The Institute of Sport and Recreation Management
Coaches / instructors
In this category are a number of teaching and coaching disciplines. They include working with groups, e.g. schools, trusts, play schemes, clubs and individuals at a range of levels, e.g. from novice to world class. It will include a range of ages, abilities and cultures.
Coaches work with all standards of sports participants from novices to the very top sportsmen and sportswomen. Full time jobs in coaching are scarce, they usually involve sports such as football, golf, athletics, tennis or basketball. Opportunities are more likely on a self-employed or part time basis in sports centres, sports clubs, schools, activity centres, hotels and holiday camps. Many coaches are volunteers and therefore do their work unpaid.
Coaches monitor athletes' physical and mental condition, devise training programmes and help meet performance targets. Besides commanding a highly elaborate technical knowledge of their sport, coaches must be sensitive and supportive, while still being able to motivate their athletes.
Every coach needs to possess a recognised qualification in coaching and each governing body of sport devises a training programme for coaching qualifications.
Instructors / coaches do not necessarily have to excel in a particular discipline themselves - but they do need to be good communicators, and inspire confidence in those whom they are teaching or coaching. You need to have an outgoing personality and not be afraid to communicate, lead and inspire people. In all uses you will need to obtain the pre-requisite National Governing Body coaching awards for the sport you wish to coach.
Swimming instructor / coach
Instructors / coaches teach the skills and techniques for learning to swim, different strokes, survival techniques, competitive swimming and life saving. Qualifications are usually a combination of written and practical. The most recognised ones are organised by the Amateur Swimming Association, Swimming Teachers' Association, Royal Life Saving Society UK and S/NVQ Level 2.
Sports development
Work can include anything (and everything) from organising events for communities, devising and implementing sports programmes, ensuring people can get access to activities, linking into local and regional sports initiatives, as well as speaking to schools, clubs, governing bodies and individuals.
Sports development officers fall into two main types. Community and sports specific. Community sports development officers deal with the development of sport generally and in particular to engage disaffected and under- represented populations, usually within a defined geographical area and for a specific population group. Sports specific officers deal with the development of one particular sport and usually directly for that sport's national governing body.
Whether community or sports specific, a sports development officer's work involves formulating and implementing policies and strategies with a view to increasing and maintaining participation and improving standards of performance. This work may be done at local, regional, national, European and even international level and will involve working closely in partnership with other key organisations.
An increasing number of sports development officers are being employed by local authorities. Sports development officers are also employed by national sports councils to develop sport at a national level.
There are no specific qualifications required for entry into sports development work. Sports development officers come from a wide variety of background such as professional sport, coaching, PE teaching and leisure management. Many have degrees in sports and exercise science, sports studies, sports development or physical education. A thorough knowledge of sport or range of sports, political awareness, excellent communication skills and the ability to build good working relationships with client groups and other partners is required.
The ISRM Sport and Recreation Management Certificate includes a sports development unit as an option for those that aspire to a career as a sports development officer.
Health / fitness instructor
Fitness instructors work in local authority leisure centres as well as in the growing number of private health clubs throughout the country. Recent statistics show that around 10 per cent of the population are members of a health and fitness club and this percentage is increasing all the time. Fitness instructors can teach any one or a number of the following activities: keep-fit, aerobics, circuit training, weight training, aquarobics, step aerobics, boxercise - usually to adults. As well as instructing groups, many fitness instructors are expected to draw up customised exercise programmes for clients and give advice on nutrition and lifestyle.
Most public and private centres have some kind of health or fitness studio, staffed by a team of qualified instructors.
The nationally recognised qualification (which enables instructors to run safe, effective and enjoyable classes) is the N/SVQ level II exercise to music certificate or equivalent such as the gym instructor level II awards of the Central YMCA and OCR, both of which are accredited on the Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs.) These qualifications cover basic teaching methods and music.
Many instructors are self-employed or operate on an income sharing basis. This also calls for a level of business acumen.
There are a range of specialist associations and governing body qualifications. Any of those that are on the Register of Exercise Professionals are recognised throughout the UK. Separate insurance policies are recommended in this area of work.