Structure of UKA Coaching Scheme is below

If you wish to become a coach with the club, we can support you with mentoring and funding to qualify. Please contact us HERE

1. LEADER

Two types of leadership qualification are available:

  1. Athletics Leader (for Track and Field Club Athletics)
  2. Leader in Running Fitness (for off-track running clubs and schemes)

Athletics Leader Award

Who should go on this course?

The course is primarily for those working with young athletes or athletes in the early stages of the athlete development pathway. The course is aimed particularly at adults; mainly parents and grandparents of athletes.

Key details:

  • The Athletics Leaders Award is a one day attendance only course enabling leaders to help at athletics sessions in a club based setting working from task cards. Prior to attending the course candidates are expected to view a selection of task cards on uCoach to familiarise themselves with their layout and content.
  • The Leader will work with modified athletics equipment operating from a series of task cards designed to include run, jump and throw activities for the Fundamentals, Foundation and Event Group Development stages of athlete development.
  • Once qualified, Athletics Leaders will work under the supervision of an Athletics Coach in a club environment. They will be insured to lead a focussed component of a session, ensure it is organised and safe, whilst under the direct supervision of a Coach within visual and audible range.
  • This award is not a coaching qualification although it is a recommended entry pathway towards coaching. It covers the core skills of organisation, safety, instruction and explanation, organising groups and managing behaviour.

Find out more HERE.

Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF)

Who should go on the course?

The ‘Leader in Running Fitness’ Award is aimed at anyone with an interest in running for fitness who would like to lead a group. It is a one day attendance only course. This is not a Coaching qualification although it does provide an entry pathway towards coaching qualifications.

Key Details:

  • The course is designed to prepare you as a Leader to provide a safe and enjoyable running experience for people over 12 years of age of any level of ability, age, size and shape. As a Leader you may be a member of an Athletics Club or Fitness or other sports club.
  • The course will focus on the safe organization of running activity and how to lead a group of inexperienced runners. You will be asked to consider some of the barriers that may prevent people from taking up running and think about what you could do as a leader to make a difference. This will include making sure that you understand the reason for and the purpose of both a warm up and a cool down. You will also learn about the different sorts of running activities that can make running varied and enjoyable. The course covers the core skills of Instruction and Explanation, Demonstration and Risk Assessment.
  • Your qualification as a Leader in Running Fitness will provide you with insurance to lead a group within the limits of the course content. However, it is important to note that this course is not about coaching runners or running and should you wish to coach runners then you will need to attend a coaching specific coach education course.

Find out more about the LiRF course HERE.

2. COACHING ASSISTANT AWARD

The Coaching Assistant Award is the first step on the coaching ladder if the candidate has elected not to attend the Athletics Leader Award.

Who should go on this course?

The course is primarily aimed at adult athletes; ex-athletes; and parents.

Key details:

  • The two-day attendance only programme will normally be delivered over one weekend and has been designed to cover the early stages of the Athlete Development Pathway. It is the first step for those that are committed to becoming a coach.
  • The Coaching Assistant Award will work with standard athletics equipment and support an Athletics Coach in the delivery of athletics sessions.
  • Coaching Assistants may be working between Fundamentals and Event Group Development stages. Prior to attending the course candidates are expected to complete pre-course study via uCoach, completion of an induction pack, familiarisation with task cards and session plan templates, home study packs and pre-course reading.
  • The Coaching Assistant will operate from task cards and session plans provided by the Supervising Coach and they will be insured to assist in the delivery of all aspects of an outcome focussed session whilst being supervised by a Coach.
  • The Supervising Coach must be at the same venue as the Coaching Assistant or if absent, another Supervising Coach must be at the venue.
  • A Coaching Assistant will be able to assist a Coach in the delivery of sessions within that coach’s area of expertise.
  • The Coaching Assistant Award becomes more technical and includes information on movement and mechanical principles underpinning run jump throw activities; once qualified Coaching Assistants will be able to operate in a club environment supporting a Supervising Coach.

Find out more about the Coaching Assistant Award HERE.

3. COACHING AWARDS

Two types of coaching qualifications are available:

  1. Athletics Coach (for Track and Field Club Athletics)
  2. Coach in Running Fitness (for off-track running clubs and schemes)

Athletics Coach Award

This is the cornerstone of the Coaching Qualifications Programme. The qualification will take three days to complete and requires a one day formal assessment.

Who should go on this course?

Coaches must be 18 or over to embark on the Athletics’ Coach programme.  The programme is for those working with athletes in the Foundation to Event Group Development stages (typically under 18s) and all applicants should be actively involved with groups and have access to foundation stage athletes a minimum of twice a week for a period of at least eight consecutive weeks.

Coaches will need to profile the athletes they work with in addition to their development as part of the assessment element of the programme.  Candidates should have a minimum of an old UKA Level 1 award or a new Coaching Assistant award plus three months minimum practical experience of coaching after the completion of the award. Candidates without this prior experience will have applications rejected.

What does the programme cover?

  • Technical basis of running for speed, endurance and over obstacles, jumping for height and distance, push and pull throws
  • Skill development
  • Fundamental movement skills
  • Athlete Profiling
  • Athlete Development
  • Energy systems
  • Factors influencing performance
  • Elements of planning and delivery
  • The role and responsibilities of a Coach
  • The core coaching skills
  • Physical preparation
  • Flexibility
  • Integrated coaching

Find out more about the Athletics Coach Award HERE.

Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF) Award

This is the cornerstone of the Coaching Qualifications Programme for off-track endurance. The qualification will take three days to complete and requires a one day formal assessment.

Who should go on this course?

Coaches must be 18 or over to embark on the CiRF programme. The programme is primarily for those working with runners up to and including the event group development stage. All applicants must be active leaders or coaches who have completed as a minimum a Level 1, FiRW, LiRF or Coaching Assistant course.

CiRF is about the broad application to non-track based endurance running events rather than specific events or distances.

What does the programme cover?

  • Fundamental running skills and drills
  • Skill development
  • Energy systems and endurance running
  • Physical preparation
  • Nutrition
  • Injury prevention and management
  • Flexibility
  • Factors influencing performance
  • Elements of planning and delivery
  • The role and responsibilities of a Coach
  • The core coaching skills
  • Integrated coaching
  • Athlete Development
  • Athlete Profiling

Find out more about the CiRF Award HERE.

FURTHER SELECTED QUESTIONS

What about the Event Group, Event Specialist and Master Coach Awards?

  • These awards are not yet available and are currently being developed. When we are close to releasing these awards an announcement will be made on uCoach and all the Home Country websites.

How does informal coach development fit into this?

I am currently a qualified UKA coach, what will happen to my qualification?

  • If you are a Level 1,2,3 or 4 UKA coach or hold CiA, LiRF or FiRW licences, these qualifications will remain with you for life as long as you adhere to the terms and conditions associated with them.

So if I’m currently a Level 1 coach what are my options if I choose to take further qualifications under the new proposed system?

  • Level 1 coaches are encouraged to move into a coaching role and enter the system through either the Children’s Coach, Athletics Coach or Coach in Running Fitness awards. However, level 1’s who would like to refresh their skills can undertake courses aimed at individuals working in Coaching Assistant and Athletics Leader roles.

If I’m currently a Level 2 coach what are my options if I choose to take further qualifications under the new proposed system?

There are several options available for Level 2 coaches:

  • If you’re working predominantly with children, you could opt to take the Children’s Coach award when it becomes available.
  • For those working with developmental athletes and who may wish to work across multiple events groups, you should consider the Athletics Coach award.
  • Those working with athletes at the Event Group stage of development should take the ‘Event Group Coach’ award, when it becomes available.
  • Those Level 2 coaches working predominantly with adults in an off track environment should take the ‘Coach in Running Fitness’ award.
  • For those Level 2 coaches who have considerable experience and have developed their coaching skills independently of current coach education system through informal coach development and mentoring, you may wish to consider the challenge of the Master Coach award when it becomes available.

If I’m currently a Level 3 or 4 coach what are my options if I choose to take further qualifications under the new proposed system?

  • Coaches who currently hold a Level 3 or Level 4 licence can choose to undertake any of the courses that fall within the coach role; they may wish to take an award that meets the needs of the athletes they are predominantly coaching or aspire to coach, or they may wish to take the Specialist Coach or Master Coach assessment when they become available.

Will the new coaching structure be more expensive?

  • The cost of completing the entire coach education from Coaching Assistant to Specialist Coach will remain similar to the cost of completing the existing system from Level 1 to Level 4, although there may be an increase in the cost of becoming a ‘licenced coach’ initially, compared to the existing system.

For a more detailed Q&A on the new coaching qualifications structure written in 2009, follow the link.