Education & pathways.
Basketball Australia's new national Coach Development Framework — the biggest change to accreditation in a decade. Here's how it works, and where you fit.
Basketball Australia
national coach development framework
The Framework
The Coach Development Framework.
The Coach Development Framework (CDF) is Basketball Australia's nationally recognised system for coach education. Launched in 2026, it replaces the old model of one-off courses with an approach built around ongoing development — recognising that coaches learn in different ways, at different times, and in very different environments. All learning is tracked through Basketball Australia's Qualification Management System (the etrainu platform), and progress now comes from staying involved rather than re-sitting a course every couple of years.
- The old Community Coach accreditation is now called Participation Coach.
- The old Club Coach accreditation is now called Competition Coach.
- Existing coaches were automatically moved across at an equivalent level — nobody lost their accreditation in the transition.
The Coach Development Framework is a national framework owned and administered by Basketball Australia, and delivered locally through Basketball Victoria and the WBA.
The Five Pathways
Find your level.
The framework supports coaches at every stage. You enter where your coaching role sits — and move as your role grows.
Participation Coach
formerly Community CoachFor: Anyone starting out — Ford Aussie Hoops, school programs, a first domestic team.
The entry point. Focused on safe, inclusive, fun sessions for new players. Delivered mostly through free online modules at your own pace.
Competition Coach
formerly Club CoachFor: Club and domestic coaches, plus coaches new to representative basketball.
Builds session-planning, skill development and game-day coaching. The working level for most WBA domestic and entry rep coaches.
Bronze · Silver · GoldAssociation Coach
established rep coachesFor: Experienced representative coaches — VJBL, Country, and pathway programs.
Specialist content (offence & defence systems, the BA Style of Play, scouting, leadership). Typically requires time held at Competition level first.
Bronze · Silver · GoldPerformance Coach
elite & national pathwayFor: Coaches in elite, high-performance and national-pathway environments.
Internationally aligned and FIBA-recognised. Delivered by Basketball Australia; entry is by coaching role and endorsement.
Bronze · Silver · GoldMaster Coach
honorary recognitionFor: Coaches with sustained excellence in elite & international basketball.
An honorary, FIBA-recognised designation awarded at Basketball Australia's discretion — the top of the framework.
Coach Development Points
You level up by staying involved.
Within the Competition, Association and Performance pathways you progress through Bronze, Silver and Gold by earning Coach Development Points (CDPs). The points reward the learning that already happens in real coaching life — not just sitting courses. Earn enough in a year and you move up a tier; let them lapse and you can ease back down (though you never drop out of your pathway entirely).
Actively coach
Coach a team across a calendar year.
Attend clinics
Points scale with the clinic — like our July Masterclass.
Online modules
Free e-learning modules each year via etrainu.
Reflect & self-guide
Coach reflections and other self-guided activities.
Where you enter each pathway.
Reached by accumulating CDPs (e.g. ~100 in a year).
Sustained engagement and development over time.
Get Accredited
Five steps to court-ready.
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1
Get your WWCC
Apply for a Victorian Working with Children Check (free for volunteers). Mandatory before you coach.
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2
Create your BA account
Register on the Basketball Australia QMS (etrainu) — this tracks your accreditation and points.
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3
Complete your modules
Work through the online modules for your level. Participation Coach is free and self-paced.
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4
Start coaching
Get on court. Actively coaching is itself worth Coach Development Points each year.
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5
Keep developing
Attend clinics, finish modules and reflect to bank CDPs and progress Bronze → Silver → Gold.
What's Required
What you need to coach at each level.
Basketball Victoria has required coach education for every coach in a BV-run league since 2023, and at the Country Championships since 2017. Here is the practical version for WBA coaches.
Always check current minimums with Basketball Victoria, as requirements are reviewed each season.
How WBA Helps
You don't do it alone.
Getting accredited can feel like a maze. It isn't — and you have help. WBA runs its own professional-development clinics (including the July Masterclass), pairs newer coaches with experienced mentors across the representative program, and points you to the right modules for where you want to go.
Common Questions
Coach accreditation, answered.
Do I need to be accredited to coach a domestic team?
Yes. At a minimum you need a current Working with Children Check and a Participation Coach accreditation. The Participation level is free and done online at your own pace.
I had a Club Coach accreditation — does it still count?
Yes. Under the 2026 framework, Club Coach became Competition Coach and existing coaches were carried across at an equivalent level (entering at Bronze). You did not lose anything in the transition.
How much does it cost?
The online learning modules are free. Some practical clinics and higher-level pathways may have a cost, but the entry-level (Participation) accreditation will not stop anyone on price.
How do I check my current accreditation?
Log in to the Basketball Australia Qualification Management System (etrainu). It shows your pathway, your tier, and your Coach Development Points.
What are Coach Development Points?
CDPs are how you progress through Bronze, Silver and Gold within a pathway. You earn them by actively coaching, attending clinics, completing online modules, and reflecting on your coaching — not by re-sitting a course.
Do I need a Working with Children Check?
Always, and before you start. A valid Victorian Employee WWCC is mandatory for every coach. It is free for volunteers.
Where do I go for the official details?
Basketball Victoria's coaching team is the source of truth for courses and current requirements — coaching@basketballvictoria.com.au. WBA can help point you in the right direction too.