Behind every great dodgeball player is a great coach, and in the UK, there are more than 3000 qualified dodgeball coaches ranging from those delivering beginner sessions at schools and youth groups to those working with our high performance players at national team level.
One of our key methods that will help the sport to grow is to increase the workforce. This will see more coaches supporting clubs, schools and individuals of all ages to play more dodgeball on a regular basis. On this page you will find everything you need to know about how to get into dodgeball coaching, how your coaching can support your club and even enable you to make a living from coaching this great game.
“Being able to encourage and develop players and then getting to see the fruit of that investment is what makes coaching worthwhile to me” – David Pool, England Lions Head Coach
For new aspiring dodgeball coaches it’s important to get a reasonable understanding of the sport alongside patience and enthusiasm. The first step will be to ensure you have all the necessary qualifications in place. Our Coach Education Pathway document will show you what you need and how you can progress, including information on the following:
British Dodgeball Level 1 Coaching Qualification – available from this Easter as an online course. Coaching members receive a 50% discount on this course.
British Dodgeball Level 2 Coaching Qualification – courses available to sign up via the website. Coaching members receive a 50% discount on this course.
Criminal Records Check – a must have requirement when working with children and vulnerable people. You can obtain your Criminal Records Check via British Dodgeball for any area of the UK.
Safeguarding – a must have requirement when working with children and young people. We recommend signing up for a safeguarding course from our partner UK Coaching.
First Aid – we recommend all coaches working in dodgeball receive at least basic first aid training. Speak to your local Active Partnership or local Sports Development Team about courses in your area.
Public Liability Insurance – you can get this through your British Dodgeball affiliated club or as an individual. See below for Coaches Membership options.
A great opportunity to get into coaching is through a local dodgeball club you are either a member of already or that you can get involved with as a community coach, linking your local network of schools and groups to the hub club.
Their are many benefits of coaching as part of a local hub club, some of which are…
Funded Opportunities for your Coaching – The club can apply for funding from local and national partners that pays for your coaching. Such opportunities as local sports development grants focusing on developing the sport in areas of high demand and need with priority groups such as young people, women and girls or those in areas of deprivation.
Benefits to the Club – Coaching as part of a community club can help to introduce new players to the club which could lead to more club members and increased revenue and sustainability for the club.
School to Club Links – It is vital for young people playing sport in schools to have a clear exit route between dodgeball at school and dodgeball in the community. For children to be sustained in dodgeball there needs to be a strong offer from both their school and their local club. The club coach helps facilitate that link by being the welcoming face within satellite sessions at schools and the club sessions.
Community Engagement – A coach is often the link between the local community and the club and represents the face of the club in the area. Putting a face to a name means so much more in a community than a name on an email or website. Opportunities such as delivering on club open days are fantastic for a coach to engage with their local community.
Further Opportunities – At larger clubs there may be opportunities to coach dodgeball to elite teams taking part in leagues and tournaments across the UK. The sport and its clubs are forever developing and as clubs get larger and their income grows opportunities for contractual coaching at clubs will be more commonplace.
“An inspiring coach not only teaches us new skills and how to be active but also has a transformative and lasting impact on community life” – UK COACHING
Coaching can be highly rewarding. Through coaching you can not only help others to be active, improve and connect but also improve your own mental wellbeing by experiencing good inner feelings and develop qualities for life such as leadership, confidence, adaptability and organisation.
Our Coach Education Pathway document shows how you can qualify and progress as a dodgeball coach. Once you have all the necessary qualifications and completed the relevant courses required to begin coaching you could start to earn an income as a self employed coach.
There are over 3 million people enjoying a career in sports coaching in the UK, coaching anyone from toddlers to the elderly and from basic movement to elite performance coaching. If you take up a career in coaching dodgeball you will likely find yourself coaching in primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, universities and community clubs. You might even find yourself setting up a community club, see our Club Support section for further support. Teaching the basic skills required to play as well as working with teams and individuals to develop drills, practices, tactics and evaluate performances that develop their game play and fitness.
Some of the key skills you will need to have a successful career in coaching include building relationships with players, being friendly and approachable, providing constructive criticism, having good people skills and being adaptable and honest in your dealings with players. As a good coach you will always be learning as you evaluate your sessions in order to improve yourself and the players you coach.
A career as a self-employed dodgeball coach can earn you between £20,000 and £45,000 depending on your ability to deliver to a range of groups.
We at British Dodgeball believe that the more people coaching and working in dodgeball as part of their careers the better the development of the sport will be, we’re here to support you so if coaching dodgeball as part of your career is of interest to you please feel free to get in touch with a member of the team at hello@britishdodgeball.com
British Dodgeball is here to support you on your journey as a dodgeball coach and offer invaluable ongoing support via our resources, newsletters & webinars alongside providing public liability insurance needed for coaching sessions. Our coach membership is reviewed regularly with benefits added as products are developed.