Sports coaches teach sports skills and techniques to individuals and teams of all abilities, from absolute beginners to top international professionals. They help people to take part in their chosen sport safely and to their full potential.

The work of a sports coach includes:

• planning structured training programmes
• running training sessions
• accompanying participants to competitions and events
• giving evaluation and feedback on performance
• monitoring the physical and mental condition of participants
• developing players into an effective team.

Only a few sports coaches are full-time - most are volunteers, and coach alongside another full-time job. .

Coach development officer (CDOs) are qualified and experienced coaches who work with County Sports Partnerships (partnerships of local agencies that aim to help people benefit from sport) to support coaches in developing their skills and qualifications.

Hours and Environment

As a sports coach you will usually work evenings and weekends, when most people take part in sport. You will need to attend training sessions and competitions, which can involve a lot of travel. This could be local, national or international, depending on your sport and the level of the competitors you coach.

Your working environment will depend on your particular sport; for some sports you will spend most of your time outside in all weathers.

Skills and Interests

To be a sports coach you need:

• enthusiasm for your sport
• good verbal communication skills
• the ability to inspire confidence and motivate performers
• the ability to analyse problems
• perseverance and patience
• good organisational skills
• a sensitive and supportive approach
• physical stamina.

Entry

To become a sports coach you will need a coaching qualification which is recognised by the national governing body (NGB) for your sport. You can get these qualifications in two ways:

• directly through the NGBs
• as part of a college or university course which includes coaching.

If you work with children you will need a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check.

NGB qualifications are usually on four levels. You can do them as short, full-time courses, part-time or by distance learning. Visit the Sport England website (in Further Information below) for NGB contact details. They are listed under Useful Links on the Get Resources section of the website.

You will need to show that you have practical coaching skills – you will usually find that there are plenty of opportunities to get involved on a voluntary basis. Visit the Sport England website for information on local clubs and sporting activities.

Relevant college and university courses include:

• degrees in subjects such as coaching, sports science, sports studies, movement studies or physical education
• foundation degrees in sports coaching
• BTEC/SQA HNC/HND in Leisure Studies.

For information about foundation degrees see Foundation Degree Forward

To search for colleges and universities offering foundation degrees, HNDs and degrees see Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Please check with colleges or universities for exact entry requirements.

You may be able to get into this job through an apprenticeship scheme. Funding for apprenticeships is available for 16-24 year olds and some over-25s. To find out more, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk. For information about apprenticeships in other parts of the UK, see Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Training

When you have the basic coaching qualifications required by the national governing body (NGB) for your sport you can go on to take more advanced qualifications.

As a sports coach you can also work towards the following qualifications:

• NVQ/SVQ Level 1 in Sport, Recreation and Allied Occupations
• NVQ/SVQ level 2 and 3 in Sport, Recreation and Allied Occupations: Coaching, Teaching and Instructing.

To progress in your coaching career you will need to keep up to date with sports-related issues, for example developing your knowledge of subjects such as sports psychology and nutrition.

You can attend a wide range of courses and workshops run by sports coach UK in all sports and at every level. You may find these useful for your continuing professional development (CPD). sports coach UK also run training in child protection, which you will need if you work with children.

sports coach UK is also working with NGBs and SkillsActive, the Sector Skills Council for Active Leisure and Learning, to develop the UK Coaching Certificate (UKCC). This will create a five-level framework of nationally recognised and transferable coaching qualifications. Some qualifications have already been accredited. Visit the sports coach UK and UKCC websites (in Further Information below) for details.

Opportunities

Opportunities for coaching vary depending on the sport. Full-time opportunities are mainly in professional sports such as football, cricket, tennis, golf and athletics. Vacancies of this kind are scarce, and there is fierce competition.

You are most likely to find work on a part-time, hourly or voluntary basis in organisations such as sports centres, sports clubs, schools and activity centres. You could be self-employed and work for several clubs or teams. Opportunities have increased because of the growth of government and public recognition of the health benefits of sport and physical activity.

Local authorities employ coaches for community programmes – you may need coaching qualifications in several activities for some of these vacancies.

You may be able to progress to a senior coaching post with a national governing body (NGB) or national team if you have experience and advanced coaching qualifications. However, these are limited in number, and you are likely to also need a degree.

If you coach sports professionals your success and reputation will be measured by their performance.

As an experienced coach you could also move into sports development, especially if you have a degree. See the Sports Development Officer profile for information on this career. Other areas that you could move into include training coaches and managing volunteers.

Annual Income

The annual income section is intended as a guideline only.

Full-time salaries vary between £12,000 to £20,000 a year.
Part-time rates vary depending on how many people are being coached and at what level. The hourly rate ranges from £10 to £20.

Further information

Queen's PEC
Botanic Gardens
Belfast
BT9 5EX
Tel: 02890 686940 Coaching Unit
Sport Council for Wales
Sophia Gardens
Cardiff
CF11 9SW
Tel: 0845 045 0904 114 Cardigan Road
Headingley
Leeds
LS6 3BJ
Tel: 0113 274 4802 3rd Floor
Victoria House
Bloomsbury Square
London
WC1B 4SE
Tel: 0845 850 8508 Castlewood House
77-91 New Oxford Street
London
WC1A 1PX
Advice line: 08000 933300