The Norwegian Esports Federation (NESF), the Grassroots Esports Alliance, and Active Gamers have collaborated on the development of this training program, which is intended to help improve the quality of organized esports programs for children and young people across the country.
The program is divided into two levels:
In recent years, esports has established itself as an organized activity in an increasing number of Norwegian clubs. At the same time, access to structured coaching education has been limited compared to other sports.
The new program has been developed to meet this need.
“If we are to continue developing Norwegian esports, we must also invest in the people who lead these activities. Good coaching skills aren’t just about understanding the game, but also about pedagogy, relationships, mastery, and the ability to create safe and inclusive environments,” says André Baumann, secretary general of the Norwegian Esports Federation.
The program has been developed based on the competency structure of the Norwegian Sports Confederation’s Coaching Pathway, with content tailored to the unique characteristics and needs of esports.
With a total of 120 hours spread across two levels, the program represents a comprehensive boost to expertise in Norwegian esports.
The program is digital and flexible, featuring e-learning content and practical assignments. This makes the program accessible to volunteer coaches across the country, without requiring them to attend in-person sessions to complete the theoretical portion.
For the Norwegian Esports Federation, coach training is part of the effort to establish a clearer competency structure for Norwegian esports.
The goal is for clubs and coaches to have access to professional tools that contribute to higher-quality training, safer activities, and good development opportunities for the players.
“This is about building structures that last. A unified coaching education program provides us with an important foundation for continued coaching development, skill enhancement, and quality within the clubs,” says Baumann.
The initiative is funded with support from the DNB Savings Bank Foundation, with the Bredde-e-sport Alliance serving as the project manager and the Norwegian Esports Federation and Aktive Gamere as partners.
Coach 1 and Coach 2 are now available, and interested coaches and leaders can sign up through the training portal.
Go to the coach training program and sign up