Working your way up the coaching ladder

My coaching journey began when I was 15, with my local grassroots team, and I completed the FA Level 1 the following year.

I then worked through FA Youth Modules 1 and 2, before gaining my FA Level 2 badge while studying a sports coaching degree at university.

I graduated in June 2020, a few months into the Covid-19 pandemic - a challenging period for trying to find a job in the game.

I applied for loads of positions but mostly got email rejections. It became frustrating and I began to doubt myself - I didn’t think I would ever get out of my retail job.

One of my rejections came from Norwich City FC. I didn’t have enough experience for that job, but they did offer me a role over the summer working in their holiday camps.

Initially I thought ‘is this really what I want to do?’. But it made a change from retail, and it was a summer job in football, so I did it.

When that was over, I was offered the opportunity to work at one of Norwich’s local development centres and community sessions.

Although I was already working in retail, doing performance analysis for a local senior team, working with an FA Advanced Coaching Centre and another local football programme, I figured ‘why not?’ - again.

It was a good opportunity to do something I didn’t have much experience in. But before I knew it, we were back in lockdown with no football again!

During this time, I approached my line manager and said I thought I had a good topic for a CPD session for coaches, parents, and players.

He fully supported me and trusted me to do it. It was massively out of my comfort zone - I hated presentations throughout university, but this was something I was passionate about and because it was delivered online, it made it a bit easier. 

"I began to doubt myself - I didn’t think I would ever get out of my retail job..."

 The next thing I know, it’s June 2021. I applied for a similar role at Norwich as I had a year previously and had a good interview.

At that point, I was thinking about applying to do a Masters degree to keep my options open, but I was 90% sure I would get the job this time.

I didn’t get it – but it wasn’t a no this time; it was a ‘not yet’. The operations manager said they might still have something for me.

In less than four weeks, they came back with an opportunity to work in my preferred department at the club. I applied and got it. I was in, finally, as football development co-ordinator (girls and community).

Since starting this role, I have felt valued and supported, and been encouraged to come up with and implement new ideas.

I still deliver on our girls’ development programme, as well as on the community and female further education programmes, but I also have the responsibility of working in a wider team to deliver the best possible girls’ programme we can.

What I have learnt is that, if it’s at the company you want to work at, it doesn’t matter how you get in. If there’s a clear path to work your way up, from whatever entry level, go for it.

Working within different work settings, whether it’s elite, grassroots or performance analysis, will give you transferrable skills that you can take into any job.

Take any opportunities or make your own - no experience is bad experience, and you will learn something from every role, group of players and fellow coaches.