National Coach Certification Pathway

From School Supervisor to Level 3 Instructor

Explore the five-level South African chess coach pathway. Each level has a dedicated course on Promotion Academy where you complete your training, assessment, and certification. All lessons, tests, progress and certificates are completed and recorded on Promotion Academy.

Once a certificate has been verified and linked to your Chess SA ID, it may be submitted for approved display on your Chess South Africa player profile.

1

School Chess Supervisor

School

School Chess Supervisor

A standalone qualification for teachers and school administrators who want to deliver chess in-house — without needing to coach players individually or attend the TTT seminar.

Key Learning Outcomes

  • Run a school chess programme independently
  • Organise internal leagues and inter-school fixtures
  • Implement a structured chess curriculum
  • No prior chess coaching experience required

Prerequisites

None — open to all school teachers and administrators

Certificate Earned

School Chess Supervisor Certificate

Assessment

Complete the School Chess Supervisor Manual on Promotion Academy. Standalone course — no TTT assessment required.

Course availability: Available now on Promotion Academy — standalone qualification

External-platform notice: All lessons, tests, progress and certificates for this course are completed and recorded on Promotion Academy. The national website does not independently calculate course completion.

2

Entry-Level Instructor

Entry

Entry-Level Instructor

The first level of national coach certification. Awarded based on your assessment score in the Training the Trainers (TTT) programme.

Key Learning Outcomes

  • Basic coaching methodology
  • Introduction to chess pedagogy
  • Running beginner sessions
  • Safety and safeguarding basics

Prerequisites

Attend the 3-day Train the Trainers (TTT) seminar in person

Certificate Earned

CHESSA Entry Level Coaching Certificate

Assessment

Complete the TTT assessment on Promotion Academy. Your score determines your certification level (Entry Level, Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3).

Course availability: Available — attend TTT seminar, then complete assessment on Promotion Academy

External-platform notice: All lessons, tests, progress and certificates for this course are completed and recorded on Promotion Academy. The national website does not independently calculate course completion.

3

Level 1 Instructor

Intermediate

Level 1 Instructor

The second level of national coach certification. Awarded when your TTT assessment score meets the Level 1 threshold.

Key Learning Outcomes

  • Structured lesson planning
  • Tactical instruction for beginners
  • Running school chess clubs
  • Player assessment and feedback

Prerequisites

Attend the TTT seminar and achieve the required assessment score

Certificate Earned

CHESSA Level 1 Coaching Certificate

Assessment

Complete the TTT assessment on Promotion Academy. A higher score qualifies you for Level 1 certification.

Course availability: Available — attend TTT seminar, then complete assessment on Promotion Academy

External-platform notice: All lessons, tests, progress and certificates for this course are completed and recorded on Promotion Academy. The national website does not independently calculate course completion.

4

Level 2 Instructor

Advanced

Level 2 Instructor

The third level of national coach certification. Awarded when your TTT assessment score meets the Level 2 threshold.

Key Learning Outcomes

  • Advanced coaching methodology
  • Positional instruction
  • Tournament preparation for students
  • Curriculum design

Prerequisites

Attend the TTT seminar and achieve the required assessment score

Certificate Earned

CHESSA Level 2 Coaching Certificate

Assessment

Complete the TTT assessment on Promotion Academy. A higher score qualifies you for Level 2 certification.

Course availability: Available — attend TTT seminar, then complete assessment on Promotion Academy

External-platform notice: All lessons, tests, progress and certificates for this course are completed and recorded on Promotion Academy. The national website does not independently calculate course completion.

5

Level 3 Instructor

Elite

Level 3 Instructor

The highest level of national coach certification. Awarded when your TTT assessment score meets the Level 3 threshold.

Key Learning Outcomes

  • Elite coaching methodology
  • International opening repertoire instruction
  • High-performance player development
  • Mentoring junior coaches

Prerequisites

Attend the TTT seminar and achieve the highest assessment score

Certificate Earned

CHESSA Level 3 Coaching Certificate

Assessment

Complete the TTT assessment on Promotion Academy. The highest score qualifies you for Level 3 certification.

Course availability: Available — attend TTT seminar, then complete assessment on Promotion Academy

External-platform notice: All lessons, tests, progress and certificates for this course are completed and recorded on Promotion Academy. The national website does not independently calculate course completion.

Your Learning on Promotion Academy

Promotion Academy is the authoritative platform for enrolment, lessons, tests, assessments, course progress, course completion, certificates, and certificate verification. The national website may display only read-only synchronized summaries.

Your detailed learning progress is managed on Promotion Academy. The national website does not independently calculate course completion.

Progress and certificates supplied by Promotion Academy.