The ISSF Training Academy

The ISSF Training Academy was established by the ISSF in 1993 for the purpose of developing professional, technical and sport science based courses of education for the benefit of the coaches of member federations.

With over 25 courses successfully completed, the Academy has become the centre of excellence for sport shooting coach education and continues to develop its coaching programmes to ensure that the very latest in shooting techniques and sports science is made available.

The Academy has developed a range of courses tailored for the modern professional shooting coach. The courses offer the shooting coach a range of studies in their specific shooting discipline combined with multidisciplinary studies in sport science.

Each year, over 15 countries worldwide participate in one of the Academy’s courses and the Academy is increasing the range of coach education through its “D licence” for Regional Coaches course.

The Academy has developed an education syllabus with a strong academic basis incorporating home study, distance learning and classroom based activities that when combined bring a powerful learning experience for shooting coaches.

The academy’s coaching courses are organised on a residential basis at an approved ISSF training centre. A unique feature of the course is that participants come from all of the ISSF shooting disciplines. This multi-disciplinary feature is carried through to the course material where a wide range of sport science and shooting science subjects are dealt with in detail.

All the Academy courses bring together the best current practices in shooting coaching combined with the best in shooting science practice. The courses have been developed and are delivered by a professional staff of tutors who have many years of successful coaching at international and Olympic level along with specialist tutors in sport science. The sport science components have been developed in conjunction with Manchester Metropolitan University.

The courses are designed to offer a collaborative and exciting learning environment for coaches. Coaches from shotgun, rifle and pistol cooperate and work together during the course providing an unparalleled learning experience.

For coaches, the Academy represents the ultimate career development path with internationally recognised qualifications and the opportunity to network and develop relationships across the full spectrum of the shooting sports.

     
                 ISSF Flyer                             ISSF Poster 

More information on the ISSF Training Academy can also be found in our TA flyer – Please click here to download the flyer.

The ISSF Academy has built a team of dedicated and experienced international shooting coaches and support staff to develop and deliver the Academy’s courses. Course tutors are themselves, graduates of the ISSF Academy and have worked as international coaches for many years. Course tutors Zeljko Todorovic and Kimmo Yli-Jaskari have worked as Academy tutors since respectively 1997 and 1999 and were joined by clay target tutor Kevin Kilty in 2009.

Details and enquiries on the Academy are always available to member federations and Academy students via e-mail at issfacademy@issf-sports.org

Background

Zeljko is Head Pistol Instructor within the ISSF Training Academy. He completed his A-license in 1996 and since 1997 he is part of the lecturing team of the Academy.

As an active coach, Zeljko has been working with the Danish Pistol Team from 1990 until 2000 in capacity of the National Pistol Coach. During period 2004 – 2008 Zeljko was Director & National Coach of the French Pistol Team. He also consulted several other national teams and continues lecturing at different coaching courses and seminars. Currently Zeljko is senior advisor of the Italian Shooting Team.

Background

Kimmo completed his A-licence in 1996 and has been ISSF Training Academy Head Rifle Instructor since 1999. He works with ISSF in IOC-related development Projects as well.

Kimmo started his career as a professional shooting coach in 1992 when a new training curriculum and system for junior shooters (rifle, pistol) in Kuortane High Performance Training Center, Finland was established. Kimmo worked with the Finnish Sport Shooting Association and as Head Coach of the Finnish Olympic Shooting Team he successfully worked with shooters from all shooting disciplines (rifle, pistol, clay target and running target). Until 2009 Kimmo worked as medal winning Rifle Head Coach for British shooting.

Kimmo took part in three Olympic Games: in Sydney 2000 as the Head Coach of the Finnish Team, in Athens 2004 as a personal coach and in Beijing 2008 as a Head Rifle Coach of the Great Britain Team.

After Kimmo started his own company he worked for the Kuortane High Performance Training Center (www.kuortane.com) which is the official ISSF Accredited Training Centre. He has run several official Professional Coaching Degree courses in Kuortane that were organised for all sports with participants from different disciplines and also worked with National Golf Teams in Finland. At the moment, Kimmo is Sports Director of Kuortane High Performance Training Center.

Background

Kevin is the Head Clay Target Instructor with the Training Academy. He completed his A-licence in 2008 and subsequently joined the lecturing team in 2009.

As an active coach, Kevin has worked with the Irish Trap team and has been Performance Director for Irish shooting since 2006. He was the team manager for shooting at the Beijing 2008 Olympics and he continues to work closely with the Olympic Council of Ireland and the Irish Sports Council in preparation for the London 2012 Olympics. Kevin has an active interest in coach education and is a qualified coach tutor with Coaching Ireland. He is also active as an international coach tutor assisting countries in setting up High Performance programmes in shooting sports.