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1st4sport Level 1 Certificate in Coaching Football


maddog
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Anyone taken this course? Thinking of a bit of a career change and something to do when im not working, been a sunday\saturday league player but really like the idea of moving into a football coaching role and hopefully find a full time job doing it.

 

Any tips or contacts would be useful :)

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It's easy as pie but the tutors know that, and they try and make it as interesting as possible. You literally just have to turn up to pass the course.

 

I wouldn't go as far as saying you just need to turn up.... but yeah, if you pay attention and focus on it you should pass without any trouble.

 

If it's like the one I did about 7 years ago now it'll cover these areas:

- Child Protection

- Taking drills safetly

- First aid

- Basic advice in setting up a football tournament.

 

There will be some classroom theory on the first aid/child protection/tournament stuff and some practical stuff outside on best practice for setting up training drills that are both Interesting and Safe.

 

For the drills I got bonus points when I praised the group I was working with for doing things well. The only thing they called me up on was the 'technical' guidance I gave to them in the passing drill (Keep you leg relaxed, use the contact patch on the inside of your foot for best effect etc...) Be sure to keep communicating with the group during these drills.

 

Everyone who attended the course passed it. No pressure. ;)

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You'll need to go a lot further than Level 1 before you can make any money out of it, even then you'll need some good contacts in the game.

 

I did my L1 course last year and did it with the Royal Navy FA (they welcome Civies). It was cheaper than the Hampshire FA course and was done during the week rather than split over evenings and weekends. The tutor was very good and made it as challenging as possible even though a lot of the course content is pretty obvious stuff for anyone who's played any standard of organised football. I've heard that some other tuturs in other FAs don't manage to do this and some complain that it was too easy/waste of time. I really enjoyed it and it was a great workout - on the pitches for several hours a day doing drills.

 

The L1 is the qualification that loads of coaches have, anyone who is making any sort of money will have several more qualifications e.g. L2, L3 and the new Youth Award modules.

 

check out http://www.soccercoachingforums.com/viewforum.php is it a forum for grassroot coaches, mainly volunteers and parent coaches but also some who work in Centres of Excellence/Academies, is good source of information and opinions.

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Thanks people, my plan is to do the first one and then take a football coaching session at a local school where my wife works.

 

I then want to go on and do levels 2 and 3 so i dont plan to stick with just level 1.

 

Interesting about the course being a quite easy, I would rather go on a course where the instructor makes it a bit more challenging even if the material being taught is quite simple.

 

I take it there is a fair amount of joining in and playing footy yourself then?

Edited by maddog
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Did mine in September last year. The content is simple and straightforward and is focussed on coaches who are involved with grassroots soccer for kids. Everyone on the course passed. The instructors on the course emphasised the 'career progression' aspect of coaching and gave out literature on coaching associations and how to move on to the next stages of coaching. As said above you will have to get well advanced before you can make any money out of coaching, but to start with it's a good introduction to coaching.

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You will p*ss level 1, although i think its a little bit more expensive then it was back then. If you have any amount of ability i would imagine you will be pretty bored doing the course, also if the classroom stuff is anything like mine then pretty much give the answers (even though you don't need them)

 

Level 2 is worth the money though, its a bit more technical and involved, you'll enjoy that one. Basically you just need to find someone that runs a coaching business and see if they need anyone, it is pretty rewarding but i don't think you will be able to quit a job to do it full time if i am honest.

 

Might be worth asking Saints in the community or whatever they are called now, i used to do some work for them and they were always on the lookout for new people. To take it any further though you will need contacts, level 3 and luck IMO. The money is not too great either TBH.

 

Other than that i wish you luck mate, i would definately recommend doing some part time work atleast anyway as it is very rewarding.

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As posted earlier, Level 1 is easy and all Tyro (under 8-15) managers have the qualification.To get anywhere you need UEFA B or the pro license.

Most managers in the Wessex are around this level and it still doesn't pay well, so I wouldn't hang you hat on it financially.

Contacts at the level you work with is what is required.

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I got it paid for with by my college. As others have said, it's **** easy. I'm taking my level 2 in the summer which'll be much harder. I'll also be going to Birmingham uni (fingers crossed) to study Sports Coaching and Physical Education, something or other.

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Cheers people, great feedback.

 

Im going into it purely in the mindset that I love football and I feel coaching and helping kids learn and get involved in the game would be really rewarding. Just so happens that there may be a place for me to take on a skills school or footy club at my local school where the wife works.

 

I have plenty of contacts in local schools due to my wife's work so it shouldnt be to hard to get level 1 and then start using my new skils. To be honest I used to run training for my sunday and saturday southampton league teams so im fairly confident I can do it, just want the piece of paper to prove I can.

 

If something else comes with it i.e a career change etc then thats a bonus. Im definatly going to do level 1 and then level 2 and see where it takes me.

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If you can do level two I'm doing myne next year, level one is easy for anyone with common sence and basic football knowledge.

 

I football coach part time for a company and also coach a kids team on a weekday around my other job and playing football myself on Sunday's can be very rewarding.

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maddog, assuming your ideal job would be to work for own club (Saints) then I would strongly recommend getting in direct contact with The Saints Foundation:

http://www.saintsfoundation.co.uk/

 

If you call and get to speak with Mark Abrahams he will be able to match you uP with an appropriate scheme that mutually suits.

You may be able to work with them in. Voluntary capacity whilst they obtain funding for all of your courses. Who knows where it could lead mate, I'm sure that if you turn out to be the right sort you could end up emigre by them and running your own scheme.

 

They have a pretty good mandate from what I hear and would not turn down any serious offer.

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Things have changed, when I did my FA coaching badge there were 47 on the course including league players and top class amateurs and 3 passed.

 

Would tend to agree - did my half badge some years ago - was not an easy course. Think we had about 32 on the course and about a third of them failed, as I recall most (I think) failed one, or both of the written exams.

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