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Football coach

Football coaches develop the skills and motivation of football players and teams.

Potential salary
£14,000 to £30,000
Working hours
36 to 38 variable
  • leadership skills
  • the ability to teach pupils how to do something
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • the ability to motivate and manage staff
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

In this role you could:

  • plan and run amateur, semi-professional or professional coaching sessions
  • give feedback on performance and fitness
  • discuss individual player and team tactics
  • offer guidance on nutrition and injury prevention
  • keep up to date with good coaching practice
  • help players keep a positive mental attitude and self-discipline

You may need to wear a uniform.

You could work in the community, at a school, at a college, at a university or at a sports arena.

Your working environment may be outdoors in all weathers, physically demanding and you'll travel often.

As a community coach, with further training, you could move into sports development or youth work. As a coach with a professional team, you could move to a bigger or higher profile club.

You could also move into a specialist area like sports psychology or goalkeeping coaching.

The FA Licensed Coaches' Club offers continuing training and progression for coaches.

You can find out more about a career in coaching through The Football Association and UK Coaching.

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