How to become A Football Coach

If you aspire to become a leader and enjoy sports, becoming a Football Coach is an opportunity that allows you to have the best of both worlds. As a Football Coach, you have the chance to influence players who may someday make it big in the leagues and will remember and thank you for it.

• Football Handler
• Football Trainer 
• Football Instructor 
• Football Educator 
• Football Mentor 
• Soccer Coach
• Drill Instructor

What do Football Coaches do?

A Football Coach would typically need to do the following:

• Train players to help them improve their game, skills, and agility individually and grow stronger as a team; mentor them so that they remain highly motivated and physically fit
• Work with various age groups, including young children, teenagers, and adults at grassroots, amateur, semi-professional or professional level
• Hunt, observe, identify and recruit future players based on the attributes needed for the various playing positions
• Negotiate offers and incentives with potential players 
• Select players for each game; develop the game plan and strategies
• Ensure that players understand the rules and sportsmanship of the game 
• Help individual players build fitness, strength and stamina through planned and target physical conditioning programs to optimise their performance
• Encourage and provide emotional support to players to keep them energised and engaged despite the fatigue and boredom that may set in
• Plan, organise and conduct practice sessions focusing on specific skills
• Work in tandem with players to teach them proper techniques and strategies
• Lead the teams in competitive matches; call plays, decide which strategies to implement; decide player substitutions as the game progresses
• Clean and set up the field before and after a match
• Ensure the safety of players during all activities; provide CPR or other medical assistance when needed 
• Track and record the strengths and weaknesses of each player and the opposing team by watching past and ongoing matches
• Encourage players with highly motivational talks

Football Coaches spend most of their time on the ground, leading, managing, and instructing their team during practices and matches. A dress code that spells professional and clean is usually expected of you.

You would need to commute locally to practice venues. Travel usually depends on the location of the matches and events you are overseeing. It could be minimal for local clubs, increasing as you move onto professional sports.

Most Football Coaches put in 40 hours a week for months at a stretch during the sports season. Whether you freelance or are employed, you must ensure your team's continuous growth and development, which may require individual training sessions on weekends or evenings depending on when your players are available.

Your working hours may also depend on the level at which you coach. If you teach at the school level, you will work regular hours during the day. If you privately coach school or university students or those who work during the day, you may need to be available for practice during the evening and on holidays and weekends. Once you coach at a professional level, you may be able to work reasonably regular hours but would still need to book your evenings and weekends for matches.

Finding a new job can be challenging. The best way to go about it is by asking within your networks for referrals. You could also contact company managers directly or use job search engines that cater to sports. 

Football Coaches are generally employed by:

• Professional Leagues
• Professional Football Clubs
• Public & Private Schools 
• Colleges & Universities 
• Coaching Schools 
• Youth Clubs
• Football Associations 
• Recreation Centres
• Local Clubs 
• Community Workshop Teams

Professional associations and organisations, such as the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), are crucial for Football Coaches interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more adds value to your resume while bolstering your credentials and qualifications.

• Designing practice sessions that cater to players of different calibre 
• Difficulty in building a relationship with new recruits
• Adapting to changes in the game and the players; considering team members as people first and players later 
• Creating an upbeat environment that motivates and energises players to practise hard for the team even when they are tired 
• Creatively tackling “practice boredom” by stimulating players’ minds 
• Integrating technology into coaching
• Keeping calm and continuing with the practice session when some players misbehave or do not focus on the game
• Pulling off measurable outcomes during practice to achieve learning objectives
• Getting the team to take turns goalkeeping to tackle the possibility of your goalkeeper being absent on match day
• Preparing during practice sessions for unexpected scenarios that may occur on match days, such as a player not feeling well or being sent off or teams having an unequal number of players
• Understanding that when players question your methods or decisions, they do not necessarily mean it as disrespect
• Keeping yourself from becoming too emotionally involved in the outcome of a game 
• Taking tough decisions consistent with training when making substitutions to allow equal playing time even though it may weaken your team
• Providing specific rather than generalised feedback to each player through dialogue initiated by you during individual meetings with them

Given that the role of a Football Coach is hands-on, employers value experience both on and off the field. While not required, experience playing soccer helps you develop a firsthand understanding of the game. You may relate better to the players and be able to teach them skills and strategies more effectively, particularly for competitions.

As a coach, you will likely start through base-level internships and associate positions. Try looking at clubs, recreation centres, or local school teams to coach and manage or teach physical education at schools. Acquiring work experience with recreational teams will allow you to develop and use your coaching skills, understand your strengths, and tackle your weaknesses before you are hired as a paid coach for higher-division teams playing at regional, state or national levels.

Look for apprenticeships or volunteer work locally. This type of work will usually be unpaid but will allow you to acquire the skills needed to make the leap to professional football.

Keep in mind that your initial coaching experience will influence your view of the industry. That is why finding the appropriate club or organisation to volunteer or intern at the grassroots level is critical. Avoid an unprofessional club with inadequate focus on coaching.

Read about the profession and interview or job shadow experts working as Football Coaches to prove your commitment to course providers and prospective employers.

A bachelor’s degree is usually the minimum requirement to become a Football Coach. You may major in exercise & sports medicine, kinesiology, nutrition & fitness, or physical education to deepen your knowledge and foster coaching skills. Your coursework may include introductory classes in sports such as swimming, basketball, and track & field. However, several small-scale organisations may also hire individuals with a high school diploma. 

Those holding a master’s or a bachelor’s may benefit from higher-paying jobs at more recognised organisations than those with an associate degree or diploma. 

High school courses in business, health education, and physical education are helpful for aspiring Football Coaches.

Certification demonstrates a Football Coach’s competence in a skill set, typically through work experience, training, and passing an examination, though requirements differ from region to region. Some certifications may be mandatory for Football Coaches, and others strengthen your resume. A diploma from an objective and reputed organisation allows you to become an independent consultant and protects public welfare by incorporating a Code of Ethics.

Typically, football associations issue different levels of coaching qualifications. You would begin with passing lower-level courses to teach children at the grassroots level. After several years of experience and training, you would take advanced techniques that qualify you to offer professional football coaching to adults.

You must also certify in safeguarding, basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to tackle emergencies during practice sessions and matches. A background check is necessary, especially to work with young children.

If you wish to become a Football Coach at a public academic institution, you would typically need a teaching license as per the local legislation, which will likely include fulfilling student teaching hours and passing mandatory tests.  

Performance, experience, and the acquisition of professional qualifications drive career progression. Football Coaches with consistently high performance levels may be eligible for promotion every two to three years.

You would typically begin your career as Assistant Coach or Athletic Coach/Mentor in a small-scale organisation, school or another non-professional academy. Your work would include essential tasks, such as preparing the field before and after a game and working with local students. Most entry-level jobs cater to children in after-school clubs and summer camps, which is imperative to diversifying the age demographic that you coach. 

Football Coaches typically dream of working with a professional and famous football club. If you are one of them, try to take up volunteer-level positions in a professional club. Soon, you can make your way up by training younger academy teams and groups. You could then pick a niche and become a Goalkeeper Coach or Scout. 

Having done amateur jobs, you may move into paid positions with semi-professional clubs and finally professional football clubs or acknowledged academic institutions. You could work as a Senior Football Coach or a Head Football Coach.

With coaching qualifications and a few years of experience, you could also diversify into talent identification, specialise in goalkeeper training, or take up a job as Sports Psychologist, Life Coach or Sports Consultant. 

Candidates with the necessary skills, holistic experience, and extra certifications have the best job prospects.

Continuing professional development (CPD) will help an active Football Coach build personal skills and proficiency through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning. It allows you to upskill continually, regardless of your age, job, or level of knowledge and learn about the latest technologies, instruments and processes. 

By constantly striving to be better at their work, Football Coaches ensure that their team pursues excellence. The better the coach, the better that players are likely to hold together and perform competitively as a team. 

Football Coaches typically have expertise in the technical aspects of the game. However, they may benefit from strengthening their leadership skills, self-awareness of their strengths and areas of improvement, and knowledge of best practices in coaching. Football Coaches must constantly improve their ability to manage and liaise with players, other coaches, staff, management and boards. Courses in people management, communication skills, training, fostering team culture, and developing expertise in role allocation help improve your effectiveness as a coach and advance your career.

You may augment your coaching skills and knowledge of the game by reading relevant, informative and inspiring books. Your club or organisation may host guest lectures, certification courses, and events that help you incorporate a range of diverse experiences. Attending conferences and seminars may help you connect with like-minded individuals from renowned clubs and build a network of contacts.

Interacting With Parents

From the start of a season, engage the parents by sharing your philosophy, expectations, team objectives, and discipline policies for student-athletes. Explain best game practices to parents. Invite their support and ensure that the lines of communication stay open. 

Communicating with Players

Skilful and open two-way communication paves the way to healthy relationships between the coach and the team and helps players feel at ease broaching their concerns. 

Coaches must begin by listening attentively to a player and using small body gestures, such as nods, or soft verbal responses, to acknowledge what they hear. Through active listening, Football Coaches try to grasp the message that a player may be trying to convey. They repeat what they have understood in their own words and ask the player to verify it. 

You must avoid bias in your conversation and make sure that external factors, including noise, do not distract you. Try not to begin rehearsing a response in your mind while the player is speaking, which can also take away your attention from what the player is saying. Avoid using words that spark off an emotional response, which can cause the player to lose track of what you are saying.

Preparing for Game Day

Football Coaches teach their athletes to play well and hard and play fair. They provide behaviour rules and guidelines well in advance. No matter how the game is going, they stay calm and positive, allowing players to take tactical decisions themselves while a match is on. They try to set a good example for their athletes and encourage players, parents, and officials to set and abide by high standards. While focusing on coaching, they also strive to enjoy the practice sessions and the games - and aim to win!

“Smart balls” with embedded sensors allow a network of receivers on the field to track their real-time position and when they cross the goal line. Referees receive accurate data on their smartwatches.

It is not just victory that Football Coaches equate with success. Each time their team rallies together implementing the strategies and techniques you have taught them, each time the team members support each other in achieving excellence, each time you improve your coaching, you score a goal. Coaching players hoping that someday they will make it big is a craft that takes years to master. The learning never truly stops, and you will find yourself honing your skills even during the best phases of your career. Relish every bit of it.

The STEP principle is a valuable tactic to use, whereby you alternate the space, task, equipment, and players from time to time. It helps the players adapt to every new setting and focus on their strengths and shortcomings. By doing so, all sorts of different outcomes of a match are considered. As a season ends, set goals for the next one so that you can reflect and review your and your team’s performance against well-defined targets.