Athletic Coach, Educator, Instructor, Professional Coach, Teacher
Interest in co-ordinating information to develop, plan and organize competitive schedules and programs; and in developing game plans and in directing athletes and players during athletic events
Interest in instructing athletes; and in nurturing and developing athletes' potential skills and abilities, and in motivating and preparing athletes and teams for competitive events
Interest in analyzing and evaluating athletic and team performance; and in modifying training programs
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation. It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
Coaches direct athletes' physical and mental training, conduct daily practices and develop strategies for competitions. Their duties and responsibilities vary considerably depending on the sport and level of competition. However, in general, coaches:
During the pre-season, coaches:
During the season, coaches continue to direct fitness programs, conduct daily practices and analyze performance. They also:
In the off-season, coaches may:
In some sports, there is no off-season and coaches have year round responsibilities.
Coaching can be a rigorous, high-pressure, demanding occupation. Coaches often face criticism from the general public and media, particularly if their team or one of their athletes performs poorly. The stability of a coaching position often depends on the performance of the team or athlete and, in professional sports, on box office or gate receipts.
Coaches in paid positions often work long, irregular hours and travel extensively. They must work evenings, weekends and holidays which is when most games and competitions take place. Depending on the sport, they may be required to work indoors or outdoors, sometimes in adverse weather conditions.
Coaches need the following characteristics:
In addition, they should be:
They should enjoy observing and assessing athletes' skills, working with people and directing the work of others.
Coaches often are former athletes, especially at the professional level. Other qualification requirements vary from one sport to another and from one level of a sport to another.
Most sport organizations have a formal screening process for coaches. In general, the preferred qualification is NCCP certification (see below) combined with a bachelor's degree in physical education or kinesiology (for more information, see the Kinesiologist occupational profile). However, preferred qualifications vary considerably and prospective coaches are strongly advised to obtain more detailed information from the appropriate provincial sport association or national sport federation.
The National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) provides training and certification in 66 different sports for all types of coaches, from first time coaches to the head coaches of national teams. Each year, over 50,000 coaches take an NCCP workshop. There are three streams and a total of eight contexts, each with its own coaching requirements. Each sport is responsible for identifying how many of the eight contexts are relevant to their sport.
Coaches of amateur teams (clubs, provincial, national or international) should be qualified through education and practical experience, and have achieved minimum NCCP Certification levels. Even unpaid volunteer coaches may be required to attend specific clinics to earn coaching certification.
Coaches of university or college teams usually must have a master's or doctoral (PhD) degree in physical education or kinesiology. Their responsibilities generally include teaching related post-secondary courses.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
For a broad list of programs and courses that may be related to this occupation try searching using keywords.
Below-average occupational growth is expected in Alberta for 2016 to 2020. Job openings are a result of employment turnover and newly created positions.
Most coaches are volunteers. Those in paid positions usually work on a contract basis for:
Assistant coaches may become head coaches. Some go on to become general managers of athletic teams. Others take on coaching and general manager responsibilities at the same time. Coaches also may become professional sport scouts, sport program directors or administrators in national sport federations.
If they have a related degree, coaches can become teachers, sport administrators or coaching consultants. Some coaches work in public relations and marketing.
In Alberta, 83% of people employed as coaches work in the following industries:
The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
Over 1,600 Albertans are employed in the Coaches occupational group. This group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.3% from 2016 to 2020. As a result, 21 new positions are forecast to be created each year, in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Some volunteer coaches receive an honorarium. Salaries for coaches in paid positions often are based on years of experience and certification level, and vary greatly from one sport to another and from one level of sport to another.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $10.20 | $25.00 | $15.96 | $15.00 |
| Overall | $13.00 | $100.00 | $31.15 | $19.28 |
| Top | $15.00 | $200.00 | $57.49 | $39.52 |
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* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Lower Reliability, represents a CV of between 15.01% and 33.00% and/or if fewer than 20 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 33% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
Alberta Culture and Tourism website: culture.alberta.ca
Canadian Sport Institute - Calgary website: csicalgary.ca
Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) website: www.coach.ca
Edmonton Sport Council website: www.edmontonsport.com
For more information on career planning, education and jobs, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) website, call the Alberta Career Information Hotline toll-free at 1-800-661-3753 or 780-422-4266 in Edmonton, or visit an Alberta Works Centre near you.
Updated Mar 08, 2016. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.