NRL Performance Coach Education Framework /

We are excited to share important updates to the NRL’s Performance Coach education pathway. Following a comprehensive review led by an expert advisory group, the existing Senior Club Coach and High-Performance Coach courses have been replaced with two new contemporary programs: the Youth Development Coach (YDC) course and the Performance Coach (PC) course. These courses have been designed to build on the foundation established by the RISE Coach Development Program, offering a more progressive and aligned pathway for coaches operating at the performance level. The charts below outline the male and female competitions that are supported by these courses.

Empowering Coaches through Inquiry-Based Learning:

The RISE, YDC, and PC courses have been designed to enhance the holistic capabilities of our coaches by equipping them not only with technical expertise, but also with the tools to support player wellbeing, build positive team culture, foster motivation, and promote long-term athlete development for sustained engagement in rugby league. Built on an inquiry-based learning model, each of these courses integrates a blended delivery approach including online learning sessions, interactive workshops, and on-field coaching. This structure supports a spiralling curriculum in which key coaching concepts are introduced, refined, and progressively elaborated upon in alignment with the coaching context and the scientific principles of learning. See the below table that outlines the purpose, key topics, and intended learning outcomes for each of these courses.

The below shows some common situations that coaches may be in for the 2026 season and beyond and actions that may be required for their coaching accreditation.