Coaching, is it for me? Yes, of course it is, if you are over 16 you can start your Coaching qualifications. Firstly, you need to be a Badminton player with a good knowledge of the game and a passion for the sport. These qualifications are a recognised UK Coaching Certificate (UKCC) and there are levels 1, 2 and 3, with level 1 being the starting point.
Level One
You will have to give up some weekends to complete the introduction Level 1 Qualification (Assistant Coach). In this you will learn tactical and technical elements of the game and experience hands on coaching. Including the preparation for the course the length of the level one qualification is around 40 hours work in total and the cost of the course is £195, once qualified you will be able to assist a Level two coach.
Level Two
The Level 2 qualification will allow you to coach on your own. The Level 2 is very similar to the Level 1 but includes much greater detail and you will need to put aside at least 100 hours of your time for this one. You will have to completed level one and be over eighteen before embarking on Level 2 this will then allow you to coach on your own with the cost of the level two being around £350.
Level Three
Level 3 is not for the faint hearted and there are only a handful of level threes in the UK. This could take up to two years to qualify as before-hand you will have to of had experience and completed level one and level two. Prices are upon application and you will not automatically be given a place, you will have to apply and all applications will be considered. How many hours will you have to put in is up to you, but if you are worried about the time you have put in this is not the course for you!
There is some financial support available from your County Badminton Association and you will need to contact them for details
Once you have your qualifications you can take advantage of Badminton England support for insurance and CRB checks.
Want to know more? then check out the Badminton England Website for full details, good luck!
