An Analysis of National Governing Bodies’ Coaching Certifications in England

Sports coaches play a significant role in the development of athletes. However, the process by which coaches become coaches and the training they receive are under-researched. This study provides a detailed description of the coach education landscape in England. Specifically, it examines what coaches need to become independent practitioners in England, as well as the differences and similarities in the requirements between sports. First, a content analysis of 32 United Kingdom Summer Olympic Sport National Governing Body (NGB) websites was conducted to collect publicly available data on each sport’s coaching certification. Second, semi-structured interviews were conducted with NGB Heads of Coaching (n = 12) to gather more data on the course prerequisites, structure, and content of these coaching courses. Findings reveal substantial differences between NGB prerequisites, course content, and coaching endorsements. This study provides an important yardstick for NGBs to assess their provision against the wider coach education landscape. Implications and future research directions for developing coach education programs in England are discussed.