UW Center for Leadership in Athletics

Online Course Offerings

At the UW Center for Leadership in Athletics, we believe that achieving the best outcomes for athletes requires coaches to prioritize both performance and holistic well-being. When coaches support an athlete’s social, emotional, and physical health, they unlock the athlete’s full potential. We are also committed to delivering high-quality, research-based coach education. Currently, we offer two foundational online courses—available nationally and free of charge—with two additional courses coming soon.

These courses were developed and refined with input from over 3,000 high school coaches and student-athletes across Washington state, ensuring they are grounded in real-world experience and needs.

Course 1: Developing Youth Through Sport

 

In this course, coaches will learn about how they can help the students on their team build their skills through sport, foster physical and emotional safety, create an environment for learning, and model positive behavior for their team.

Modules:

  • Building Skills through Sport
  • Fostering Physical and Emotional Safety
  • Creating an Environment for Learning
  • Modeling Positive Behavior
Take the course!

Course 2: Adolescent Development: Centering Athlete Needs

 

In this course, we will focus on adolescent development, guiding coaches in addressing the physical, cognitive, and social-emotional needs of teen athletes.

Modules:

  • Exploring Physical Development
  • Understanding the Adolescent Brain and Social-Emotional Development
  • Identity Development in Adolescence
  • Supporting Athlete Mental Health
Take the course!

Course 3: Building & Maintaining Positive Culture

 

In this course, we will discuss characteristics of healthy team culture and explore strategies you can use to build a positive team environment. Along the way, we will note challenges that can get in the way and considerations for mitigating those issues in an effort to build and maintain a healthy culture.

Modules:

  • Defining Culture
  • Practices to Build Positive Culture
  • Navigating Tensions within Team Cultures
  • Taking Next Steps
Take the course!

Need help logging in? Follow the instructions below to get started.

 

UW CLA Online Course Login Instructions:

1. Visit https://uwcla.talentlms.com/.

2. Click “Sign Up Here”.

3. Create your account.

4. Confirm your account through the email you receive.

5. Once signed in, on the purple menu on the left side of the website, click “Course Catalog”.

6. Scroll down and click on “Developing Youth Through Sport” or “Adolescent Development: Centering Athlete Needs”.

7. Click the “Get this course” button on the right side, then click “Start course” on the same button to begin each course.

Both courses are also available on NFHS Learn and my247ed, for those who prefer to complete them through those platforms.