Instructor Certifications#

USA Racquetball has created a certification program targeted toward developing and certifying potential instructors for health clubs, fitness centers, schools and universities. The course provides essential information for conducting successful group teaching clinics. Three of the nation’s premier instructors, teach and manage this elite program: Fran Davis, Jim Hiser and Jim Winterton who all possess over 100+ years’ of experience in teaching, training, and coaching racquetball as well as in programming instructional clinics and events. The coaching element of the program follows continuing education guidelines of the United States Olympic Committee Coaching Program, and all elements of this new, innovative and exciting approach will prepare potential instructors to provide top quality professional instruction.

The course will enable students to achieve one of three levels of instructor: Level 1- Basic, Level 2- Advanced, Level 3- Elite Instructor. In addition to the core offering, there will be additional courses available to focus on Coaching, Clinics and Programming. The curriculum begins with an online course called the “10 Benchmarks” of Instruction. The program features a review and application of these core principles and a review of doubles play. You must become and continue to be CPR Certified, pass a background check and take the Safe Sport classes that are offered for free through the USOC. For Level 2 or Level 3 instructors there is an additional skills verification test of the five modules and the 10 benchmarks. (The modules are strategy, stroke mechanics, and beginner and advanced theories, physiology/nutrition and on-court instruction.) Once certified on any level, instructors will receive continuing education via online classes, conference calls and other support materials.

• Our certification is for three years, not a lifetime.
• We offer 5 million dollars in liability coverage.
• We have safe sport education, important in this era of coaching scandals.
• We offer online certification, rendering the old weekend of certification courses obsolete.
• We have a vast library of education, including the latest USOC strength training education.
• We offer a mentoring program, with nationally known coaches.
• We have an entry level coaching course for members who want to coach.
• We have ongoing educational courses to keep up with the game.
• We have a programming program for creating revenue streams in clubs.
• We are the only recognized instructional program in the USA. If another instructor from any certification other than the USAR-IP was ever challenged in court, the credentials are not recognized by the USOC or USA Racquetball.
• We also certify clinicians who conduct camps and clinics so our consumers are protected.

Membership provides the opportunity to be connected to the USAR-IP program, receive access to information/templates as well as insurance coverage on any racquetball instruction you preform. Certification recognizes you as someone who is qualified to teach racquetball at a designated level. All certified instructors must be members of USAR-IP.

In order to maintain highly qualified instructors, our insurance carrier recommended that we implement a method for education to ensure instructors are kept up-to-date with the newest teaching techniques. The new program will provide continual online education classes and re-certification every three years (online or in person). The online courses are slated to begin very soon.

Can you imagine going into a health club to take a spin class or a group exercise class and the instructor is NOT certified? A certification teaches you how to teach racquetball as well as how to make money teaching racquetball. You get to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the sport as well as proper instructional techniques as the sport evolves.

Can you imagine if you were teaching a lesson and something happened on the court and you are now liable? A membership keeps you enrolled and gains you access to the insurance policy that covers injury and harassment while teaching racquetball protecting, YOU! Staying enrolled as an IP Instructor Member, you gain a piece of mind while teaching on the court being able to help grow the game at the grass roots level.

First, you must purchase and maintain an IP Instructor Membership for $75 per year. Then you must purchase the Level 1 certification which is FREE. You go through a certification course online to obtain your initial certification. If you pass your certification course and all the criteria to become certified, your certification will be good for 3 years and at the end of the 3 year period you will need to re-certify online.

Can you imagine going to a yoga class or karate class and the instructor has not had any education for 10 years? That is a problem with permanent certification. If there is no ongoing education our profession loses credibility. The importance of maintaining your certification up until this point has been twofold. Cutting Edge Continuing Education and Liability. Just recently though, USAR and some major health club chains as well as the privately owned smaller health clubs are starting to work together to bring their racquetball programs at their facilities up to the SAME level as Group Exercise, Personal Training, Swimming Instructors, Basketball and Cycling. In order to be able to work at a health club in any of the above programs as an instructor or trainer the club REQUIRES that you MUST be certified in your appropriate sport or position to work at the club…no ands, ifs or bouts about it, NO EXCEPTIONS due to their insurance policies.

Racquetball is on the road to being NO DIFFERENT making this the third reason of the importance of maintaining your certification…you will be REQUIRED by the clubs to be USAR-IP certified as KEEPING that certification UP TO DATE.

For more information or assistance with the Instructor Program, contact USA Racquetball at: Fran Davis (fran@frandavisracquetball.com) or Jim Winterton (coachrball@gmail.com)

Q: Why is USA Racquetball offering this program?

• A: Those who administrate and govern a sport must continually re-evaluate and re-invent as needs dictate. USA Racquetball, as the National Governing Body under the USOC, takes its responsibility very seriously to make modern instructional methods available and utilize technology, with the desired end result being supremely qualified instructors who will take the sport into the next generation.

Q. As a USAR-IP instructor, am I covered for insurance liability while I am conducting lessons/clinics. Will the new USAR program include insurance coverage?

• A. Yes, it will. insurance is provided and financed by USAR. The new program will contain all benefits and coverage.

Q. When will the details of the new instructor certification program be made available, and how much will it cost to get certified?

• A. Information is available here on this website along with updates as programs are introduced.

Someone that has taken the USAR‐IP test and certification, passed the Safe Sport classes and maintains their CPR and background check.

*Everyone must pass the Level 1 certification before they can upgrade to Level 2 or 3 certification.

Note: Intended for parents who would like to help family members, players who just want to become better players and instructors who want to assist club level players.

Someone that has achieved a high level as a player, basic level with the USA Racquetball instructor’s Program or has been grandfathered in with same level achievement in any other organization and become a member of USAR‐IP. Advanced instructors must participate in online educational requirements and mentoring with a Master Professional.The master professional has the final determination on the level of instruction the player will attain after reviewing their clinic results.

Note: Intended for instructors who want to gain more in-depth instructor knowledge, instructors who want to teach competitive players at the state and national level and coaches of high school and collegiate teams.

Someone that has attained basic instructor status, and also offers instruction in large group settings. The professional Clinician has attained a high level of play. They must also participate in online educational requirements or mentoring with a master professional. This person must also have participated in playing or coaching on a national or international level. The master professional has the final determination on the level of instruction the player will attain after reviewing their clinic results.

Note: Intended for instructors who want to instruct at the elite and open levels—instructors who want more in depth analyzation information and emphasis on strategy and game planning.

USA Racquetball Instructor’s Program and USA Coaching Development team. Credentials must include national recognition as instructors, USA National team coaching, Elite camp instruction. Currently, Jim Winterton, Fran Davis, Jim Hiser and Tom Travers are the only Master Professional Instructors.

1. Instructor Certified*
   1. CPR, Background Check, Safe Sport Courses and 10 Benchmark Courses.
2. Advanced Certified
   1. All of Instructor Certified plus Access to Master Professional, Practical Hitting Test, Write and Conduct 1 Hour Lesson.
3. Elite Certified
   1. All of Advanced Certified plus Video Analysis

_{*Everyone must pass the Instructor certification before they can upgrade to Advanced or Elite certification.}

1. Class A Level Insurance approved by the USOPC which INCLUDES sexual harassment coverage.
2. Continuing On-Line Education which includes video instruction
3. On-Going Mentoring with one of the Master Professionals.
4. Endorsed by the IRT and LPRT.

You MUST be a current USA Racquetball member to participate. If you are not a member of USA Racquetball you must become a USA Racquetball member to participate in this course. You may join/renew your USA Racquetball membership on the first day of the Certification Course, or join today online at Join USA Racquetball.