Following the new coach education curricula in shooting sport, the ISSF Academy organised its first A Level Coach Course as a hybrid programme in late 2025. The course consisted of a ten-week online phase, followed by a six-day in-person phase held in Doha, Qatar, during the first week of December.
Participant feedback has now been analysed and key lessons identified. Based on this evaluation, the ISSF Academy has decided to introduce several developments to both the process and content of the A Level Coach Course.
One of the main areas of development concerns the research paper, which is a core requirement of the course. This process represents a significant opportunity for shooting sport to generate new scientific knowledge and applied research. To strengthen this component, the following measures will be implemented.
The application process for the A Level Coach Course will be continuous and managed through the ISSF Academy website. Applicants must meet key criteria, including holding a B Level Coach License, demonstrating a successful coaching career, and receiving formal support from their National Federation. The first step in the process is the approval of a research topic. Each study must be original and developed specifically for this purpose, with empirical research preferred over purely conceptual work.
Once the topic is approved by the Academy Research Team (ART), each participant will be assigned a personal PhD-level mentor from the Academy to guide the research process.
The research paper must be between 7,000 and 10,000 words and submitted one month prior to the in-person phase to allow sufficient time for detailed evaluation and feedback. Approved papers will be published in the ISSF Academy Research Library. Depending on scope and methodology, the research process may take six months to up to two years.
During the online phase, participants will also attend live lectures and complete smaller assignments. The core concept of the in-person phase remains unchanged: at the highest coaching level, the focus is on winning. Preparation for competitions and success in finals are central themes, which is why the course is delivered in close connection with high-level ISSF competitions.
According to current plans, the ISSF Academy will organise one A Level Coach Course per year, with 20–30 participants.
The B Level Coach Course remains the essential pathway toward the A Level. During the hybrid B Level programme, coaches develop individual professional development plans based on comprehensive analysis and a 360-degree feedback process. The focus of the B Level course is on personal growth and building a professional training environment for athletes. Agreement on the A Level research pathway may already be initiated toward the end of the B Level course.
The ISSF Academy welcomes coaches in shooting sport to join this journey of excellence, knowledge creation, and high-performance coaching.
