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Sports Coach

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Primary Secondary Post-16

A sports coach helps individuals and teams improve their performance in a specific sport. This role involves planning and leading training sessions, teaching skills and tactics, and providing motivation and feedback. Coaches work with people of all ages and abilities, from beginners to professional athletes. They may also organise competitions, monitor progress, and ensure the safety and well-being of participants. Sports coaches need good communication, leadership, and organisational skills, as well as a passion for sport.

Sports Coach

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📊 Statistics

Average Salary

The average salary for a sports coach in the UK ranges from £18,000 to £28,000 per year, with experienced coaches and those working at higher levels earning up to £40,000 or more.

Job Opportunities

There are over 35,000 sports coaching positions in the UK, working in schools, clubs, community organisations, and professional sports teams.

Working Hours

Sports coaches often work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends, to fit around training sessions and competitions.

🚀 Careers in this path

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Football Coach

Works with football teams to develop players' skills, plan training sessions, and manage matches at schools, clubs, or academies.

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Tennis Coach

Teaches individuals or groups how to play tennis, focusing on technique, tactics, and physical fitness at clubs or local sports centres.

Youth Athletics Coach

Specialises in coaching young people in athletics events such as running, jumping, and throwing, often working in schools or community clubs.

Gain Relevant Education and Qualifications

Study Physical Education or Related Subjects

Take GCSEs or A-levels in Physical Education, Sports Science, or Biology.

A strong foundation in physical education and sports science is valuable for understanding the principles of training, anatomy, and psychology. Many colleges and sixth forms offer A-levels or BTECs in Sport, which can provide an excellent starting point for a coaching career.

Obtain Coaching Qualifications

Complete coaching courses accredited by national governing bodies for your chosen sport.

Each sport has its own governing body, such as The Football Association (FA) or England Athletics, which offer coaching qualifications at different levels. Entry-level courses often focus on the basics of coaching, while higher levels deepen your expertise and allow you to work with more advanced athletes.

Gain Practical Experience

Volunteer with Local Clubs or Schools

Assist coaches or run sessions with youth teams to build hands-on experience.

Volunteering helps you develop communication and leadership skills, and gives you insight into working with athletes of different ages and abilities. Many schools and clubs welcome enthusiastic volunteers, and this experience is often essential when applying for paid coaching roles.

Shadow Experienced Coaches

Observe and learn from established coaches to understand different coaching styles and techniques.

Shadowing allows you to see how experienced coaches plan sessions, manage groups, and motivate athletes. Ask questions and take notes to learn from their expertise. This step also helps you build a professional network in the sports community.

Develop Specialisms and Progress Your Career

Choose a Specialism or Age Group

Decide if you want to work with children, teenagers, adults, or specialise in a particular aspect of coaching.

Specialising can make you more attractive to employers and help you find roles that suit your interests and strengths. For example, you might focus on high-performance athletes, strength and conditioning, or working with disabled athletes.

Pursue Advanced Qualifications and Employment

Gain higher-level coaching certificates and apply for paid positions in schools, clubs, or professional teams.

Advanced qualifications, such as Level 3 or 4 coaching certificates, can open doors to senior coaching roles and full-time employment. You can also consider university courses in sports coaching or related fields. Build your CV with a mix of qualifications and practical experience to stand out.

🎯 View Apprenticeships

Explore relevant apprenticeships that can help you kickstart your career in Sports Coach. Apprenticeships offer hands-on experience and training while earning a wage.

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Career Progressions

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Sample Qualifications

A football coach shares similar qualifications with a sports coach in terms of training athletes, developing training programmes, and enhancing athletic performance within a specific sport. Both roles focus on coaching individuals or teams to improve skills and achieve competitive success.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • volunteering
  • specialist courses run by a professional body

University

You could study for a foundation degree or degree in a subject like:

  • football coaching and development
  • coaching science
  • coaching and performance

There are also undergraduate and postgraduate courses that combine football coaching with other subjects, such as:

  • sports business
  • management
  • talent development

You'll usually need some experience in coaching to apply for a postgraduate course.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
  • a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

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College

You could do a college course, which could help you to get started in football coaching.

Courses include:

  • sports coaching
  • sport - football coaching
  • UEFA C Licence (this used to be called the FA Level 2 Coaching award)

If you hold a UEFA coaching licence, you could do a course in coaching game based football.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

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Apprenticeship

You could apply for a place on a Community Activator Coach Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship or the Sports Coach Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.

These typically take 1 year and 6 months to complete and are a mix of workplace learning and study.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

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Volunteering

You can start as a volunteer at your local amateur football club. This will help to build up your experience and could lead onto training for coaching qualifications.

You can contact your county football association to learn more about volunteering opportunities.

You can also do online introductory courses while volunteering, through England Football Learning. These include:

Other Routes

If you're currently coaching a football team, you could apply to do a coaching course or licence.

These start at foundation level and UEFA C Licence, and go up to UEFA Pro Licence aimed at coaches working in professional football.

You can also do courses which cover different age groups, abilities and types of football, such as futsal.

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Career tips

Many paid coaching positions are part time, so the salary will reflect that. Salaries for coaches in English professional football are much higher than for those working in education, the community and for smaller football clubs.

Further information

You can find out more about a career in football coaching through England Football Learning and UK Coaching.

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