Bridgewater College coaching minor receives accreditation

The coaching minor program at Bridgewater College has been accredited by the National Committee for Accreditation of Coaching Education (NCACE), making it the first undergraduate program at a private, four-year liberal arts college to be accredited.

Bridgewater’s coaching minor is one of only 25 NCACE accredited programs in the United States, and the college itself is one of only 11 institutions of higher education that are NCACE-accredited.

Accreditation for the Bridgewater program is valid through 2023.

“Our heritage of strong coaching role models made the faculty in health and human services focused on ensuring that best practices in the discipline of coaching education could be delivered to the students of today and beyond,” said Dr. Barbara H. Long, an associate professor of health and human sciences at Bridgewater College and head of its division of professional studies. “The NCACE accreditation recognizes our program and faculty as providing significant stewardship for the next generation of coaches.”

Long went on to note that the college is excited to be the only liberal arts institution given the NCACE endorsement to date for an undergraduate coaching education program.

“The recognition of NCACE and the varied experiences and content provided to students will help our graduates to secure positive outcomes for their future,” said Long, who added that the health and human sciences department is “dedicated to continuing its efforts to creating high-quality, trained sport coaches who will have the critical knowledge and skills necessary to deliver positive and safe sports experiences for athletes.”

The NCACE is the premier authority on coaching education in the United States and offers accreditation and national recognition to sport organizations and institutions responsible for the preparation of coaches at any and all levels of sport.

Bridgewater College is a private, four-year liberal arts college located in the Central Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Founded in 1880, it was the state’s first private, coeducational college. Today, Bridgewater College is home to nearly 1,900 undergraduate students.