good to know

You’ll be assessed on real coaching - no need to leave your team. This is genuine work-based learning.

What your club provides (Workplace/Host)

Te Mahi Ako partners with workplaces and volunteer organisations. Your club/organisation agrees to support your learning (e.g., access to players/a team, facilities, equipment and possibly also a verifier for practical evidence) by signing a Workplace or Volunteer Organisation Relationship Agreement.

How to enrol (Tēnei te ara tono)

Have a photo of your ID ready to upload: NZ Birth Certificate, NZ Passport, NZ Citizenship Certificate, or current NZ driver licence (front & back).

  • Volunteer coaches

    Step 1 — Go to the Te Mahi Ako website and click Enrol (top right).

    If you’re new, create an account in the learner portal; if you’ve enrolled before, use “Already have an account”
    → Click Forgot Password if needed.

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    Step 2 — Start your enrolment

    Do you have a programme code? Select No.

    Use these helpful answers where prompted:
    o Job title: Volunteer Coach / Coach
    o Workplace name: Your club
    o Employment start date: When you began coaching for the club
    o Employment type: Volunteer / Employed
    o Manager contact: Your club manager (name + email)
    o Industry: Sport
    o Programme: Sport Coaching L3
    o Assessor: (Leave blank).

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    Step 3 — Submit & e-sign

    You’ll receive an acknowledgement by email. When your enrolment is ready, we’ll email your Enrolment Agreement via an app called DocuSign to you and your club manager to sign electronically. If we’re still finalising your club’s Relationship Agreement, this may take a little longer.

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    Step 4 — Welcome pack & induction

    Before induction week, you’ll receive:
    - Your Learning and Assessment Plan (what you’ll complete and when)
    - Learner support services info
    - Your assessor’s details
    - Portal login info.

    We’ll confirm your facilitated session dates once your enrolment is approved.

FAQs

Is this qualification nationally recognised?

Yes. It’s the New Zealand Certificate in Sport Coaching (Level 3), Ref: 3228, 40 credits on the NZQF.


How long does it take?

Te Mahi Ako’s L3 Sport Coaching programme is typically designed for 8 months; this cohort runs April–December 2026.


Do I need to be coaching a certain number of athletes?

Yes - you need to be coaching 3 or more athletes in your sport.


Can I enrol if I coach a school team?

Only if the team is actually under a separate trust or a club’s remit (the club must be your host organisation for the Relationship Agreement).


What tech do I need?

A laptop or iPad with camera/mic and reliable internet, plus access to a phone (or similar) to record your practical coaching sessions.


How are assessments delivered?

Most assessments are completed online through the portal. You’ll be observed and assessed running 2 practical coaching sessions (usually a video sent to your assessor).


What support is available?

You’ll have a named assessor and access to Te Mahi Ako’s learner services; your club also supports your learning under the Relationship Agreement and your regional advisor will be available to answer any questions.

Ready to get started?

Enrol now | Tono ināianei

For more information, contact Becca Jacka: