Coach Education: Changing for the better?

It has been mooted for a while now that the shape of coach education is set to change in major ways. Exactly how it would change it wasn't easy to say, but it was quite clear that different courses and pathways are to become more 'aligned'.

After attending a CPD (Continuous Professional Development) event last Monday - based around the FA Youth award - we were given a snippet of how it was going to look come the end of 2016. Coach education is set to become more modular, and set in blocks. For example - the Level 1 Football could be block one, while the Level 2, Youth Modules 1 + 2 could fall into block two. We weren't given the exact or full detail, but you get the picture!

Equally, the way in which candidates will be assessed is changing. You do get the feeling that the Football Association want to move away from the old school, high-pressure assessments. Back in August I attended a UEFA B assessment day and the tension was immediately obvious. This was very much make or break for some people, they had a lot riding on completing this qualification.

It was not at all nice to see that pressure affecting people. There were sighs of relief for those who weren't to be assessed that day. They didn't feel ready whatsoever. And while it didn't put me off applying for the course - it made me consider if I was ready just yet. To hear that the form of assessment was to become more competency based pleased me.

There will of course be those who disagree, of the belief that this might water down the courses and make them easier. But there are good coaches out there who are let down by the system currently in place. They need support, not rejection.

The brilliant candidates on the recent Futsal Level 2 course!

I was able to see this in full flow last weekend as I completed the FA Futsal Level 2 course. My own session went swimmingly and I passed well. There was a great mix of people from various backgrounds on the course but for a couple of candidates there was an obvious language barrier and this had become evident in their assessed topics. I don't think any of us doubted their knowledge of Futsal, in fact one was a truly excellent player! It was simply a case of articulating this knowledge through their coaching.

Rather than failing those that hadn't quite ticked all the boxes there and then, they were given the support they needed to be able to pass the course. They were asked questions to check their knowledge and offered another opportunity to demonstrate that in their session. They passed.

Is there really anything wrong with that? Shouldn't the tutors, the coach educators, be doing just that? To their credit the tutors on my course were brilliant.

The direction the education of coaches is going in is a positive one - and social media does a good job of highlighting this. Coaches can interact, learn off of each other and network.

I hope that this new approach will be welcomed and that the Football Association will update us accordingly. What is needed most is transparency to not allow any confusion over the changes.

One thing is for sure - times are changing, don't fall behind!