The International Federation of eSports Coaches (IFoEC) has announced that its Level 1 eSports Coaching and Educator courses have received accreditation from CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Services.
“Our eSports Coaching and Educator Level 1 courses are now CPD certified by TheCPDService.”
This milestone marks a key moment in legitimizing eSports coaching as a professional discipline, putting it on par with other recognized fields.
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Establishing a structured career path in eSports
Unlike football or athletics, the eSports industry has not yet had a structured career path for coaches, despite its rapid growth and increasing popularity on a global scale. The accreditation by CPD emphasizes IFoEC’s focus on providing an effective educational framework as the starting point of education for eSports coaches. It reveals the federation’s objective to enhance and professionalize the eSports coaching environment.
“In the realm of eSports, and contrary to sports like football, soccer, or athletics, research has shown that coaches haven’t had much of a structured career path to follow.”
In its official communiqué, IFoEC emphasized the significance of this achievement. It was noted that gaining CPD accreditation is a crucial milestone for coaches’ learning pathways, which affords them tangible signposts to inform their personal and professional development over time.
“CPD can be a useful milestone on a learning pathway, providing coaches with tangible markers for personal and professional growth.”
The international recognition of eSports coaching
The CPD Certification Service, established in 1996, is an internationally coveted accreditation institution for CPD in diverse free-standing professions. IFoEC, through this certification, aligns its courses with those of others, such as the FA, Financial Times, Mitsubishi, RAF, and esteemed learning environments like Cambridge and Oxford universities.
This accreditation not only validates the quality of the IFoEC’s courses but also elevates the status of esports coaching to that of a recognized professional discipline. The federation’s interest in listening to coaches and conducting research to inform its courses reflects its zeal to meet the changing needs of the esports industry.
Matthew Watson, the Director of Learning and Development at IFoEC, expressed his delight at this recent achievement. He emphasized that while formal courses represent only a portion of the overall learning journey, they are expected to provide a sense of direction and purpose to the progression in the field.
Delighted to see esports coaching reach this milestone 🛣️
Formal courses are just part of the learning journey but hopefully they can add direction to the climb
Great work@l_swettenham @KabirBubna @BurkillRachel @AnjaliA12 @JBellSportPsych
+ thx coaches for the feedback! https://t.co/o99Z85zMEe
— Matthew Watson (@MatthewJWatson) January 16, 2024
The future of eSports coaching and education
Celebrating its latest success, IFoEC recognizes that much work still needs to be done to support eSports coaches. The inaugural eSports Coaching and Performance Summit, which saw significant participation and interaction, indicates the growing interest and need for such educational initiatives. With plans to return in 2024, the summit represents ongoing attention to the development of eSports coaching.
This development begs the question: How will this accreditation impact the future trajectory of eSports coaching and its perception as a legitimate professional field? The recognition by CPD not only validates the efforts of IFoEC but also opens doors for further advancements and opportunities in eSports coaching.
As the industry continues to expand and professionalize, the role of qualified and accredited coaches will likely become more prominent, shaping the future of eSports coaching and performance.
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