Getting into Coaching

I I

inbetween

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28 Jan 2010
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A few health scares in our family has kicked me up the rear so I'm looking at things to do to keep busy and get healthier and football seems the best way to do it.

I'm a bit past playing properly at 33, haven't played for 10 years and I'm certainly not expecting to be the next Pep but I'd love to coach part time but not sure where to start?

I'm guessing most coaching is needed as a volunteer at youth level which is fine. I've looked at the local FA and there's courses but that seems to be the easy part. There are a few teams near me but other than randomly messaging them to see if they need help I'm not sure how else to start?

Has anyone else got into coaching, either as a volunteer, part-time or even full-time, how did you get going?
 
You have any friends/relatives etc ? I was lucky in that a good friend took over his sons teams, and I was asked to join.

It’s incredibly rewarding though mate, especially if you stay with them right through the ages from quite young, when they’re pretty shit tbh, to the older ages, watching how they’ve developed as people as well as footballers.

Only downside for me was going to tournaments all over the country, watching these angelic little cherubs, all happy, naive and innocent, despite growing up in inner city areas, turn into little fuckers as they got older lol.

Wouldn’t change the experience though I guess.

Good luck with it mate.
 
Go along to your local youth team, introduce yourself and tell them what you are thinking about. I am sure they will welcome you. The FA run coaching courses in your area. I became a cycling coach after finally hanging up my racing wheels and I now coach youngsters every Saturday morning. Hugely rewarding and lots of work and fun.

Speaking as a coach we would take your hands off if you came to our sessions and asked to coach.
 
I coached all my kids at underage level in what they call "Town" leagues over here. (Massachusetts, US). I did it for ten years and got a Massachusetts Coaching License which the town paid for. Now the license was only good for coaching up to U-14 but I had no interest in coaching older kids really so it worked out fine. I thoroughly enjoyed it though. I was also (and still am) actively playing here too. Sometimes, I would coach my kids during the indoor season in winter and then have them sit and do their homework while I was playing in the adult leagues...;) Multitasking, I tells ya.

So I am not sure how it works over there but I found it most rewarding. I miss it to be honest.
 
There will be lots of clubs willing to take a new enthusiastic coach on board. I’ve coached for years from u7s upto open age both girls and boys teams. Some very well run clubs around and some not so good.
 
When my eldest daughter started doing gymnastics at the the tender age of 4¼, I stood and watched for the hour she was there. 3 months later, she joined a group of kids with "potential", and started 2 hours on a Saturday and an hour on Monday night. Rather than stand there for 2 hours, I volunteered to help out, and started my life as a coach. 12 months later, she joined the team squad, training 4 times a week, in total 14 hours!
My youngest daughter then took up the sport, but I decided to merely help coach the recreational kids, as my work took me away from home for around 30% of my time. I was never a qualified coach, as there were no coaching courses taking place in the NW region in all the years (8+) I helped out.
When they'd had enough, they took up athletics at Stockport Harriers, so I became an athletics coach. This time, I got my Club Coach badge, and coached there until I was 47. This stopped due to a mild heart attack, plus working away more often made it difficult.
Every sports club is crying out for coaches/volunteers. It's rewarding to see kids grow up and improve themselves. You also have the satisfaction of knowing that you've been a part of helping them to achieve their goals.
 
What area are you in ? I have a few contacts with a few local clubs if your interested
 
That was also abit of a lazy post so I will give a little more insight into it.

find a local club near you with a good set up. Many years of experience and a good structure for the kids.
If your local I can give you some details of clubs where you may be able to get a team. Teams are crying out for couches and volunteers. Don’t pay for any of your own courses for now, as most clubs will be happy to fund this for you or even pay a percentage towards it. So wait untill you see what can be funded first.

it’s very rewarding but also incredibly frustrating so you need loads of patience with parents and kids. (Parents more so than the kids).

it’s time consuming so expect to be giving up 1 day a week for training and 1 day of your weekend for the games. You will also need to plan your training sessions prio to the training in your own time.
You will see some of the most disgusting people of our society abusing teenage referees and parents living there dreams through there kid and abusing there own kids so be prepared to have a few arguments with other coaches, parents etc.
End of the day it’s a kids game so it’s all about fun and the kids growing with confidence .
 
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