To enable you to operate as a coach in a particular sport, and to further develop your coaching skills and knowledge, you need to become qualified by gaining a recognised coaching qualification from the relevant National Governing Body of Sport (i.e. Badminton England, Rugby Football League)
All Governing Bodies of Sport in England and the UK have a coaching qualification structure and pathway. The qualifications usually start at Level 1, which is aimed at an 'assistant coach' and go right through to Level 4, aimed at 'Master coaches'
The UK Coaching Certificate is an initiative to endorse coach education programmes, across sports within the UK, against agreed criteria including:
For sports clubs, the UKCC will mean that the coaches they bring into their club, or the members who train as coaches, will have been trained to a recognised standard of competency. For parents, this also means that whoever is coaching their children will have been properly prepared to provide appropriate coaching.
31 sports in England and the UK are currently working, with support from sports coach UK, to achieve the UK Coaching Certificate Endorsement for their qualifications.
The endorsement process is being implemented to develop a standardised approach to the content, delivery and assessment of coaching qualifications. The content of each level of qualification should result in the same level of knowledge/competencies for a coach, irrespective of which sport the qualification is in:
For more information on your governing bodies involvement with the UKCC, please see your sports coach education page (go to the Links 'tab') or visit the Sports Coach UK - Coach Zone (Free Registration required)