Training is so important. We wouldn’t be First Step Training if we didn’t think so. That’s why our courses, workshops and apprenticeships are built on expanding what you know so you can create a better service. It’s that simple.

Watching sports is a leisurely pastime. It could never have the same physical rigour of being a coach. You might be able to compare the skill of other players and teams to the ones you’re watching on Boxing Day. It doesn’t however, give you the physical capacity or knowledge to teach it to others.

That doesn’t mean that you should stop watching sports. Watching sports, even those outside of the direct sports or fitness your coaching can be great for updating your strategy. It will teach you in-game context and can continue to inspire you. What it can’t teach you is how to make strategy make sense to people who represent various levels and experiences.

Our Level 2 Certificate in Supporting Learning in PE & School Sport was developed with the sole purpose of preparing you for coaching children. Not just coaching them but supporting teachers leading lessons on football, rugby, and netball, to name a few. A firm understanding of how to catch and throw in Rugby for a child can build this sport into a lifelong activity for them.

If a child’s first experience of sport isn’t positive, it may be their last. Their needs in sport are very different from a professional athlete. The certificate allows you to break those needs down into manageable parts. And since a key part for any professional athlete, is receiving good coaching as a child, you could be at the helm of creating any kind of lifelong sportsperson.

And it’s definitely not something you can learn in a stadium or on the sofa!

Fill in your coaching gaps with First Step Training. Stay tuned for Myth no.3!