The Football Coaching Pathway


    THE FOOTBALL COACHING PATHWAY

    Delivered through local County FA s, there are many courses available to get people started in the game and to then help them progress in their roles.

    The content and resources for these courses are eveloped centrally by FA Learning, ensuring they are the same throughout the country. For more information, see our Menu on this page.

    Coaching Courses Level One Certificate in Coaching Football 24-32 hours

    Level Two Certificate in Coaching Football 75 hours

    Level Three Certificate in Coaching Football 90 hours


    The FA Age Appropriate Coaching - Introductory Module 6 hours

    The FA Youth Award - Module One 32 hrs (incl 4 hours pre-course reading and tasks)

    The FA Youth Award - Module Two 29 hrs (incl 1 hour pre-course reading and tasks)

    The FA Youth Award - Module Three 29 hrs (incl 1 hour pre-course reading and tasks)

     



    The FA Goalkeeping Coaching Award (Level 1) 24 hours

    The FA Goalkeeping Coaching Award (Level 2) 24 hours

    The FA Coaching Disabled Footballers 6 hours

    The FA Coaching Futsal: A Beginner’s Guide 6 hours

    The FA Mentoring Adults 6 hours

    The FA Level 1 Certificate in Coaching Adult Football 12 hours

    Education Courses The FA Leadership Through Football 90 hours

    The FA Key Stage 2 Curriculum Coaching 6 hours

    The FA Junior Football Organisers - Teacher 6 hours

    The FA Junior Football Organisers - Student 6 hours

    The FA Working with Teams 6 hours

    The FA Handling and Movement 3 hours

    The FA Beginners Guide to Coaching Disabled Footballers 4 hours

    Local Courses - Want to learn more about football?

     

    Level One Certificate in Coaching Football.

    FA LEVEL 1

    Become a qualified football coach. This course provides an introduction to the organisation and delivery of safe and enjoyable coaching sessions for players. The course will introduce practical drills to develop players’ technical skills such as shooting, turning with the ball and heading. It is ideally suited to those working with groups of young players.

     

     

    Level Two Certificate in Coaching Football

    FA LEVEL 2

    The next stage in coaching. Building on the initial skills learnt in the Level One Certificate in Coaching Football, this course provides a deeper understanding of coaching. The course introduces new themes such as looking at different coaching styles, preparing for accidents and emergencies and understanding players’ nutritional needs.

    Level Three Certificate in Coaching Football. (UEFA B Licence)

     FA UEFA B LICENCE

    Understand match analysis and Performance evaluation Coaches will acquire detailed coaching knowledge based on functional practices, small sided (8 v 8) games and phases of play to enhance game related understanding. This knowledge will aid them to evaluate player and team performance
    and set goals accordingly. Coaches will also learn how to analyse matches, assess fitness, provide a psychological evaluation of players and build on
    nutritional awareness.
    Discipline Course Minimum Course Duration
    Referees Courses Basic Referees Course Minimum 24 hours
    Medical Courses The FA Emergency Aid Workshop 3 hours
    The FA First Aid for Sport 22 hours (Incl 8 hours pre-course reading and tasks)
    The FA Level 2 Treatment and Management
    of Injury in Football
    30 hours
    Safeguarding Children
    and Equality
    The FA Safeguarding Children Workshop 3 hours
    The FA Welfare Officer Workshop 3 hours
    The FA Equality Workshop 3 hours
    The FA Race Equality Workshop 3 hours
    The FA Disability Equality Workshop 3 hours
    12 Want to learn more about football?

    Age Appropriate Coaching - Introductory Module

    The first step to understanding young players. This groundbreaking new course encourages coaches to know as much about their young players as they do about the game. This one day course provides those involved in youth football with the knowledge to understand their players. This course provides an introduction to The FA Youth Award, which looks at how to coach young players as well as what to teach them.

    The FA Youth Award - Module One - Developing the Environment

    Innovation in coaching young players. This first module of three presents a child centred approach to the development of our young players. The award recognises the important role the coach can have upon levels of motivation and self-esteem and gives practical advice to help the coaching session become an “effective environment for learning”. Suitable for coaches at all levels this innovative new look at coaching will create coaches who have a understanding of children and young players as well as football.

    The FA Youth Award - Module Two - Developing the Practice*

    FA YOUTH AWARD MODULE 2, DEVELOPING THE PRACTICE

    Innovation in coaching young players building on the knowledge learnt in Module One, this course provides practical sessions and workshops that help coaches to develop practices appropriate for the age, maturity, ability and experience levels of their players. Coaches will be expected to plan, deliver and evaluate their own, and other coaches’ practices during the course. This second module in The FA Youth Award is most suited to club coaches who are keen to improve their own personal development as a coach of young players of any age

    The FA Youth Award - Module Three - Developing the Player

    FA YOUTH MODULE LEVEL 3

    Innovation in coaching young players. The final module in The FA Youth Award, Developing the Player, continues the progressive change in coaching philosophy. Complementing the knowledge learnt on the preceding modules, this course teaches coaches to have a truly player-centred approach to the coaching and development of young players. The course comprises both practical and theory sessions.

    The FA Goalkeeping Coaching Award (Level 1)

    Give your goalkeeper the edge. This course is ideal for coaches who want to improve the performance of their goalkeepers.
    Learn how to develop and improve your goalkeeper’s technique and plan and prepare progressive technical practices. The course is delivered by goalkeeping tutors directly appointed by The FA .

    The FA Goalkeeping Coaching Award (Level 2)

    FA GOALKEEPING B LICENCE

     

    Give your goalkeeper the edge Building on the skills learnt in Level One, this course teaches candidates how to coach basic individual goalkeeping techniques. Coaches will get a better understanding of how to plan and prepare progressive technical and functional practices, ensuring the health and safety of all. The practical elements include dealing with one on one situations and handling crosses.

    The FA Coaching Disabled Footballers

     

    Learn skills to encourage and develop disabled players This course teaches coaches to apply coaching skills to meet the needs of players with different impairments. The course establishes basic communication skills for coaching disabled footballers, using appropriate terminology. Coaches are also advised on appropriate medical and safety considerations.

    The FA Coaching Futsal:

     

    A Beginner’s Guide (replacing FA Introduction to Futsal) Small sided fun Learn about the UEFA and FIFA approved small sided game. On this course you’ll be taught the rules of Futsal, basic principles of attack and defence. Understand how to organise and coach Futsal and appreciate the fitness demands of the game.

     

    The FA Mentoring Adults

    This course is designed to support those who wish to develop their mentoring skills, to understand the role of the mentor, to develop the interpersonal skills required to become an effective mentor as well as developing reflection as a learning tool. It supports participants to develop skills in a safe and positive environment. 14 Want to learn more about football?

     

    The FA Level 1 Certificate in Coaching Adult Football

    This is an introduction for coaches and managers who are involved in adult football and comprises various elements including training drills (warm ups, technical sessions, skills, small sided games and cool downs), how to get the best from your
    players, team management (systems, strategies and player strengths) and how to keep your players happy while getting the best results.
    The course will also give you an insight into effective team talks and match analysis, while also covering essential areas such as health and fitness (diet, discipline and personal training), communication on and off the pitch and motivation in training and matches.

    The FA Leadership through Football

    Leadership through Football is an accredited qualification which can also form part of the additional and specialist learning aspect of the new Diploma in Sport and Active Leisure. It will aim to apply and exemplify the qualities and advanced skills needed to be an effective and reflective leader in football. Students will cover a variety of disciplines within football development including leading football activity sessions, refereeing, working with small-sided teams and contributing to the organisation and delivery of a football event for young people.

    The FA Key Stage 2 Curriculum

    This course supports non PE specialist primary teachers and coaches and will enable candidates to understand the key strands of the National Curriculum and apply them to football within the context of PE.

    The FA Junior Football Organisers – Teacher

    This course provides the teacher or coach with the necessary information and support to be able to deliver a Junior Football Organisers course for students aged 14–19. Candidates will gain an understanding of the FA 4 Corners Model together with the FA ’s Young Leadership Programme and Step into Sport.

    The FA Junior Football Organisers – Student

    This course is for students aged 14–19 years. It focuses on mini-soccer, where students learn the basics of coaching, rules, refereeing and all that is involved in organising a festival/ tournament. The culmination of the course and assessment involves the students organising and running a mini-soccer festival. The course provides students with core organisational and
    communication skills.

    The FA Working with Teams

    This course, which is aimed at primary or non specialist secondary teachers, Level 1 coaches and young leaders, will provide  practical ideas on how to run teams including work around team talks, team philosophy including the FA LT PD 4 corners model and understanding basic strategies, tactics and formations. It supports the competition programme/framework.

    The FA Handling and Movement

    This three hour course for primary teachers, Level 1 coaches and young leaders will give the candidate practical ideas to develop movement and handling skills that can be used as an introduction to goalkeeping and build on fundamental movement skills. Candidates will understand what is meant by handling and movement and learn how to develop Physical Literacy through handling
    and movement activities.

    The FA Beginners Guide to Coaching Disabled Footballers

    This course supports teachers, coaches or young leaders working in special or mainstream education. It will enable candidates to apply and extend existing teaching and coaching skills and experience to meet the needs of the participants and gain a greater understanding of the inclusion spectrum.

    Basic Referees Course

    Become a qualified referee Providing a full understanding of the laws of football, this course will lead successful candidates to a refereeing qualification. Whether seeking to operate at a basic level, or looking to achieve a greater understanding of match official skills, this course can deliver for all. Incorporating all the practical and theoretical skills needed to officiate, this course provides safe, ethical and effective methods of refereeing.

    The FA Emergency Aid Workshop EMERGENCY 1st AID

     

    Be prepared This three hour workshop offers basic advice on how to limit the effects of injury and promote recovery. Topics covered include mouth to mouth resuscitation, control of bleeding, dressing of wounds and minimising shock. Open to all with an interest in improving their emergency aid skills. Certificates last for three years.

    FA First Aid for Sport EMERGENCY 1st AID

     

    The course will provide participants with the opportunity to gain fundamental knowledge and skills in order to recognise and manage common llnesses and injuries sustained in football and other sports and administer immediate ‘Non-Emergency’ first aid care. The course aim is to train a person in the basic knowledge of first aid. It will provide a person with the skills required to
    identify injuries and provide a level of first aid to prevent injuries worsening by applying these first aid principles on the pitch side.

    FA Level 2 Treatment and Management of Injury in Football

    This foundation course is aimed at personnel working throughout grassroots football. It will train a person in the basic knowledge, skills and attitude necessary to recognise and differentiate major from minor injury and enable them to offer basic treatment and injury management advice of a player who has sustained a major injury when playing football.

    SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN Workshop

    Making football safe for young people For everyone who works with young people, this workshop focuses on making football safe.
    The course teaches our football workforce to promote best practice to protect young people. Candidates will learn how to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse, and understand fears involved in these concerns.

    The FA Welfare Officer Workshop

    Ensure best practice for your club the FA requires all affiliated clubs to appoint a Club Welfare Officer. For 2010-2011 this person
    must have attended The FA Welfare Officer workshop. The course teaches best practice in relation to safeguarding children and also dentifies the roles and responsibilities of everyone in the safeguarding support network.

    FA Equality Workshops

    (Equality, Race, Disability)
    The suite of FA Equality workshops have been designed to support the growth and retention of the football workforce by helping people understand how they can make their club or league accessible to everyone e.g. women and girls, disabled people, ethnic minorities and merging communities. They will also identify what language or behaviour is offensive, insulting and abusive e.g. racist, homophobic, sexist or buse relating to disability. This supports the RESPECT programme by making clear what is and
    what isn’t acceptable and what action people can ake if they experience something that is offensive, Insulting or abusive

     


    2024 2025 PRO FOOTBALL TRIAL DAYS - DATES

    FA COUNTY FOOTBALL COURSES - ENGLAND

    FOOTBALL TRIALS