As a small nation we have to make the best use of our resources, including our people.
Our hopes and dreams of sustained sporting success cannot be realised without the continued investment in our coaches and volunteers.
Coaching plays a crucial role from supporting elite athletes to excel on the world stage to encouraging local communities to get fitter and enjoy sport; coaches provide the inspiration and practical support to get Wales moving.
Download Sport Wales' Coaching Strategy
By learning how to become a sports coach, you can benefit yourself and others.
The development of sport through coaching spreads the positive aspects of an active lifestyle throughout the community. Coaching is a fulfilling experience. You'll soon realise why so many people want to get involved in coaching.
Coaching in a town league is a great way to meet other people in your community and get involved. You'll quickly get to know other parents, coaches, volunteers and you'll feel more a part of the community.
Coaching your own children gives you more time to spend with them - on and off the field. You'll have one more thing in common with your children and you'll have a common goal.
As their coach, you'll have some control over the types of things they're learning, how they're being taught, and what they're exposed to. If you've ever disagreed with the way an adult leader has dealt with your child, or worried about his or her background, you can mark that off.
Your child will love it. They may not say it or show it, but kids like to see their parents involved in what they do. If you decide to be a coach, you'll be doing it for yourself, your community and your child.
Being a good coach is not just about having excellent sports-specific and technical knowledge. The skill of effective coaching lies in asking the right questions, having the right attidtude and motivation.
How do your athletes like to learn?
Every National Governing Body of Sport (NGB) in Wales has a structured coaching pathway which often looks like this:
Please note that you don't always have to start at the bottom of the ladder and climb your way up, some coaches' can start at level 1 and sometimes level 2. The NGB for your sport will be able to provide you with the opportunity to develop your coaching skills to whatever level you desire.
National Governing Bodies (NGB's) are responsible for the organisation of the entire sport from grassroots through to elite perfomance.
Coaching is crucial to all NGB's, so if you want to get involved in coaching or volunteering in a specific sport then contacting the NGB direct is your best start.
They will be able to provide you with:
In addition to coaching information they will also be able to provide you with overall information of that NGB and sport in general.
Every Local Authority (LA) in Wales has a sports development team. They have a broad remit for developing sporting opportunities at a local level, of which coaching and volunteering play an important role.
Your local sports development team is a key contact in helping you gain more information about coaching and volunteering opportunities in your local community and help provide you with the following types of information:
Visit your Local Authority for more information.
Sports Leaders UK awards and qualifications use the medium of sport to help people to learn to lead. They learn the essential skills of leadership: communication, organisation and motivation, but in addition to this they grow in confidence and self belief. The personal journeys that people undertake whilst learning to lead, stand them in good stead for their future careers and life itself.
Dragon Sport is a Sport Wales initiative and funded by the National Lottery. Dragon Sport is designed to offer 7-11 year olds fun and enjoyable sporting opportunities.
5x60 is changing the face of provision of sport in schools and transforming playing fields and sports halls into hubs of bustling activity from daybreak to nightfall.
Please visit listed websites to find out more about coaching related vacancies
UK Sport
sports coach UK
runningsports
Welsh Sports Association
SkillsActive