FA Level 1 Coaching Courses
FA Level 1 Coaching Courses
The FA Level 1 Coaching Course (or 1st4sport Level 1 Award in Coaching Football QCF) is by far the most popular football coaching course in the UK with up to an astonishing 17,000 new coaches involved in this programme every year. This is a fantastic initiative that's bringing genuine and ongoing benefits to UK football, particularly at the grass roots level. The Level 1 course is the entry point into the FA Coaching Ladder for virtually every coach and is designed to provide a broad introduction to coaching and a solid foundation upon which to build and progress to the higher level courses.
The Level 1 Course is typically run over a number of days with a total contact time of between 24 and 40 hours and covers the following core topics:
- Safe organisation and supervision of various football activities including Small Sided and Mini Soccer.
- Promotion of working relationships between coaches, players, officials and parents.
- Orientation in the various aspects of coaching young players, including tailoring activities for different age groups.
- Identifying mentoring and support opportunities covering all aspects of football related development.
No experience is necessary and Level 1 is open to anyone who is motivated and ready to improve their understanding and skills, however candidates are required to hold the FA Emergency Aid Certificate or equivalent First Aid Certificate and must attend the FA workshop Child Protection and Best Practice.
Level 1 Courses are held regularly at County Football Associations and national sports centres so it is very easy to find a course that's convenient for you. More information about all coaching courses can be found at FA Learning though the course schedule database seems to regularly be very glitchy and does not always work so some patience may be required! (Tip: You must include the space when you enter your postcode in the search box or the form will not accept it).
In order to prepare for Level 1, we highly recommended Total Team Manager coaching software. With 350 animated drills and small sided games and 60+ videos, its designed to help coaches' develop their training tactics and drill skills quickly and effectively. Combine this with Tactics Manager which allows you to design and print 2D and 3D tactical session and drills to help guide your team's coaching sessions and the result is handouts that are not only easy to make, they're clear and engaging for your players and a world away from the old coaches' chalkboard!
