Courses & Training.
Where the education actually happens
OCRA education supports the people who deliver the sport — coaches, Technical Officials, clubs and volunteers.
The two pathways
- Coaching
- Seven progressive levels, from Foundations through to Master Coach Trainer. Covers coaches working with beginners, recreational athletes, competitive athletes and international performers.
- Technical Officials
- Education and practical development for the people who apply competition rules and keep racing fair.
Technical Official training
TO education will combine the rules with the practical skill of applying them: introductory education, competition rules, obstacle judging, penalties and classifications, practical officiating, event operations, senior development, and refresher sessions when rules change.
Practical experience at real competitions forms part of the pathway, because you cannot learn to officiate in a classroom.
Education that sits alongside the pathways
Some roles need knowledge that is not discipline-specific. Depending on your role and level of responsibility, OCRA may provide, facilitate, or point you towards safeguarding, first aid, disability awareness, inclusion, anti-doping, health and safety, athlete welfare, club development and event operations training.
How courses run
A mix of in-person workshops, online learning, practical sessions, mentored experience, assessment and event-based development. Obstacle sport does not lend itself to purely theoretical education, so most levels combine both.
When courses appear here
Each listing will show the pathway and level, the date, whether it runs in person or online, its duration, entry requirements, the fee where one applies, places remaining, and the registration deadline.
Recognition of Prior Learning
If you already hold relevant qualifications or substantial experience, whether from obstacle sport or elsewhere, OCRA can consider it through Recognition of Prior Learning. The detail is on the coaching page.
Recognition does not remove the standards specific to the OCRA role you are seeking.
Continuing development
Refresher courses, rules updates, workshops, specialist modules, mentoring and advanced education — so coaches and officials stay current as the sport changes.