In 2017, NBTA launched its new Coaching courses.
Level 1
This course is designed to provide sound basic skills to teach an individual, or group of baton twirlers . You will learn how to teach basic twirls and body technique and how to put together routines for Solo, Two-Baton and Dance Solo/Rhthmic Twirl, as well as setting a Basic and Fancy Strut.
The course also provides guidance and information on Child Protection and safety of teaching the sport of baton twirling.
Students will attend three separate training days, to learn the skills of teaching excellent baton and body technique. You will be required to bring along 2/3 twirlers in order to demonstrate your ability to teach.
Throughout the process you will be supported by a Mentor, who will guide you through completion of a Portfolio of Evidence and help prepare you for your assessment day.
Applicants should be at least 16yrs old and have twirlers available to attend both the course days and main assessment day.
On passing this course, you will be registered as a Level 1 coach. You will have access to the NBTA coaching web page, which will provide further advise and support throghout your coaching career.
All students will need to complete a DBS check, as part of the NBTA Policy of Safeguarding.
Level 2
This course will continue on from Level 1, developing the skills and knowledge of the coach, in order to teach excellent body and baton technique and to understand the requirements of the following events: Advanced Solo, 2-Baton, Dance Solo/Rhythmic Twirl, X-Strut and Teams.
As with Level 1, you will be allocated a Mentor to support you during the training and help prepare you for the main assessment and submission of a Portfolio. During the course, you will gain the skills of planning sessions, along with delivery and evaluation of higher level skills of body and baton.
On passing this course, you will be registered as a NBTA Level 2 coach. Your details will then be made available for NBTA corps or individuals requesting a qualified coach for private lessons.
You will have access to the NBTA coaching web page, which will give you further advise and support during your coaching career.
All students will need to complete a DBS check, as part of the NBTA Policy of Safeguarding.
Level 3
Students will need to have gained several years' experience and would have also taught twirlers who had displayed your ability to teach. NBTA will select the coaches to aim for the European coaching qualification. The coach will instruct in the teaching and assesing of the European Body & Baton levels, on behalf of NBTA Europe.
For Level 3, you would need to attend a two day training course and pass the relevant exams for the European levels, This course may be held in Europe,
On passing this course, you would be registered as a European coach and your details held on the European Coaching list. You should then make yourself available to teach within any European country requesting a qualified Body & Baton coach.
In 2018, a new judging course was launched.
Level 1
This course is designed to teach you how to judge at Beginner/Novice Level and will give you sound basic skills on how to evaluate each aspect of the routine. This course also gives you guidance and information on Child Protection and ensuring the safety of contestants you are judging in the sport of baton twirling.
You will attend 3 separate training days, where you will be taught the Methods and Mechanics of judging.
As well as attending training days you will be supported by a Mentor, who will guide you through to complete a Portfolio of evidence and be ready for the assessment day.
For this course you should be at least 16 years old and be available to practice judge at NBTA contests during the course.
On passing this course you will be registered as an NBTA Level 1 judge. You will also have access to the NBTA Judging web page which will give further advice and support during your judging career. Everyone will complete a DBS check as part of the NBTA Policy of Safeguarding.
Level 2
This course will continue from Level 1 and development further skills and knowledge to allow the judge to recognise excellent body and baton skills and understand the requirements of the following events: Advanced solo, 2 baton, Rhythmic Twirl, X Strut, Duet and teams.
Similar to Level 1 you will be given a Mentor to support you during the training and help prepare you for the main assessment and submission of a Portfolio. During the course you will gain the skills of recognising and evaluating higher level skills of body and baton.
On passing this course you will be registered as an NBTA Level 2 Judge. You will also have access to the NBTA Judging web page which will give further advice and support during your judging career. Everyone will complete a DBS check as part of the NBTA Policy of Safeguarding.
European Judge
You would have gained several years’ judging experience with NBTA England and been regularly judging twirlers at Advanced level during this time. NBTA will select judges to take part in the European judging qualification. For this level you will need to take part in a 1 day training course and pass the judging exams for NBTA Europe.
Once passed you would be registered as a European Judge and your details held on the European Judging lists. You would then be made available to judge within any of the European countries.
On becoming a registered judge at NBTA you will be expected to attend a revision course once per year. This is to ensure that your judging education is updated and follows the guidelines of NBTA England, Europe and World technical updates.
All NBTA registered coaches are expected to attend a training course once a year, to ensure their coaching education is updated and follows NBTA England, NBTA Europe and WFNBTA guidelines.
WHAT DO I DO IF I’M INTERSTED IN BECOMING A COACH OR JUDGE?
If you are interested in taking part in any of the courses please contact NBTA Technical Board, on nbtatechnical@gmail.com.
These are a set of exams introduced by the NBTA European technical board. There is a requirement for all competitors taking part in a European championships to pass certain levels, in an attempt to improve the standard of twirling.
In England, we have a team of judges who have learned the levels and were examined, in order to teach athletes and then conduct exams.
The European levels are divided into two sections; Baton and Body. The moves within these levels have to be completed under exam conditions and are judged on the athletes ability to complete each movement with correct body and baton technique.
Prior to the exam students must learn each sequence fully and may only take the exams after attending at least 2 training sessions
Level 1 and 2 body are based around ballet. Level 1 baton requires athletes to go back to basics and concentrate fully on general handling and technique. Athletes must ensure the body is tidy and correct whilst carrying out these basic twirls. Level 2 builds on difficulty of both the body and baton skills, however correct technique is still the main focus.
The exam can only be taken once at any assessment day. To achieve a pass, no more than two errors are allowed throughout the whole exam.