American Sport InstituteAmerican Sport Education Education & Learning
American Sport Institute

ACSC / Level 1 certification package

American Certified Sport Coach Level 1

A 30-hour professional pathway for coaches building an athlete-centered, ethical, safe, inclusive, and development-focused coaching practice.

ACSC1 package ready
30Total learning hours
26Online learning hours
4Applied clinic hours
1-5Years of experience

The complete pathway

What the ACSC1 package includes

ACSC1 combines required learning, knowledge and applied assessments, a facilitated clinic, and proof that the coach can use the standard across a real coaching season.

  1. 01What It Means to Be a Coach3 hours
  2. 02Ethics and Professional Conduct3 hours
  3. 03Building Relationships Across the Sport Environment3 hours
  4. 04Safe Sport: Your Scope, Your Network, Your Responsibility3 hours
  5. 05Positive and Inclusive Sport Environments3 hours
  6. 06Continuous Improvement and Coach Well-Being3 hours
  7. 07Applying ADM and LTAD to Your Sport3 hours
  8. 08Practice and Season Planning Foundations3 hours
  9. 09Sport-Specific Safety Considerations and Referral Triggers2 hours

Assessment path

How a coach moves through ACSC1

  1. 01
    Complete all nine learning requirements

    Submit each required reflection, scenario, application, or scope-of-practice activity. These activities are required for completion but are not individually graded.

  2. 02
    Pass the online knowledge check

    The 38-question assessment must be passed at 75% or higher before the clinic opens.

  3. 03
    Complete the four-hour applied clinic

    Demonstrate coaching judgment in a scenario discussion, design a sport-specific practice segment, and submit a 150-250-word Coaching Philosophy Statement.

  4. 04
    Receive ACSC1 Candidate status

    Candidate status begins after all 30 learning credits and the required knowledge-check and clinic gates are approved.

  5. 05
    Apply the standard for one coaching season

    Use the ACSC1 principles in practice, then submit a 300-400-word Season Application Reflection within the Candidate window.

  6. 06
    Earn the full ACSC1 credential

    ASI awards the full credential after the season reflection and required professional record are reviewed and approved.

Qualifying education

Use approved learning without repeating everything

A coach may submit qualifying prior learning or education from an approved provider. ASI reviews the evidence before awarding credit.

  • Individual prior learning may apply to Requirements 4, 7, and 9, up to eight credits.
  • Approved provider equivalency may apply to specific learning requirements.
  • Prior learning and provider equivalency together may cover no more than 15 of the 30 credits.
  • The knowledge check, clinic assessments, Coaching Philosophy Statement, and season reflection cannot be replaced.