Educational Levels Section

IAAF Coaching Qualification and Certification Programme


  • Recognising that the resources and effort involved in developing an educational programme may exceed national capacity, IAAF operates a Coach Qualification and Certification Scheme which is available as a service to Member Federations who wish to make use of it.
  • The trainer qualification and certification programme structure consists of three levels and is available in seven languages: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Portuguese.
  • IAAF provides a standardized curriculum, qualified instructors and the necessary teaching materials for each level of the program.
  • Financial resources for the programme come from the World Federation, the Continental Federations, Olympic Solidarity and other partners at international and national levels, as well as self-financing options at higher levels.


Level 1


Under 16 age group (introduction to juniors)


With the introduction of Level 1 Coaches (under 16) which follows on from Children’s Athletics (under 12), there is an opportunity to develop and advance the youth educational aspects of athletics in order to work effectively with young and novice athletes. Level 1 will provide qualified youth coaches who will be able to train and prepare youth to provide a ‘bridge’ from the basics of children’s athletics (under 12) (running, jumping and throwing) to ‘real’ athletics. Youth coaches will be qualified and able to take children on to youth training and competition programmes relevant to age-group athletics (13-15). The Level 1 curriculum covers all competition groups and emphasises practical coaching skills. At the same time, Level 1 study provides a sufficient theoretical basis to allow coaches to continue learning, either through their own efforts or within the structure of the coach qualification programme and certification scheme.


  • The Level 1 Coaching Course is organised via the IAAF Online Learning Platform.


Level 1 Structure


1- Study 30 units online (theory, planning, technique, training)

i. Mandatory and compulsory units

ii. Professionally designed to attract the learner trainer.

iii. Online assessment

2- Studying 6 practical units under the supervision of a trainer (guide) - guidance phase with documentation of the practical evaluation.


To register and get the first level

Level 2


U20 Coach (Youth Development)


With the introduction of Level 1 Coaches (under 16) which follows on from Children’s Athletics (under 12), there is an opportunity to develop and advance the youth educational aspects of athletics in order to work effectively with young and novice athletes. Level 1 will provide qualified youth coaches who will be able to train and prepare youth to provide a ‘bridge’ from the basics of children’s athletics (under 12) (running, jumping and throwing) to ‘real’ athletics. Youth coaches will be qualified and able to take children on to youth training and competition programmes relevant to age-group athletics (13-15). The Level 1 curriculum covers all competition groups and emphasises practical coaching skills. At the same time, Level 1 study provides a sufficient theoretical basis to allow coaches to continue learning, either through their own efforts or within the structure of the coach qualification programme and certification scheme.


The Level 2 Coaching Study is designed to be an introduction to performance coaching for coaches who have performed well at Level 1 and have acquired a level of coaching specialization in one of the following competition groups:

  • Enemy and barriers
  • Medium and long distances
  • Walking race
  • Jump
  • Throwing
  • Complex competitions


Through this specialization they can begin to meet their country’s need for high-level coaches. It is expected that the majority of Level 2 participants will continue to Level 3. In addition to the elements specific to the competition group, the Level 2 curriculum contains core elements common to all competitions. Upon completion of Level 2, the coach is expected to be able to identify and train on a competition model for each competition within the competition group.

The trainer is also expected to be able to plan and implement the appropriate (weekly) micro-training cycle and its daily training modules within the context of the annual training plan.

Level 2 studies are organised in member federation countries to ensure the most efficient use of resources and to ensure optimal application. These studies are run by IAAF-accredited Level 2 instructors and use standardised teaching materials. The structure and timetable of Level 2 studies are flexible (provided certain requirements are met) in order to adapt to local conditions.


Level 2 Structure


  1. Study the general theoretical units, which are 10 units, online.
  2. 6 days face-to-face practical study, including 30 units: competition theory, training planning and practical.

Participation in Level 2 studies is open to coaches who have passed the Level 1 assessment procedure, completed at least one year of practical coaching experience and have been recommended by their national federation.



Level 3


Coach for the age group of 20 (High Performance Training)


The Level 3 Coaching Study builds on the Level 2 experience and can be viewed as a development of high performance coaching, providing coaches with advanced level instruction in their chosen competition set. As with Level 2, the Level 3 curriculum includes competition specific elements but now covers more common core elements with specific application to the context of the competition set. Upon completion of the Level 3 study, coaches will be able to coach high level competition models for their chosen competitions. They are also expected to be able to plan and implement medium and large training cycles for training high level players within the context of a multi-year training plan. These plans should lead to the achievement of potential outcomes, elite performance outcomes and competitive outcomes.


Level 3 Structure


1. Study 20 units online

2. Study 6 units of preparation online

3. 4 days face-to-face practical study

Level 3 Content for Trainers


  • Case study of the world's best players
  • Current relevant scientific findings
  • Leveraging Modern Technology: KI Training and Monitoring
  • Rediscovering “Adaptation”: Practical Application of Recent Scientific Findings
  • Communication and leadership skills