What is the Coach Register and should you be on it?
Everyone involved in Ultimate should be able to participate safely. The Coach Register is one of the systems we are developing to help with that. Coaches and clubs alike need to recognise the essential requirements a coach must have in place, whether working in a paid or voluntary capacity.
We hope that clubs will consider their responsibility to check a coach’s credentials, and where they can, consider supporting coaches with any additional costs. The basic requirements for safe coaching practice include:
safeguarding training (either for adults or children)
DBS if applicable
a first aid plan (this could mean the coach having First Aid training or there being a dedicated first aider who’ll be at each session)
appropriate insurance
basic coaching qualifications
There is more information here.
The Coach Register is designed for anyone who would refer to themselves as ‘a coach’. This includes those working with teams or clubs they do not or could not play with, such as coaches of under 18s, a non-student coaching a university team, a male coach in a female club. Coaches need to consider their individual coaching circumstances - if you are an out-and-out coach and not a player, irrespective of eligibility to play, you should be on the Register. We know there are lots of player-leaders who are doing some coaching within their own club, this is not applicable to being on the Coach Register.*
Maintaining a Coach Register means that as a sport we can work towards excellent standards. We need to be able to prevent anyone unsuitable from staying on the register in order to protect all players (children and adults). We have to accept the reality, as seen in many areas of sport, that coaching is an opportunity for possible abuse, and as a community ensure we work together to protect all of those involved (players and coaches alike).
We now have two ways a coach can join the register - either by becoming a UKU Coach Member (which includes registration for free alongside a range of member benefits), or simply by joining the Coach Register without any membership benefits. There is more information if you login to your member account and look at the Coaching Membership options.
If you have any questions or would like to talk about your specific circumstances, please email coaching@ukutlimate.com
If you want to gain your UKU Level 1 coaching qualification, which is an essential requirement to join the Coach Register, this is now completed online at your convenience. The content is FREE to UKU members and there is a small fee at the point of qualification. Learn more about how to access the UKU Coach Education materials here.
*Please note, player-leaders should consider how their club is set up and think carefully about what and who they are coaching. If you want any support as a player-leader please take a look at our FREE coach education materials.
