The “Associate-Pro (A-Pro) Licence” is a coaching licence temporarily instituted in 2020. The licence is targeted for female coaches and follows the criteria of the AFC-Pro coaching diploma. Licence holders will be eligible to coach at the WE League. The objective and details of this licence are as follows.

To realise a sustainable growth of women’s football in Japan

Sustainable growth for not just women’s football, but for the entire Japanese football community

Associate-Pro (A-Pro) Licence

【Objective】

To develop/train individuals who can coach professional teams/players at the WE League and become leading figures in the international women’s coaching scene.

▼ In the past
Because of the short history of women’s football, despite having great potential many female coaches lack sufficient experience, which makes it hard for them to fulfil the requirements to apply for the current S-licence coaching course
⇒Rough gemstones
○ “The level of Japanese female coaches (at least their potential) is not low”
○ “There are instructors who can bring out their potentials at the S-licence coaching course”

▼ From now on
Setting up a special course to open new paths for female coaches who have the potential to become future leaders
⇒Polishing the rough gemstones

In order to open new paths for female coaches and with hopes to vitalise the entire Japanese football community, the “Associate-Pro (A-Pro) Licence” will be temporarily instituted as a coaching licence categorised just beneath the class S licence

【Categorisation】

・A new licence based on the criteria of the AFC-Pro coaching diploma (provisional measure)
・Eligible to coach at the WE League
・Must obtain class S coaching licence to coach at the J.League

After gaining sufficient coaching experience, A-Pro licence holders may take part in the JFA S-licence conversion course. Once passing the entire curriculum, the JFA class S licence will be certified.

＜Qualifications＞ *In case of 2020
A coach with more than a year of coaching experience and fulfils at least one of the following.
*It is desirable to have coaching experience for teams at the youth level or higher
① Has a valid JFA Class A Coach General Licence
② Has a valid UEFA A Licence, AFC 'A' Coaching Certificate, or an equivalent licence
③ Has obtained an overall grade of S rank at the 2019 Class A Coach General Coaching Course and has played in more than 20 international A matches and over 200 official matches at the Nadeshiko League
④ Has participated in the 2020 refresher course for female coaches

【Course concept: Coach Education Next Decade】

●Reality Based Learning
　➡ Courses based on real life match situations

●Problem Oriented Learning
　➡ Developing leadership through 1 on 1 mentoring 　　○A mentor is assigned to each participant to support their development

●CPD（Continuous Professional Development）
　➡ Provide continuous educational opportunities following the completion of the course

●Cultivate global perspective/Communication skills
○Online 1 on 1 language training〔held more than 4 times a week〕
○FIFA grassroots course in Asia (training)
○JFA women's international coaching course
○UEFA coaching clinic (observation/training)

・Online lecture course: total of 7 online lecture sessions held by JFA, total of 5 online lecture sessions held by instructors from other sports organisations/industries (2 times/month)
・Online 1 on 1 language training session (4 times/week, 25 minutes/session)
・Activities conducted at participants’ club (logbook): Each participant will conduct team activities with a theme and record the progress