For many sporting clays shooters, sharing the sport with others is even more rewarding than climbing the ranks of the top shooters. For others, it’s rewarding to share the skills and discipline learned while becoming a champion competitor. Whether you just want to share information and techniques with your shooting companions, teach shooters in a formal setting or club, or make a career of developing future champions, the National Sporting Clays Association’s Instructor Certification program offers the path to pursue your goal.
2013 Instructor Certification Class Schedule
Level I
At the Level I program, our goal is to provide beginning instructors with the knowledge and ability to teach the fundamentals. They should be able to instruct a shooter on such basics as setting up foot and body position for proper balance; setting up hand and shotgun position to move with the target; how to use the eyes to acquire a target; understanding why a target was missed; and why all this is important.
The Level I course will prepare instructors to work with beginning shooters or any who need to improve their fundamental skills.
Level II
The Level II program is where instructors move up from teaching to becoming a coach.
This is where we begin to work on the mental game, where perception and reality are different. The instructor has to get on the same page as the shooters to help them overcome their problems. Positive reinforcement, helping them learn what to do and when to do it, and rehearsing those actions both physically and mentally are the skills that we learn to develop as Level II instructors.
We want our instructors to be able to provide progressive training and help their students visualize breaking targets so we can empower the subconscious and make the right things happen.
- Level II Course Criteria
- Level II Agenda Certification Program
- Level II Instructor Manual
- Level II Application
- Testimonials
Level III
At Level III certification, instructors will have their teaching skills fine-tuned to the highest degree of professionalism.
At this level, you will not only have the ability to coach form and technique, but you will also get a good grasp of the mental game and will be able to quickly and effectively identify and correct problems. Advanced stage shooters are not looking for someone who wants to change their shooting technique; they are looking for someone who can get their confidence back. At this level, the instructor has to be more patient with the shooter and be able to effectively communicate the minor tweaks and techniques that will improve their game.