Athlete Development
The Canadian Baton Twirling Federation (CBTF) Long-Term Athlete Development model depicts 8 stages of participation:
- Active Start
- Fundamentals
- Learn to Train
- Train to Train
- Learn to Compete
- Train to Compete
- Train to Win
- Active for Life
For each of these stages, the model shows the Concepts, Characteristics, Activities, Time Commitment and typical Ages (male and female).
Becoming a Baton Coach
As soon as you are 13 you can begin training as a CBTF baton coach. The program follows a pathway that includes online courses, in person courses, mentor coaches and more.
The goals of the CBTF Coaching Certification program are many:
- To provide a supportive and informative training ground for the technical community
- To provide baton twirling technical and practical information with emphasis on correctness of baton and body technique
- To successfully translate to prospective coaches how to communicate how the skills are to be executed: to acquire the knowledge concerning teaching the skills
- To create a better understanding for the necessity of proper baton and body technique and mastery of essential twirling skills
- To increase the longevity of the twirling life span by implementing a series of short term goals which may aspire into long term accomplishments
- To build a logical gap from the recreational to the world class athlete by presenting a logical progression for teaching baton twirling skills
- To create a safe and positive setting for participants by providing a desirable atmosphere for developing high self esteem and maintaining healthy perspectives
- To create a harmonious relationship amongst technical facilitators and athletes by which appreciation of quality and respect is paramount
- To maintain a national coaching directory
- To lend credibility to the sport of baton twirling in respect to the media, public, and the members of the twirling community
The CBTF Coaching Certification Program is divided into five levels that follow the NCCP and LTAD models. For those that are interested in coaching, but do not yet meet the minimum age (15 years old) to begin the certification program, we offer a Coach-In-Training Course.