Sports coach
Also called sport coach, coach of sport, sports trainer
Sports coaches provide instruction in the sport of their specialisation in a recreational context to non-age-specific and age specific participants. They identify already acquired skills and implement suitable training programmes for the groups or individuals they teach in order to develop participants' physical and psychological fitness. They create the most optimal environment for the growth of participant skills and enable them to maximise their performance, while fostering good sportsmanship and character in all participants. Sports coaches also track the participant progress and provide personalised instruction where needed. They supervise sports facilities and changing rooms and maintain uniforms and equipment.
What you'd do
Sports coaches, instructors and officials · ILO- Identifying strengths and weaknesses of athletes or teams
- Planning, developing and implementing training and practice sessions
- Developing, planning and co-ordinating competitive schedules and programmes
- Motivating and preparing athletes or teams for competitive events or games
- Formulating competitive strategy, developing game plans and directing athletes and players during games or athletic events
- Analysing and evaluating athletes' or teams' performances and modifying training programmes
- Monitoring and analysing technique and performance, and determining how future improvements can be made
- Officiating at sporting events or athletic competitions to maintain standards of play and to ensure that game rules and safety regulations are observed
- Recording lapsed time and keeping score during events or competitions
- Judging the performance of competitors, awarding points, imposing penalties for infractions and determining results
- Compiling scores and other athletic records
- Indoors and outdoors
- A mix of sitting and standing
- Constant contact with people
- Good freedom to decide
- Often more than 40 hours a week
- Deadlines most weeks
- Varied tasks, little repetition
Will there be jobs?
Yes, good prospectsMany jobs will need filling by 2035.
Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.
What does it pay?
About averagePay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,400 a month (Bulgaria) to €6,600 (Luxembourg), before tax.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.
Among technicians and associate professionals in the EU, women earn 16% less per hour than men. Technicians and associate professionals · Eurostat
What do I need to study?
Usually post-secondary or a short degreePost-secondary training or a short degree in sports is the usual route.
819 institutions in the EU offer services bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.
Will AI change it?
LittleAI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.
Average task score 0.37 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).
See the score for each of the 11 tasks
Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for sports coaches, instructors and officials. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).