By Thorsten Gohl
Earlier this year, I completed the Advanced Coaching Diploma (ACD), Canada’s highest level of coach education. What I thought would be a structured academic experience turned out to be something far more impactful: a human journey of reflection, purpose, and growth.
Delivered through the Coaching Association of Canada and partners like the Canadian Sport Institute, the ACD focuses on developing high-performance coaches not just in technical skill, but in leadership, planning, and personal integrity. The program is built around five core competencies:
•Coaching Leadership
•Coaching Effectiveness
•Performance Planning
•Performance Analysis
•Program Management
At first, these seemed like deliverables. Tasks. But over time, I saw them as interconnected threads, ways to anchor coaching in something more meaningful.
Coaching in the North, Coaching in Community
I didn’t enter the ACD with a crisp coaching philosophy or fancy binders. I came in with experience, walking beside youth, supporting communities, and creating space for learning. The ACD helped me put language to what I was already doing, and offered structure to keep doing it better.
Tools like the GAPS analysis, Yearly Training Plan (YTP), and Individual Performance Plan (IPP) weren’t just assignments to be submitted. I treated them as living documents, shared, updated, and centered around athlete needs. These tools became springboards for conversations, both with athletes and fellow coaches.
A Ripple of Support
This journey wasn’t mine alone. I was supported by Sport North, through the “They Can Coach” grant, which made this learning possible. And I was surrounded by mentors and peers who challenged and encouraged me along the way. One reflection that stuck with me: “Your legacy goes far beyond coaching, it’s about how you empower others and create sustainable change.” — Adam, ACD Mentor That’s what it’s really about. Not output. Not results. But the ripple effect, the space we create for others to grow.
The Final Presentation: A Mirror
It wasn’t until the final presentation that the journey truly landed for me. That space became a mirror. A chance to reflect not just on what I’d learned, but on who I had become. And in that space, the feedback I received wasn’t about performance, it was about presence. It was a reminder that the work we do quietly, consistently, and with care, matters.
Looking Ahead
The ACD gave me tools, language, and structure. But more importantly, it gave me confirmation, that coaching is a living system. One that evolves through relationships, conversations, and a shared vision for what’s possible.
If you’re a coach interested in growing your practice, or just want to talk about what this journey could look like, I’d be happy to share more.
This isn’t the end of a plan. It’s the beginning of a ripple.
