Development training begins for kids aged five and up and existing club coaches hold regular sessions to get children involved in the basics of football while having fun. Both boys and girls.
Once the players develop, we look to start teams from under-sevens upwards. This relies on our development coaches working with enthusiastic parents for them to eventually become coaches and team managers.
Each team requires at least two coaches - one or both of whom will be the team manager. Every training session or match requires at least two qualified coaches to be present.
These don’t have to be parents, but it is most common for one or both coaches to have children in the team, hence their involvement in the first place.
Coaching kids is a privilege and we take it very seriously. You can have an incredibly positive impact on a lot of children’s lives, while also enjoying some of life’s most fulfilling experiences as you see your team develop and grow.
In order to coach kids, coaches/managers MUST have the correct Football Association qualifications, not just in the practicalities of training football, but to adhere with very strict safeguarding regulations and first aid requirements, for obvious reasons.
Qualifications
All would-be coaches must firstly get an FA Number (FAN) - find out how. Then you must start the process of getting a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Without one, the person can not have coaching contact with children.
While awaiting the DBS check to be done, you can start the preliminary coaching qualification known as the FA Playmaker. Read more and enrol. This course is free.
After the FA Playmaker course is completed and you have your DBS check back, you should then do the FA’s Safeguarding for Children course. Read more. This costs £30 and will reimbursed by the club on production of a pass certificate.
Once that is done, you will be allowed to participate in supervised coaching sessions with children, BUT a fully qualified coach (with FA Introduction to Coaching Football / Level One and full first aid and safeguarding certificates) must always be in attendance.
You should then undertake the FA’s Introduction to First Aid in Football course. Read more. This also costs £30, and will be reimbursed by the club.
The FA also requires the completion of two more courses, that are free to take:
If you are going to manage a team, or be assistant manager of a team, then you MUST complete the FA’s Introduction to Coaching Football course, formerly known as the FA Level One. Read more and enrol.
Without this course, you will not be allowed to run unsupervised coaching sessions or manage a team unsupervised.
This course costs £100. Unlike the others, it is club policy to pay this back in stages. Half will be paid back on proof of completion and then 25% annually thereafter. We do this to both protect our investment and to encourage coaches to stay with the club.
What next?
Running a team is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do and incredibly fun, but can be time-consuming and there will be some challenges along the way. Read about what makes a good coach.
The FA provides a lot of good advice, from how to set up training sessions, to how to build relationships with your players. Read more.
Some general advice for coaching kids:
Maintain safety and create a positive environment: Ensure conditions are safe - check the pitch, for example. Make sure kids wear the appropriate equipment, for example shin pads. Have a first aid kit ready, just in case, and make sure you familiarise yourself with where the nearest defibrillator is. Praise good play and good behaviour and always encourage
Always maintain fairness: Young players especially need to know things will be run fairly. This means equal treatment of all players. Up until under-12 level, this includes 'fair minutes' meaning ALL players in the team must play an equal amount of time
Be organised and prepared at all times: Arrive early and make sure things are set up ready for when the kids get there. This helps them feel welcome and comfortable and sets the tone for a 'professional' approach. Plan ahead and try and anticipate any issues. Bring the right equipment
Communicate and build relationships with players and parents: One of the key things is letting all involved with your team know what is going on. Think to yourself 'would I want to know that?' and if the answer is yes, let the parents and kids know, when appropriate. This can be kick-off times, venues for matches or even when to pay fees. Get to know everyone involved in the team - kids, coaches, parents etc. Everyone is different and by getting to know people better, you will know what makes them tick
Put fun first and foremost: We all like to win games, but this club prides itself on football being fun. If kids aren't having fun, they won't want to continue playing.
