How do I become a sports coach?

Whether you're still competing or an ex-athlete, a parent who has become interested in a new sport, a teacher developing their skills or a volunteer with a passion for sport, there are several ways to get into coaching.

STEP 1: Can you assist a more experienced coach in a club/school enviroment?  This will give you a flavour for what coaching actually involves and whether you have the desire to commit to the journey of becoming a high-quality coach.

STEP 2: Book yourself onto a coaching or sports leaders course.  Sports Leaders UK offer generic sports leadership training at a variety of levels.  National Governing Bodies of sport offer sport-specific coaching and leadership courses through local delivery centres.

Most governing body courses offer the following types of course:

As well as initial & further training courses offered by sport-specifc governing bodies, there are also Higher Degrees offered by Universities in sports coaching.

STEP 3: Find a mentor.  Mentoring is a great way to give direction to your development.  A good mentor will not only act as a sounding board for ideas and questions on coaching, but can help you reflect on your coaching practice and philosophy.

Think outside the box!  Whilst an experienced coach mentor from your own sport may be able to assist you with your technical and tactical development, you may find that someone from another discipline can challenge you in terms of your knowledge and your career pathway giving you an opportunity to think outside of the box.

STEP 4: Plan your CPD.  CPD stands for Continued Professional Development and is the key to improving your technical, tactical and overall craft knowledge.  Generally these cover any formal/informal training opportunity.  This may involve a sport-specific opportunity like a Coaching Conference, observing a more experienced coach in practice or attending a workshop on Child Protection or High Quality Coaching.

Coachability for Sports Leaders and Coaches

An innovative sports coaching program designed to make coaching accessible to disabled people in South East England and Northern Ireland.

This is an innovative sports coaching program that enables unemployed disabled people to acquire coaching qualifications in their sport of interest, combined with jobsearch skills to help them access a range of jobs in the sports sector.

Each participant receives a unique package of support based on whatever sport they want to qualify to coach. The overall objective is that disabled people who qualify as sport coaches through this programme will gain employment coaching not only disabled athletes but non-disabled athletes as well.

Who is eligible?

• People aged 19 or over

• People who are currently out of work

• People who are disabled or have a limiting long-term illness*

*The Census definition of a limiting long-term illness (LLTI) is said to represent any long-term illness, health problem or disability that limits daily activities or work. Respondents self certify the extent to which their illness affects their daily and working lives.

What we offer

• A free 5 days Sports Leadership Course

• Free Level 1 or 2 sports coaching course in the sport of your choice

• Certified Emergency First Aid

• Volunteer placements and support to find work to put your new skills into practice!

Benefits from this course

• Personal development: an increase in confidence, self-esteem, self-management a and communication skills

• Develop leadership skills and experience that can be transferred into work and volunteering opportunities in

• your local community

• Recognised and respected qualifications

• Skills that enable you to take further training to develop your new career in sport

Coachability is a Sports Leadership and Coaching programme designed to give people who want to get into sports coaching a helping hand. Coachability aims to support anyone with a disability (physical or otherwise) who has the drive and commitment to get into sports leadership and coaching. Candidates do not need prior experience in sports leadership or coaching to apply.

For more information or a referal to the scheme, please contact CJ Lee, Coaching Development Officer on 01962 847523 or Peter Hull, Disability Sport Officer on 01962 846021.
Further information

• download Coachability flyer

• download Coachability Referal Form

Child Protection in Coaching

Safeguarding our children and vulnerable adults is of paramount importance in all walks of life.  No where is this a higher priority than in coaching.  We advise all beginner, novice and advance coaches to under go some form of Child Protection training.  We also suggest you talk to the organisers of the activities you coach to show you a copy of their Child Protection Policy.

• Download our "Safeguarding & Protecting Young People in Sport: A Guide for Coaches, Leaders and Officials" leaflet here.
• Download our "Safeguarding & Protecting Young People in Sport: A Guide for Sports Clubs and Organisations" leaflet here.
• Download our "Safeguarding & Protecting Young People in Sport: A Guide for Parents and Carers" leaflet here.

For additional infomation visit our new CHILD PROTECTION section of the website.