This week, Rise at the Warehouse in Houston, Texas hosted the latest World Chase Tag® Level 2 Certification, welcoming two new coaches into the WCT family: Carson Palmer & Isaac Hernandez

With their successful completion of the course, the WCT coaching community is now closing in on 100 certified instructors worldwide, a major milestone in the sport’s growth and development.

A Special Course in a Unique Setting

The certification took place on Rise’s outdoor 12x12m Quad™, installed earlier this year as part of WCT’s self-build program, a recent initiative allowing licensed gyms to construct official Quads™ under WCT supervision at a significantly lower cost. It’s a practical and cost-effective solution that’s helping gyms worldwide accelerate their integration into the WCT system.

Despite the Texan summer heat, participants showed remarkable energy, focus, and professionalism. Rise is already planning to move their Quad™ indoors in the near future, reinforcing their commitment to year-round training and athlete development.

U.S. WCT Pioneer Help Lead the Way

Also present for the course was Frank Mejia, one of the earliest athletes to join WCT professionally in the U.S. and among the first certified coaches nationwide. Frank is now taking the next step: training to become a Level 3 Certifying Instructor, which will allow him to deliver official WCT certifications across the U.S.
He is currently being mentored and trained by Loïc Ascarino, WCT’s global Certification Manager.

This marks a critical evolution in the coaching ecosystem: building local expertise capable of supporting the long-term development of the sport, independent of central teams.

What is Level 2 Certification?

WCT Level 2 is designed to prepare instructors to:

  • Teach advanced Chase Tag®-specific skills
  • Structure competitive training environments
  • Safely introduce athletes to the Quad™ and live scenarios
  • Assist with official WCT events and competitions

It’s the essential next step for coaches looking to specialise in competitive tag as a sport, and an important component of our long-term vision for athlete development worldwide.

Learn more here: WCT Level 2 Certification Info

What’s Next?

The next Level 2 Certification will take place from August 26–28 in La Roche-sur-Yon, France.

‍Welcome to Carson and Isaac, and thank you to Frank and the Rise team for your continued dedication to growing the sport in the U.S. This is how we scale, one coach, one gym, one city at a time.

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