Sports coach/instructor : Job description

Sports coaches help people participating in sports to work towards achieving their full potential. They may support professional sportspeople, sports teams, community teams or school groups, working with them closely to improve performance. They may also have a role in encouraging underrepresented groups or young people to participate in sporting activities.

Sports coaches bring out ability by identifying needs and planning and implementing suitable training programmes. Whatever the context, coaching involves developing the participants' physical and psychological fitness and providing the best possible practical conditions in order to maximise their chances of performing to the best of their ability. Coaches must be aware of their ethical and legal obligations to their clients.

Many instructors/coaches combine coaching with other, often full-time, jobs. Many sports coaches work part time and unpaid, offering their coaching services on a purely voluntary basis.

Typical work activities

Coaching roles vary hugely according to context, but typical work activities are likely to include:

Performance management

• evaluating performance and providing suitable feedback, balancing criticism with positive and motivating comments;
• assessing strengths and weaknesses in a participant's performance and identifying areas for further development;
• adapting to the needs and interests of the group or individual participant;
• communicating instructions and commands using clear, simple language;
• demonstrating an activity by breaking the task down into a sequence;
• encouraging participants to gain and develop skills, knowledge and techniques;
• ensuring that participants train and perform to a high standard of health and safety at all times;
• inspiring confidence;
• developing knowledge and understanding of fitness, injury, sports psychology, nutrition and sports science;
• working with IT-based resources to monitor and measure performance;
• acting as a role model, gaining the respect and trust of the people you work with;
• liaising with other partners in performance management, such as physiotherapists, doctors and nutritionists;
• working to a high legal and ethical standard at all times, particularly in relation to issues such as child safeguarding and health and safety requirements.

Planning and administration

• producing personalised training programmes;
• maintaining records of participant performance;
• coordinating participants' attendance at meetings and other sports events;
• planning and running programmes of activities for groups and/or individuals;
• transporting participants to and from training sessions and sports events;
• seeking and applying for sponsorship agreements;
• finding appropriate competitions for participants;
• marketing and promoting your services, if you are self-employed;
• planning your own work schedule.