OTTAWA, ONTARIO – Speed Skating Canada is celebrating National Coaches Week with a milestone accomplishment in the development of the sport’s coaching pathway, one that sees the addition of two new certification levels for high performances coaches.
The organization has been working diligently alongside the Coaching Association of Canada to expand the sport’s National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP), with the objective of creating new certification levels for coaches at the highest levels of the sport. The recently approved additions of Competition High Performance (Comp HP) and Competition Development Advanced Gradation (CDAG) will help ensure Canada’s speed skating coaches can continue to develop their skills and provide unmatched support to the skaters under their leadership.
- The Competition High Performance (Comp HP) designation represents the pinnacle of coach certification in Canada. It is reserved for coaches operating at the highest level of the sport, guiding athletes to Olympic and World Championship podium performances. Certification at this level reflects the advanced training, expertise, and experience required of National Program coaches, and emphasizes the importance of ongoing professional development to ensure they can continue to evolve and excel in their roles.
- Competition Development Advanced Gradation (CDAG) is a distinguished certification pathway for coaches working in high performance environments with international-level NextGen and Junior athletes. This program equips coaches with the theoretical knowledge and practical training necessary to transition into the elite speed skating landscape, while supporting athletes in their unique developmental contexts.
Together, these additions to the certification pathway enable Speed Skating Canada to foster values-based coaching, enhance professional development opportunities, and promote a positive, healthy, and high-performing training environment for athletes across the country.
“These new levels of coach certification are raising the bar for professional coaching in Canada. Our coaches are already among the best in the world, and this advanced training ensures they continue to have meaningful opportunities for professional development and personal growth. This is an important milestone for our sport, and we’re excited to roll out this expanded coaching pathway across our community in the months and years to come.”Joe Morissette, Chief Executive Officer, Speed Skating Canada
In addition to having these new certification levels approved by the Coaching Association of Canada, national long track coach Gregor Jelonek recently became the sport’s first-ever Competition High Performance (Comp HP) certified coach, a proud moment for the sport and a powerful example for other coaches across the country.
“Technical staff at Speed Skating Canada have demonstrated tremendous leadership through developing the NCCP across all levels, and more recently, for high performance coaches. Gregor Jelonek has embraced lifelong learning in his journey as a coach. In achieving the highest level of the NCCP through certification at the Competition High Performance level, Gregor displays incredible leadership and commitment in modelling the value of continuing educating, and in developing and refining his coaching practice. He is leading the way for other speed skating coaches across Canada, which will continue to elevate the standards of coaching to support Speed Skating Canada’s athletes.”Peter Niedre, Director, Education Partnerships, Coaching Association of Canada
Jelonek has been coaching with the Canadian long track program since 2002 and has been at the helm of the team’s Quebec-based skaters since 2011. Based out of the Gaétan Boucher Training Center at the Centre de glaces Intact Assurance, he has led numerous Quebecois athletes – notably Laurent Dubreuil, Alexandre St-Jean, Francois-Olivier Roberge and Muncef Ouardi – to podium performances on the international stage. He has also coached for Canada at every Olympic Games since Turin 2006.
Despite becoming the highest certified coach in the country, Jelonek, who was named Speed Skating Canada’s Coach of the Year on five separate occasions (2000, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2022), was extremely humble regarding this most recent career accomplishment.
“Coaching at a high level is never a solo journey. It’s a team effort, built on trust, shared purpose, and belief. Any success I’ve had is because of the incredible people around me—those who believed in what we were doing and why we were doing it. This recognition reflects all of them.”Gregor Jelonek, Coach, Long Track National Program
Details on Speed Skating Canada’s two new NCCP certification levels will be added to the coaching section of our website in the coming weeks. For more information on coaching education and development, visit www.speedskating.ca/community/coaches.
CONTACT
Alain Brouillette
Speed Skating Canada
communications@speedskating.ca
613-601-2630