Research Essentials: Pathways into Coaching

1 There are two ‘peak ages’ for entry into coaching.

A survey of over 1200 coaches found there were two‘peak entry’ ages into coaching – 16–18 years old andaround 30 years old.

2 The most popular pathway into coaching is the

ex-participant pathway.

More than half of coaches (56%) become involved incoaching through their own participation in sport. Withinthis group, the most common circumstances leading tothis were people’s experiences from coaching youngerparticipants or teammates while still participatingthemselves, or wanting to continue in sport after theirparticipation had ended.

3 One in five coaches enter through the

parent/helper route.

Twenty per cent of coaches became involved in coachingthrough their children’s involvement in sport. This helpsexplain the second coaching entry peak age group(around 30 years old). Men are twice more likely thanwomen to take up coaching through their children.

4 Higher-level participants are more likely to start

coaching at an early age.

Coaches who participated at higher levels (eg countysports championships and above) are more likely to havestarted coaching at an early age. Coaches whoparticipated in more competitive pathways may be morelikely to exhibit higher levels of commitment to sport andwould pursue lifelong participation through coaching. Onthe other hand, coaches with experience at lowerparticipation levels (eg as beginners or improvers) startedcoaching approximately five years later than the average age.

5 Women are more likely to start coaching at a

younger age.

The average age women start coaching is five yearsearlier than men (22 years old and 27 years old,respectively). Nearly two-thirds of female coaches (64%)start coaching in the 15–24-year-old age group comparedto less than half of male coaches (47%). This is most likelydue to life cycle issues, such as the higher proportion ofmen who enter coaching as a result of their child’sinvolvement in sport.

Research Essentials: Pathways into Coaching

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Further Reading

sports coach UK (2010) Coach Tracking Study Headline Report (Years 1–3). Leeds: sports coach UK.

Available from the Resource Bank on the sports coach UK website at www.sportscoachuk.org

© sports coach UK, 2011