Coaching is one of the most rewarding ways to stay connected to the sport you love. Whether you’re guiding juniors as they take their first strides on the ice, helping teens grow into confident, well-rounded players, or introducing adults to the thrill of hockey for the first time — every coaching role makes a difference. From local beginner sessions to senior teams and even national or international competitions, there are countless ways to share your passion and help others discover the joy of the game. With IHACT, coaching isn’t just about developing players — it’s about building our hockey community, one team at a time.
Accreditation
There are 4 grades of Accreditation in Ice Hockey in Australia: Beginner, Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. To be an official coach for a team you need at least Level 1 accreditation, and higher level teams may require higher levels of accreditation. To just help out on the ice IHACT just needs you to complete the Beginner course, which is a short online course only.
Full details of the courses and requirements can be found on the IHA website here.
IHACT runs regular coaching courses here in the ACT to help you gain your coaching accreditation. For details on upcoming sessions, or to learn more about coaching in general, please contact player.development@ihact.org or info@ihact.org.au
Child Protection
Protection of children playing ice hockey in the ACT is our primary concern.
Ice Hockey ACT is an affiliated entity of Ice Hockey Australia and as such is subject to the rules and regulations of it’s National Integrity Framework as well as those of Sport Integrity Australia.
All coaches and volunteers are required to have a current and valid Working With Vulnerable People (WWVP) check and card. This is an ACT Government requirement for all sporting associations. A copy of the card must be provided to IHACT rior to undertaking any coaching or volunteering activities. IHACT will periodically check the card details for ongoing validity, and reserves the right to remove any person from any coaching or volunteering role at any time if there are any concerns raised.
A WWVP can be obtained from Access Canberra, refer here for more information.
All IHACT Coaches must be familiar with the IHA Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy, which can be accessed here.
IHACT also reserves the right to conduct further investigations including background checks and interviews prior to the appointment of any official coach.