the shift forward: evolving hockey culture - coach
The Shift Forward – Coach: New Mandatory Training for Team Officials
As of April 15th 2026, Hockey Canada and Hockey Alberta have officially transitioned to The Shift Forward: Evolving Hockey Culture. This program replaces the former Respect in Sport – Activity Leader certification for all coaches and will not honour any Activity Leader certifications taken in other sports moving forward.
IMPORTANT: ACT NOW
Please complete this program immediately. Do not wait until the season begins. Completing this now ensures your eligibility is verified early and helps avoid delays in recruitment and team placement.
Note: This requirement is exempt from the standard Hockey Alberta deadlines and must be fulfilled before admission on the ice with the team. Coaches without valid certification cannot be added to rosters or participate in any team activities.
Transition Rules
Existing Certifications: If you have a valid Respect in Sport – Activity Leader certificate already in your HCR, Hockey Alberta will recognize it until its current expiry date.
New & Expired Coaches: If you are a new coach or your previous certification has expired, you must complete the Shift Forward – Coach program before you can be rostered.
Note that if you have a Respect in Sport – Activity Leader certificate from another sport, it will NOT be honoured; you must take the Shift Forward – Coach
police information check
A current and valid City of Calgary Police Information Check (PIC) with a Vulnerable Sector Check is required for all volunteer positions, including Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches aged 18+. PICs are valid for the period based on the issue date and expire on May 31 of the third hockey season (e.g., a PIC issued on August 20, 2023, will expire on May 31, 2026).
PIC status is recorded in your Hockey Canada Registry (HCR) profile under Background Checks. To verify your PIC's validity, check your HCR 3.0 Spordle account. The "Expired On" date should be May 31, 2027 or later.
IMPORTANT: WCHL does not retain copies of PICs, so it’s recommended you save a copy for future reference. The WCHL Administrators no longer has access to view applicant results online. You must save and send a copy of your results for it to be entered in your HCR account. If you don’t save and send your results within 6 weeks of notification, they will expire and require re-application.
PICs from other organizations are valid if issued within the last 12 months. Please send a PDF/JPEG of the results to your Assocaition Administrator.
A PIC indicating a Relevant Offence (see below) will only be valid if approved by the Screening Committee.
If a current and valid PIC is not on file, Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches must provide proof of application prior to team assignment.
HCR 3.0 spordle account
coach requirements
| DIVISION | COACH 1 INTRO. | COACH 2 | CHECKING SKILLS | The First Shift OR RIS-AL | PIC | SAFETY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WCHL - U9 | 1 Coach/ 10 players | All Coaches | All Coaches | All coaches | |||
| WCHL- U11 | Head Coach | Head Coach | All Coaches | All Coaches | All coaches |