Sports coach

Sports coaches teach the skills and techniques of one or more sports. The aim is to develop ability, technique and performance. Work is often available on a part-time or voluntary basis.

Also known as:

Trainer

Work activities

Sports coaches teach and pass on the skills and techniques of a sport, or several sports, to a wide range of people from beginners to experts. They encourage people to continually improve their performance. In professional sport, the coach needs to be as committed as the sportspeople they coach. Coaches put together tailored training programmes for individual sportspeople, to bring them to peak performance at the right time. Where they coach a team, they try to build the members into a strong playing unit. Coaches use a range of training aids. The coach’s first priority is to teach how to train safely.

When a player is injured, the coach works out a recovery programme, working with other specialists, like physiotherapists. Coaches also need to know about nutrition, so they can give advice on sensible diets. They may work with nutritionists to do this. Coaches must know the rules and regulations of their sport’s governing body, and make sure that players are also aware of them. When they coach teams who have a manager, coaches often work closely with the manager to select team members for a particular match or competition. Coaches work both indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions.

Personal qualities and skills

As a sports coach, you need to:

Be enthusiastic about the sport you are coaching in.
Know how to motivate and encourage people, to get the best performance from them.
Be able to put together innovative training plans.
Have good observation skills, so you can give useful feedback on performance.
Be a good communicator and enjoy working closely with people.
Be patient.

Pay and opportunities

Pay rates for sports coaches vary depending on the sport and the employer. Starting salaries start at around £18,000, rising to £28,000 with experience. A few successful, higher profile coaches, for example in the football Premier League, can command salaries of thousands of pounds per week.

Although sports coaches tend to work 36-38 hours, early starts, late finishes, work at weekends and on public holidays can be expected.

Employers include private sports clubs, local authority sports and leisure centres, hotels and holiday complexes throughout the UK. Employment is often on a seasonal or part-time basis. There may also be opportunities to work in other countries, for example, in winter sports such as skiing.

Self-employment opportunities occur for sports coaches/instructors to work on a self-employed basis in sports and leisure centres.

Where are vacancies advertised? Vacancies are advertised:

On the UK Coaching site.
On the UK Sport site.
On the Sport England site.
On job boards such as Leisure Jobs.
On employers’ websites - especially national governing bodies (NGBs) of sport.
In local newspapers and on their web sites.
On the Government’s Find a Job service.

Entry routes and training

For most sports, to qualify as a coach the minimum qualification is the UKCC level 1 Certificate in coaching. This qualifies you to assist an experienced coach. To work independently you will usually need to have, or be working towards, a level 2 Certificate in coaching. Level 3 gives more advanced training. All three qualifications include knowledge and practical elements. Experience can be gained by doing coaching work on a voluntary basis. Some colleges offer courses such as BTEC National Diplomas that include coaching awards as part of a broad programme of study. Courses can also be taken at HND, degree, foundation degree, or postgraduate level. A level 4 (higher) apprenticeship can also be taken.

UK Coaching delivers workshops for coaches on a variety of subjects and has coaching centres throughout the UK. Work-based qualifications in coaching are available.

Progression can be from a voluntary to a paid position, or to a position that carries more responsibility, once you have gained experience and built up your skills and techniques.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: Working with children and young people aged under 18 in this career can be an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

If you wish to enter this career through a higher apprenticeship, you must hold two A-levels and GCSEs in English and maths.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

A range of colleges and universities offer courses and degrees in Sport and Exercise Science including at postgraduate level. Always check a specialist source for up-to-date information about courses and entry requirements. You can check directly with an institution to ensure that the course content suits your interests and requirements.

Related careers

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Outdoor pursuits instructor
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Sports professional
Sports scientist
Sports therapist