LTS coaches - contractors or employees?

[katz in boots]

I am again encountering all sorts of problems in becomming a coach for our LTS program, Aussie Skate. The head coach wants me, the other coach wants me, the rink wants me. But no way am I able to undertake the accreditation process through our Professional Skaters Association. Prohibitive costs, high skating level required, not able to access the training required.

I've been told to get public liability insurance, then if rink management are okay with it, I can do it.

Which is fine, except without qualifications, the insurance premiums are horrific. The first quote I've received is for $1000 for a year 8O, whereas an accredited coach it is $150 per year.

Anyways, just wondering how it works overseas, whether you have to have particularly high skating tests passed and get your own insurance etc, to coach LTS?

[sk8tmum]

You can check the discussion in the other area about Canskate coaches for more background on Canada ... suffice to say that you need a certain (not particularly high) level of skating qualifications to enroll in the Canskate Coaching qualification program, and you need to complete a reasonably rigorous plan of study and evaluation to be able to coach in an accredited Canskate program (which is Skate Canada's LTS program). After that, then, annual renewal, first aid certification, criminal record checks, etc. ... after initial Canskate qualification, more study and evaluation to move up the ladder to Starskate (test stream) or competitive coaching

[blue111moon]

For USFS's Skate With US Basic Skills program, all I have to do is register the coaches as Basic Skills Intructors, pay the membership and they are covered by the club's liability policy. Of course, it only covers the instructors during Basic Skills sessions and only allows them teach group lesson (no privates). But it's cheap and effective.

As Basic Skills Director for my club program, though, I'm very careful about who I hire to teach groups. The majority of the coaches are club coaches to begin with, PSA members and carry their own individual liability insurance. The ones who aren't club coaches are club skaters who are either working in exchange for ice time or looking to train to become club coaches eventually or volunteers filling in because they love the sport.