Sports coaches help people participate safely in sport and reach their potential.
In this article we’ll take a look at the work of sports coaches, the various areas of employment, the skills they need and the training involved. We’ll also hear from Jenny Johnson who is Director and Head Coach at Nova Sports & Coaching a not-for-profit organisation that provides sporting opportunities for people with disabilities.
What does a sports coach do?
This very much depends on the sport and the participants’ age and level of ability, but would include many of the duties outlined below.
- Producing training programmes taking into account the participants’ aims, training needs, strengths and weaknesses. With community groups or school-aged participants, the focus is usually on developing engaging activities, whereas with professional sportspeople, programmes will be focused on targets.
- Developing participants’ physical fitness, mental attitude and tactics. This involves, for example, demonstrating techniques, and giving clear instructions and advice.
- Tracking performance, giving feedback and keeping records. At advanced levels, videos might be analysed and other technology used.
- Finding or setting-up and running competitions and preparing participants for these, supporting participants at events and, possibly, transporting them there and back.
- Particularly if working with school/community groups, acting as a role model, fostering team spirit, developing discipline and encouraging those who don’t normally participate.
- If working with elite sportspeople, working alongside other professionals, such as sport scientists, physiotherapists and dietitians.
- Setting up and clearing away training equipment, and perhaps some administrative work.
- If working for yourself, marketing your services, dealing with the finances etc.
We were keen to hear about Jenny’s role. “At Nova we provide opportunities for kids and adults with disabilities to be physically active. We identify gaps in provision that we can fill, and then co-ordinate and deliver coaching sessions. We run clubs and holiday activities in wheelchair basketball, hydrotherapy, football and powerchair football, boccia and multi-sports. Assessing risks and ensuring safety are particularly important.”
Where could I work as a sports coach?
Possible employers include sport national governing bodies (NGBs), sports councils, leisure centres (which may be run by local authorities or contacted out), universities, colleges and schools (after-school clubs), private sports clubs, pools, gyms and fitness centres, and sports charities. Seasonal opportunities are often available at holiday clubs and camps – in the UK or overseas – such as those run through organisations like PGL, Camp America and BUNAC.
Positions are often part time and/or fixed term whilst funding is available. It’s common for sports coaches to have more than one job. Self-employment is also common – you could run your own coaching business, work with a range of organisations or coach individual sportspeople, for instance.
TIP: To get an idea about the range of coaching roles look at job vacancies with potential employers and on sites such as Careers in Sport, UK Coaching, Leisure Jobs and UK Sport.
Would I suit a career in sports coaching?
In order to motivate others and to get the best out of them you need to have plenty of confidence, energy and enthusiasm for physical activity and for your particular sport/s. Excellent communication, leadership, observational and organisational skills are required. According to Jenny, “Some of the most important skills and qualities required by sports coaches – particularly those working in the community – are patience, adaptability and creativity. To ensure that participants have a positive experience you need to be focused on their needs.”
It’s essential to be a reliable and responsible person with high standards in relation to health and safety, safeguarding and inclusivity. To work with children or vulnerable adults you need to undergo background checks through the Disclosure and Barring Service in England/Wales or Disclosure Scotland.
For many jobs in sports coaching you work during the evenings and at weekends, and you have to be able to drive and to be happy travelling to competitions, training camps etc – possibly abroad. If you coach an outdoor sport, you obviously need to be prepared to work outside in all weathers!
Morrisby Profile assessments can help you gain insight into how your aptitudes, interests, and personality align with various careers, including sports coaching. Find out more about our Morrisby Pass (includes assessments and a 60-minute session with a qualified careers professional).
How can I get into sports coaching?
There’s a lot of competition for paid jobs. Along with coaching qualifications – usually from your sport’s NGB – you also need relevant experience.
Volunteering will develop your coaching skills, enable you to build up a network of contacts and help you decide whether or not a career in sports coaching is right for you.
TIP: Jenny says, “Start from the bottom! Gain experience as a volunteer perhaps at a sports club you already know and/or where you are a member. I have learned most of what I know from being around other coaches, observing how they operate and reflecting on how things can be done differently if needed.”
Coaching qualifications at various levels can be gained part time whilst volunteering or in employment. Training in first aid is also useful or necessary. Being able to coach more than one sport can put you at an advantage for certain roles.
In addition to qualifications offered through NGBs, there are other providers of coaching qualifications including 1st4sport, for instance, who offer qualifications at levels 1-3; these can be taken in coaching in general or in coaching specific sports.
It’s possible to train as a sports coach (or in a related career) through an apprenticeship. For example:
- In England, there are apprenticeships for community activator coaches at level 2 and for sports coaches at level 4 – the latter gives you the option to train as a high-performance coach, community coach or school sports coach
- In Wales there are apprenticeships at levels 2/3 in coaching that specifically train you to coach swimming or tennis, at level 2 in sport, active leisure and wellbeing for training in sports coaching in general, and at level 3 in supporting teaching and learning in PE
- In Scotland modern apprenticeships in active leisure, learning and wellbeing at SCQF level 5 and 6/7 are relevant
Various qualifications give you a broad insight into the sports sector and can provide a useful background for sports coaching. You can take PE as a GCSE/National and as an A level/Higher. Depending on what’s available locally, you may be able to take other sports-related courses. For instance, in England, alongside your GCSEs, you may be able to do a BTEC Tech Award in sport or an OCR Cambridge National in sport studies or sport science. Sixth forms and colleges often offer BTEC Level 3 National, OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical and other qualifications in sport, either as full-time programmes or alongside other qualifications at that level.
At university there are foundation degree, HNC/D, degree and other higher education course in sports coaching and related subjects.
TIP: Check course entry requirements carefully through UCAS and with individual universities. Also research the content of courses to make sure that they have the right focus for you. Some offer you the chance to gain coaching qualifications and include work experience, and some are aimed at coaching particular sports. It’s a good idea to research what previous students have gone on to do. If you are a talented sportsperson, find out whether you could apply for sponsorship.
To support you in your journey to a career in coaching and to help with your continuing professional development, various short courses, webinars and other learning opportunities are available through professional bodies, NGBs and so on. UK Coaching has developed the Coach Learning Framework to help you identify any gaps in your skills and training requirements.
TIP: Organisations like CIMSPA (Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity) and UK Coaching offer membership at different levels and this can provide a range of benefits, such as networking and training opportunities. UK Coaching has a supportive online community of coaches called ConnectedCoaches.
We asked Jenny about her career journey. “After my GCSEs I took a National Diploma in sport and then a degree in sport and social sciences. Along the way I gained various coaching qualifications and volunteered with sports clubs and sports development organisations. I worked my way up from assistant coach to where I am today.”
What opportunities are there to progress in sports coaching?
You normally start working under supervision as an assistant coach before becoming qualified. Once you have experience and perhaps advanced coaching qualifications, it might be possible to gain promotion to more responsible positions, such as senior, lead or head coach. If you coach professionals, you are likely to be judged on how well they perform, so a reputation for getting results may lead to promotion.
Other ways you can progress include taking on a management role, training other coaches or specialising, such as in strength and conditioning or high-performance coaching. Being prepared to relocate, either in the UK or overseas, will give you a wider pool of opportunities.
Postgraduate courses are available in sports coaching. Through CIMSPA it’s possible to work towards Chartered status; this demonstrates your professionalism and may improve your career prospects.
How can I find out more about careers in sports coaching?
Careers in Sport has lots of useful information on coaching and alternative careers. Through the CIMSPA website you can download the Careers Guide for The Sport and Physical Activity Sector. The UK Coaching website also has various resources and information on sport and coaching may be found through national agencies for sport – Sport England, Sport Scotland, Sport Wales and Sport Northern Ireland. There are also sports coach career profiles on national careers sites - the National Careers Service (for England), Careers Wales and My World of Work (Scotland) and, for graduates, on Prospects.
Finally…
Whether you’re helping an elite athlete achieve an Olympic medal or enabling children to enjoy physical activity, as a sports coach you can make a difference to the lives of the people you coach. We asked Jenny about the challenges and satisfactions associated with her particular role. “Although it can be difficult securing funds for disability sport (it’s expensive to run because of the specialist equipment needed), making sport accessible for everyone is extremely rewarding. Knowing that I can adapt not just an activity, but also an environment to make someone feel happy and welcome is an honour.”
Debbie Steel, July 2024
With a background working with apprentices and teaching in further education, Debbie was employed as an in-house careers author before establishing herself as a freelancer. As well as co-authoring numerous careers books, Debbie has produced resources and web content for a range of high-profile clients. She is a member of the Careers Writers Association and Career Development Institute, and an enthusiastic proponent of impartial and reliable careers information.
