USRowing Announces Member Organization Certification and Continuing Education Credit Opportunities

USRowing is thrilled to announce Member Organization Certification and Continuing Education Credit opportunities. Beginning February 15, 2025, all 1,400+ of USRowing’s member organizations will be given the opportunity to be recognized for their excellence against a clearly defined point system and standard of excellence based on a multitude of factors including safety, certified coaches, affiliated referees, roster compliance, and participation in surveys and events:

• Certified: 0-49 points
• Bronze: 50-64 points 
• Silver: 65-79 points 
• Gold: 80+ points 

Member Organization certification will be recognized on the USRowing website and Find a Club feature- denoting each organization’s commitment to member experience, safety, inclusion, and education. This tiered approach is an important step to celebrate organizations that go above and beyond to operate at a high level, and also align with USRowing’s values. Member organizations can demonstrate and be rewarded with points for their excellence and alignment in the following areas:

• All coaches are Level 1 certified or higher: 5 points
• All coaches are Level 1 certified and the organization has at least one Level 2 certified coach: 5 points
• Organization has uploaded a SafeSport policy: 5 points
• Organization has a complete Safety Plan: 5 points
• Organization has a complete DEI Policy: 5 points
• Organization has one or more Level 3 certified coaches: 5 points
• Organization complete the Annual Survey: 5 points
• Organization’s athletes/parents complete an experience survey: 5 points
• Organization has one or more Level 1 certified Regatta Director: 5 points
• Organization attends a USRowing sanctioned event: 5 points
• Organization has 65%+ Member retention: 5 points, plus 1 point per 1%>65%
• Organization has 80% or more roster compliance: 10 points, plus 1 point per 1%>80% 
• Organization has one or more Affiliated Referees: 5 points each (max 10) 
• Organization become a UWR Certified Club: 10 points
• Organization hosts a USRowing sanctioned event: 10 points

Continuing Education Credits (CECs)

USRowing has also defined the credits point system for CECs that will replace mentor hours for coach certifications starting on January 1, 2025. An initial slate of 51 courses, events, and learning opportunities covering a wide array of topics are now available to coaches who need to earn CECs for renewing or maintaining certification; 38 of which are free to members. This broad varying list of opportunities allows for coaches to customize their training based on their needs and interests. The full list of learning opportunities with pricing, and CEC value can be found here.

As a reminder for coaches, beginning January 1, 2025, all individuals who coach at USRowing member organizations, attend USRowing hosted or sanctioned regattas as a coach, or want access to advanced coach training and certifications must at least hold a Level 1 Certification. The Level 1 Coach Certification is free for members  to enroll in until October 31, 2024, after which, it will cost $99. Coaches only need to be enrolled in the course prior to that date to begin the certification process for free. Level 1 Coaches will be required to continue to educate themselves on best practices in rowing by completing three CECs a year. Learn more about CECs below. 

To learn more about Coach Certifications, visit the Core Courses Coaching Education page or read our FAQs about Level 1 and Level 2 Certification. 

Register for our webinars to learn more about the Coach Certifications at club programs, scholastic programs, and collegiate programs. 

Have questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions below: 

General 

What counts as CECs? 

Most coach clinics (outside the core certification courses) and courses on The Launch, individual specialty certifications, and pre-approved conferences and conventions count. See here for the current list of CECs available. Note, if you upgrade your certification level, you are exempt from CECs in that year. For 2025 only, coaches who get certified in 2024 and complete mentor hour requirements prior to 2025 will be exempt from CECs in 2025.

How many CECs do I need to stay certified? 

Level 1 coaches must complete 3 CECs each year. Level 2 and Level 3 coaches must complete 6 CECs each year. Note, if you upgrade your core certification level, you are exempt from CECs that year. 

How are CECs tracked?  

CECs will be tracked in your Coach Profile where Mentor Hours currently appear. Most CECs will be tracked using an API connection between the Member Portal and The Launch to register for courses and track course completions. Some CECs, like conference attendance, may require a manual submission and verification similar to current mentor hours. 

Organization Admin Questions 

Are all organizational members required to meet the new coach certification standards? 

Yes, with two exceptions. LOC and Regatta Pass members are not required to have a Level 2 certified coach in 2026.  

Do other NGBs require all coaches to be certified? 

Yes, USA Swimming, USA Hockey, US Ski & Snowboard, USA Cycling, USA Fencing, and USA Gymnastics require all coaches to be certified. Rowing Canada requires all coaches to be certified including an in-person observation by expert coaches. In Europe, most NGBs require all coaches to be certified.  

How can I see if my coaches are currently certified? 

As of September 2024, the best way is to ask your coaches to show you their Coach Profiles in the member portal. Note: Until Mentor Hours (which are now optional) are replaced with CECs in the Coach Profile, coaches may appear as “non-compliant” even when compliant. The Coach Profile will be accurate no later than January 1, 2025. USRowing is working with RegattaCentral to develop a Club Administrator Dashboard that will display the status of all coaches affiliated with their organization. The dashboard will be ready by the end of 2025. 

How will USRowing track coach certifications and CECs? 

USRowing is working with our partner RegattaCentral on a Coach Dashboard that will automatically track coach certifications and CECs for USRowing staff. 

Will I get notified when one of my coaches becomes non-compliant in certifications/CECs? 

The new Organization Administrator Dashboard will show the next expiration date for each coach and what training is required by that date to maintain certification. In addition, Organization Administrators will receive email notifications 60 days, 30 days, and 7 days prior to coach certification expirations.