If you are a bowling enthusiast with a versatile skillset and accolades of bowling success, you can become a bowling coach and turn your passion into a career. All you have to do is apply to become a bowling coach with the USBC. You will need to enroll in the USBC Coaching Certification Program, where you will receive your official coaching certifications while progressing through different levels.
If you have been searching for more information on becoming a bowling coach, you have come to the right place.
In this article, I will talk about the USBC certification program, levels of bowling coach certification, and how you can start your bowling career as a coach. We will also look at what you can earn as a bowling coach to decide if you want to make it your career.
So, let us get started.
How to Become a Certified Bowling Coach
Becoming a bowling coach today, where bowling is more often considered a sport of entertainment than a profession, can be pretty difficult. But there are a lot of great career opportunities that good bowling coaches can get.
That is why if you have the right skills, you should think of becoming a certified bowling coach. But how can you do that? Well, for starters, you are going to require the certification of the sport’s official governing body, which in this case is the United States Bowling Congress.
USBC Coaching Certification Program
The USBC Coaching Certification Program is the official certification program of the USBC Coaching Certification and Development Department. It is the only certification program recognized by the US Olympic Committee. It focuses on providing bowling coaches and opportunists with all the materials required for their growth and experience.
This program allows bowlers to apply for bowling certifications to learn the necessary skills to become professional bowling coaches. It also teaches bowlers to build strong relationships with sponsors, pro bowling shop owners, and proprietors. These are all the elements that make the USBC Coaching Certification Program a very beneficial one.
Registered Volunteer Program
A new update in the USBC Coaching Certification program is that all the bowling coaching candidates are required to register themselves through the Registered Volunteer Program to be considered for the opportunity of receiving their certifications.
The RVP has become part of the requirements for receiving the USBC certifications. Coaches will have to get themselves registered before their certification education period is over to become certified. Therefore, make sure you remember this pre-requisite before you apply for the coaching certification of the USBC Coaching certification program.
Levels of Certification
The USBC Coaching Certification Program provides bowling coaching candidates with a series of certifications to prosper with their coaching careers. These certifications offer a set of skills, knowledge, and a range of coaching options greater than the previous one. So let’s take a look at them.
Level 1
The Level 1 certification of the USBC Coaching Program is where you learn the fundamentals of coaching. Here is a taste of what you are going to learn at this level:
- Roles and Responsibilities
- Strikes and Spares
- Progression of skills
- Keeping Score
- Maintaining a Healthy coaching environment etc.
To receive the certification, you are going to have to take the Level 1 test. This test requires you to pay $49. Note that you will not receive the certification if you are not an RVP member.
Bronze
A bowling coach will be taught intermediatory coaching skills, bowling philosophies, and professionalism in the Bronze level certification. This certification is meant for high school level coaches. Here is what you will learn at this level:
- Coaching Philosophies
- Lane conditions
- Mental Strengthening
- Video analysis and recording
- Ball Motion Dynamics
- Bowling Ball Components etc.
The Bronze certification is a level higher than the Level 1 certification, so to take the bronze level certification test, you will have to pay around $295, including all materials.
Silver
The USBC Coaching Certification’s third level is the silver certification. This level teaches bowling coaches about raising their skills and level of professionalism to an advanced level. This level is suitable for collegiate-level candidates. Let us take a look at what you’ll learn at this level.
- Physical Game Adjustments
- Matching Ball Surfaces with Lane conditions
- Expanding Bowler’s plan in competitions
- Advanced Mental Game Concepts
- Video Analysis etc.
To learn all the materials required to pass this level and take the e-test of the silver certification, the fee is $465. You will receive this certification only if you pass this test.
Gold
The highest level of certification that you can get is through the USBC Coaching Certification Program. This level requires you to outline and exercise all the requirements mentioned in the Gold Guidebook of the USBC coaching certification.
This level is similar to obtaining a Ph.D. in a field. You will be able to become a coach at the highest professional level with this certification. Here is what you will learn at this level:
- Conduct Lessons and Clinics for Bowlers
- Enhance Bowler skills at all levels
- Evaluation by Final Review Board
- Experience of all theoretical and practical bowling techniques
To purchase the Gold Guidebook, you are going to have to spend $20. In addition, the final test or review session of this level requires you to pay a fee of $800 to clear and obtain the certification.
At What Age Can You Apply for USBC Coaching Certifications?
Each of the levels of certification in the USBC Coaching Certification Program requires you to be a certain age before you can take the test. Let us take a look at each age requirement.
- Age for Level 1 – You need to be a pre-requisite to taking the Level 1 certification test is 13. If you are 13, you can become a Level 1 bowling coach.
- Age for Bronze – For taking the bronze certification and its test, you need to be at least 16 years old, and you also need to have the Level 1 certification as a pre-requisite.
- Age for Silver – If you want to take the silver certification test and receive it, you must be at least 18 years of age. You also need to have the Bronze Level certification with you.
- Age for Gold – Once you have reached the age of 18, you can apply for the gold level at any other level as well. If you do not have the silver-level certification, you can get this certification by practicing using the Gold Guidebook.
How to Start Your Career as a Bowling Coach?
A fundamental question that I have received a lot is how to start your career as a bowling coach once you’re a certified coach from the USBC coaching program? It is not as difficult as you would think.
You might expect to get a very great bowling coaching job right from the get-go, but that is not what you should expect. Even after the certification, you will only move forward step-by-step.
I have seen most newer bowling coaches do, and the proper method of going for a bowling coaching career is to start by offering your coaching services to people you know already.
You can start by teaching your friends, family members, relatives, and children for free or at low prices. As you progress, you can attain better certifications and reach a higher-level professional coaching job that you can pursue as a career.
Average Salary of a USBC Certified Bowling Coach
Another question a lot of bowling coaching opportunists ask me is, what is the average salary of a USBC certified bowling coach, and can I use it as a full-time career for myself.
Well, I would say, depending upon the level of certification, you can expect different averages in terms of annual salary for bowling coaches in various fields.
For example, let us say you are thinking of becoming a bowler at a high school level with the Bronze Level Certificate, then you are going to be looking at an average pay of around $40,000, which is pretty decent.
However, it would help if you did not consider this your only career option at this point. As a hobby that you are earning from, this is pretty great. But you should follow other modes of earning as well.
The average salary of a USBC Certified Bowling Coach with a Gold level Certification is around $70,000, and that is a perfect package. Many coaches earn even more than this. So, it depends upon how qualified and skilled you are as a certified coach.
Conclusion
Teaching bowling to young bowlers and enthusiasts can be a fruitful career, especially if you are passionate about this sport and possess unique talent. It might not be the highest paying average, but it is an excellent choice if you are looking for a side hustle to earn some extra money. In this post, we looked at becoming a bowling coach depending on your age and skill level. I hope you learned a lot from this article and that you will have a great time becoming a bowling coach.
