Overview

Coaches prepare and train individual athletes or teams for competitive events. They are employed by national and provincial sports organizations, professional and amateur sports teams, sports clubs and universities or they may be self-employed. This unit group also includes sports scouts who identify and recruit athletes for professional sports teams. They are employed by professional sports organizations.

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Coaches

  • Identify strengths and weaknesses of athletes or teams

  • Plan, develop and implement training and practice sessions

  • Nurture and develop athletes' potential skills and abilities

  • Develop, plan and coordinate competitive schedules and programs

  • Motivate and prepare athletes or teams for competitive events or games

  • Formulate competitive strategies, develop game plans and direct athletes and players during games or athletic events

  • Analyse and evaluate athletes' or teams' performances and modify training programs.

  • Sports scouts

  • Identify and recruit developing athletes for professional sports teams

  • Observe and evaluate prospective athletes' skills and performance, and review their past records

  • File reports on scouting assessments and recommendations with professional team employers.

Job titles

  • amateur athletics team coach
  • amateur sports team coach
  • amateur track and field team coach
  • athletic boxing trainer
  • athletics coach
  • athletics team coach

Employment prospects

Source: BC Labour Market Outlook 2024 edition

Annual salary

Low

$40,085

Median

$54,226

High

$93,852

Job openings

Use this interactive map to explore job openings in different regions across B.C.

British Columbia

674

expected job openings (5-year forecast)

Education and training

Employment requirements

  • Experience in, and technical knowledge of, the sport is required.

  • Coaches

  • Completion of the National Coaching Certificate program is usually required for individual and team sports coaches in all sports.

Certification requirements

Optional: The following certifications are optional to practice as Coaches in B.C.

  • Membership with the National Payroll Institute (NPI)
  • Completion of a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP)

Membership with the National Payroll Institute (NPI)

Please confirm with the certifying body that your intended program qualifies you for this certification.

To work as a payroll administrator in B.C., you may choose to register as a member with the National Payroll Institute (NPI). The NPI offers a range of professional membership options, available to you depending on the stage of your payroll compliance practitioner (PCP) education journey.

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Completion of a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP)

To work as a coach in B.C., you may need to complete the National Coaching Certification Program specific to your sport or activity. Certification requirements vary depending on the sport and level you wish to coach.

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Work Experience

Work experience recommended

Beneficial post-secondary programs (not required)

Other careers