UCL Union Clubs and
Societies
Coach/Instructor Pack
This pack is a guide for all clubs and societies who wish to engage the services of a
qualified coach or instructor. Outlined within is advice on finding a coach or instructor and
the relationship the club has with them. It also covers the steps to take to ensure their
services are engaged in the correct way.
Give your coach/instructor a copy of the this pack and attached Coach Registration Form.
Refer him/her to the Self Employment and Payment section (pages 5 – 6) and Code of
Conduct (pages 9 – 13).
No coach/instructor can take any sessions unless these documents have been completed.
All paperwork should be returned to the Clubs and Societies Administrator.
Please take two copies of this pack: One for yourself as president and another for
your coach/instructor.
1
ENGAGING THE SERVICES OF SPORTS COACHES
NOTES FOR CLUB OFFICERS
Coaches and Instructors are an integral part of UCL Union’s Club’s and Societies’ activity,
and are important in maintaining and developing safety, up to date practices, and the
performance of the Union’s Clubs.
It is therefore important to ensure that all Clubs and Societies are engaging the services of
appropriately qualified and insured individuals. You must, as President, follow the
guidelines outlined below and ensure your coach/instructor receives a copy of this pack
and completes the attached Coach Registration Form. Failure to comply with these
guidelines is a serious matter, and will be dealt with through disciplinary procedures.
If you have any questions about this pack, or any aspect of engaging the services of a
coach or instructor, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Clubs and Societies Administrator
Guidelines for the Coach/Instructor Registration Pack
Relationship
The UCL Union Clubs’ Code of Conduct for Coaches outlines the parameters of the
relationship between the coaches, the individual players and the club. The relationship
with the coach is managed by the individual club and contact with UCL Union should be
via the Club officers. Club officers must make sure that they are familiar with this code.
The coach will be asked to sign to say that they will abide by this code.
UCL Union Clubs and Societies must
coaches/instructors on a self-employed basis.
engage
the
services
of
all
external
Steps to engaging a Coach/Instructor
First Step
Before looking for a coach you must decide the job description, including the relationship
discussed above, the expectations as discussed later, the role they will play, hours worked,
competencies required etc, and use these to select the appropriate person.
In order to source a coach it is wise to begin by contacting the national governing body
(NGB) for your sport or activity. Many NGBs will have websites with information about
coaches, and contact details for staff who can put you in contact with qualified coaches.
For some larger NGBs this will be done through the regional offices, where staff will have a
better knowledge of local coaches. To find your NGB website try a search on the internet,
if you have no luck contact the Clubs and Societies Administrator who may be able to help.
Alternatively, have a look at www.sportscoachuk.org, for advice and ideas.
If this method does not produce a pool of candidates you may wish to advertise the
position.
2
Advertising
If you are placing an advert it is essential that you do not contravene equal opportunities
legislation. Therefore, we ask that all adverts are submitted to the Clubs and Societies
Administrator prior to publication.
As a minimum adverts should state the relevant requirements, remuneration and that the
coach will be working on a self-employed basis.
Selection
Once you have found a candidate(s) you should interview them and watch them coach to
get a feel for how they will suit your club. Hiring the right person is an important decision
so please give it the time and effort it deserves. If you are unsure please contact the
Clubs and Societies Administrator for advice.
References & Qualifications
Club Presidents must take up written references prior to engaging a Coach. You will find
an example reference letter in this pack which you must complete and send out to the
coach/instructor’s referees. Upon receipt of satisfactory references please return a copy of
these to the Clubs and Societies Administrator. Coaches may commence sessions, with
continued service subject to satisfactory references.
Club Presidents are responsible for ensuring that the Coach is qualified to a level
recommended by the sport’s National Governing Body, appropriate to the needs of the
club. If your coach is unqualified, they cannot be paid, and the club and coach must make
it clear that they are unqualified to all participants at the beginning of each session.
In the case of activities where there are no formal benchmark qualifications for coaching
e.g. dance, Club Officers may hold auditions for instructors, which along with candidates’
past experience will be sufficient for selection.
Continuing Service
As coach/instructors are operating on a self employed basis they are not employees of the
Union or the club. Therefore, in order to continue with their service beyond one academic
year it is necessary to re-register them. The decision to do this is down to the incoming
committee, and we recommend that if the club intend to re-hire the coach for the next year
they discuss this with the coach before the end of the 3 rd term. The coach will be required
to fill in the registration forms and attach certification of qualifications and insurance as
before.
The club may wish to re-advertise the position each year to consider alternative applicants.
Similarly, as the coach is not employed, if the club decide not to continue using them it is
good practice to inform them of your intentions in good time.
Volunteer Coaches
Many coaches are volunteers, and you may wish to use a volunteer as your club coach, or
to assist a paid coach. Volunteers do not need to be qualified and insured, but they must
declare before each session that this is the case so that all session participants are aware.
We recommend that you still endeavour to find volunteers with qualifications or experience,
and in the case of student coaches, we can help them to gain their qualifications through
the Step Into Coaching scheme. We ask that any volunteer coaches fill out the relevant
sections
of
the
registration
pack
and
return
them
to
the
union.
3
Process for Engaging the Services of a Coach/Instructor
1. Committee/President decide on job description for coach
2. Recruitment
- Contact NGBs and other sources
- Advertise if necessary
3. Selection
- Interview candidates
- Observe preferred candidates
4. Club and Coach to agree - Remuneration
- Coach-Club Commitment
5. Forms
- Coach to complete registration pack
- Qualification and Insurance certificates
- President to contact referees
- Coach-Club Commitment
- All forms to be sent to Clubs and
Societies Administrator
6. Begin Sessions
7. Instructors to send invoices to Finance Dept
8. Instructors to update qualifications and insurance, and take
part in continuous professional development & send copies
to union
9. Periodically review coach - Re-recruit if necessary
- Re-register annually
4
Self-Employment & Payment
In order that the Coach can be paid the following must happen:

The Coach shall be registered as self-employed with the Inland Revenue. It is an
offence for a self employed individual not to register within 3 months of beginning
work. Details on how to register as self employed can be found by calling the
Inland Revenue Self Employment Helpline on 0845 915 4515

The coach shall complete the Coach/Instructor Registration Form, provide written
documentation of their insurance cover for coaching and their coaching
qualifications. This documentation should be returned by the club to the Clubs and
Societies Administrator.

The club and coach shall agree in writing what services will be provided (CoachClub Commitment). This should be submitted with the Coach/Instructor
Registration Form on a separate sheet. It should be signed by both club and coach
and should ideally include the following:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–

no. of coaching hours per week,
the days of delivery,
type of training,
teams/squads to be coached,
coaches responsibilities,
club responsibilities,
plus other areas you feel are relevant e.g. aims for the season
The Coach shall invoice the club and include the following information:
–
–
–
–
Full name
Full address (N.B. this must not be c/o Club Pigeonhole)
Full National Insurance Number
Clear statement of the services they have provided, and to whom, and the
amount of money owed (N.B. the payment will be for the Gross Amount)
– The following statement: I am self employed and I am responsible for any tax
or National Insurance liability.

Invoices must be sent to:
UCL Union
Finance Department
25 Gordon Street
London, WC1H OAY
Treasurers must ensure that instructors are invoicing for the correct amount, and that
actual service matches with that on the invoice.
Please see example invoice included in this pack as a guide, and ensure instructors
have a copy for reference.
NB. Instructors may not charge ‘Mat Fees’ or equivalent, where they take cash from
participants at sessions. All income from classes must be banked into the club account,
from which the instructor can invoice for payment. Any clubs or societies found breaking
this rule will be disciplined.
5
EXAMPLE INVOICE
INVOICE
Mr A Instructor
Coach Drive
London
NW1 3GF
0207 123 4567
UCL Union
Finance Department
25 Gordon Street
London
WC1H OAY
Description
Amount
Payment for Ultimate Frisbee Coaching
Sessions with the UCLU Ultimate Frisbee
Club during January and February 2006
@ £15.00 per hour
14 x £15.00 = £210.00
11/1/06
18/1/06
25/1/06
2/2/06
8/2/06
15/2/06
22/2/06
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours
2 hours_
14 hours
National Insurance Number:
AB 12 34 C
I am self employed and I am responsible for any tax or National Insurance liability
Yours Sincerely
Alan Instructor
Alan Instructor
6
Example Reference Request Form
Thank you in advance for your assistance. Please complete and return to:
University College London Ultimate Frisbee Club, 25 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AY
Candidate’s Name
Position applying for
Please describe how the candidate is known to you
________________________________________________________________________
_
If candidate was known through employment:
Position
Held
Reason for
Leaving
Your
Relationship
Start
Date
Leaving
Date
Leaving
Salary
Please advise on the following aspects of the candidates employment:
Excellent Good Acceptable Poor
Comments to justify rating
Honesty/
Integrity
Quality of Work
Attitude to
Seniors
Relationship
with
Colleagues
Attitude to
Customers
Treatment of
Confidential
Matters
Ability to show
Initiative
Time-keeping/
Reliability
Is there any further information you feel would be relevant to this appointment?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
____
Please tick this box if you do not wish this reference to be shown to the candidate
Print Name
Job Title
Company
Name
Signature
Date
7

EXAMPLE COACH-CLUB AGREEMENT
UCL Futsal Club Coach-Club Agreement 2006/07
 The coach will provide 2 x 2 hour coaching sessions per week during term time
throughout the BUSA Futsal season, at a rate of £15 per hour.
 The sessions will take place at Somers Town, on Mondays from 6-8pm and Thursdays
from 5-7pm.
 Coaching will be for the Men’s and Women’s 1st team squads on Mondays, and the
whole club on Thursdays.
 The Monday sessions will involve fitness, ball skills and match tactics.
 The Thursday sessions will involve ball skills and practice matches.
 The coach is not required to attend matches, however the captain will report back so
that relevant areas can be worked on in proceeding sessions.
Coach Responsibilities:
 To provide training sessions at the appropriate level for the participants
 To keep knowledge updated through training courses and continuous professional
development
 To abide by the UCL Union Club’s Code of Conduct for Coaches
 To invoice UCL Futsal Club for services received
UCL Futsal Club Responsibilities:
 To ensure a good turnout for every training session, and that participants will be
committed to learn from, and respect the coach.
 That the club will participate with the right spirit, putting in maximum effort at training
and matches, and accepting wins and losses with grace.
 To communicate effectively with the coach, providing constructive feedback on
coaching sessions, and reporting back from matches on what areas need work.
 To ensure the club allows all student members the opportunity to play Futsal in an
enjoyable and safe environment
Aims for the season:
 Have a Men’s and a Women’s team complete all matches of a BUSA season
 Finish in the top half of the table
 Recruit and retain to ensure at least 30 regularly training members of the club
 All members to enjoy training sessions and improve playing skills
Coach Name
Mr B Instructor
Coach Signature
Brian Instructor
Date
1/6/06
UCL Futsal Club
President Name
Ronald Inho
President Signature
Ronald Inho
Date
1/6/06
8
UCL Union Clubs’ Code of Conduct for Coaches
Principles of the Code of Conduct
Coaches are persons responsible for the development of an individual or group of
individuals within a specific sport or activity. Coaching is the organised provision of
assistance to an individual performer or a group of performers in order to help them
develop and improve in their chosen sport/activity. As well as the sporting development the
coach is also tasked with the all round development of the player, or group of players,
within the sporting context. As such Coaches play a crucial role in both the development of
sporting activity and in the lives of the athletes they coach. Coaches are expected to have
professional and ethical values and inclusive and equitable practice. The agreed National
Governing Body standards of competence are to be the benchmark standard for coaching
delivery at all levels of the required competency.
UCL Union require that Clubs and Individuals work with coaches who are fit for purpose by
virtue of possessing the requisite skills, experience and personal qualities. To ensure
coaches act in the best interests of the players at all times UCL Union has drawn up
guidelines within which coaches supporting UCL Union activities will be required to work the UCL Union Clubs’ Code of Conduct for Coaches.
It is important that these expected standards of coaching practice are widely publicised
and maintained and that UCL Union members and others participating in sport are
informed of the code of ethics and are protected through its application.
To this end all coaches are expected to have read and understood this code and have
agreed in writing to abide by the Code of Conduct, before working with any group of
athletes.
9
Personal Standards
Coaches must consistently display exemplary standards of personal behaviour and project
a favourable image of their sport and of coaching to the athletes, other coaches, officials,
spectators, the general public and others involved in the sport. Coaches are expected to
have professional and ethical values and inclusive and equitable practice.
Coaches are required to encourage:
(a) athletes to behave appropriately during both training and competition. Coaches
accept personal responsibility for the conduct of their athletes insofar as they will
undertake to discourage inappropriate behaviour.
(b) athletes to abide by the rules of the sport and actively discourage any violation of
the rules of their sport.
(c) athletes to work within the Discipline Guidelines contained in the Articles of
Memorandum for the relevant sport. The agreed National Governing Body
standards of competence are to be the benchmark standard for coaching delivery at
all levels.
(d) athletes to uphold the spirit of the sport, and treat officials and opponents with due
respect at all times dealing with both victory and defeat in a dignified manner.
Coaches must not compromise their athletes by advocating measures which could
constitute unfair advantage. In particular coaches must not:
(a) adopt practices to accelerate performance improvement which might jeopardise the
safety, total well-being and future participation of the athlete
(b) advocate or condone the use of prohibited drugs or other banned performance
enhancing substances. In this context coaches should make a positive effort to
educate athletes as to the improper use of substances that are on the sport’s
banned drugs and substances list.
Coaches must not attempt to exert undue influence over the athlete in order to obtain
personal benefit or reward.
Coaches must refrain from public criticism of fellow coaches, officials, Club Officers, UCL
Union Officers and Staff and of UCL Union policy. Differences of opinion should be dealt
with on a personal basis and more-serious disputes should be dealt with by following the
procedures in Complaints Procedure section at the end of this pack.
Personal appearance is a matter of individual taste but the sports coach has an obligation
to project an image of health, cleanliness and functional efficiency. In this context coaches
should not:
(a) drink alcohol so soon before coaching that it would affect their competence to coach,
compromise the safety of the athletes or obviously indicate they had been drinking
(e.g. smell of alcohol on breath).
(b) smoke while coaching.
10
Relationships
Coaches have a responsibility to set and uphold the boundaries between a working
relationship and friendship between themselves and the athletes.
Coaches must ensure that where physical contact between coach and athlete is a
necessary part of the coaching process, no action on their part could be misconstrued and
that any National Governing Body (NGB) guidelines on this matter are followed.
Confidentiality
Coaches will, in the course of a working relationship, gather much information about
athletes. Coaches must agree with the Club President what information is not confidential
and as a result may be divulged to a third party without the express approval of the athlete.
Confidentiality does not preclude the disclosure of information about an athlete to persons
who can be judged to have a right to know. For example:




Evaluation for competitive selection purposes.
In pursuit of disciplinary action involving athletes within the sport.
In pursuit of disciplinary action by a sports organisation against one of its members.
Legal and medical requirements for disclosure.
Safety
Coaches must be concerned at all times with the safety and well being of their athletes
above all other considerations, including the development of performance. In this context
coaches must ensure:
(a) all reasonable steps are taken to ensure a safe environment to train and compete,
consider facilities, equipment, activity risk assessments, emergency procedures etc.
(b) athletes have been systematically prepared for the activity and made aware of their
personal responsibilities in terms of safety, consider fitness levels, skill levels, rules,
behaviour, ethics, participants etc.
(c) the level of activity carried out by the athlete is suitable for the age, strength,
maturity and the ability of each individual athlete.
(d) techniques or skills covered taught are in accordance with their specific level of
coach award qualification.
(e) the work done and the manner in which it is done is in keeping with the regular and
approved practice of the sport as determined by the NGB.
Coaches will be required to provide documentary evidence of
(a) coach award qualifications
(b) adequate insurance to cover all aspects of their coaching practice.
Coaches must update their insurance and qualifications as necessary and send copies of
their certification to the club president, who must submit copies to the Clubs and Societies
Administrator. This is the responsibility of the club president.
In the event of accident/injury coaches are required to act in accordance with the relevant
NGB guidelines.
11
Expectations
Coaches should clarify the level of commitment expected from athletes with the Club
President at the outset of any agreement, (number and length of sessions, attendance at
matches or competition, fees etc). The UCL Union Club should in the same respect state
the expectation of the outcome of the coaching. The Club should set a goal for the season
and a short term goal for the season beyond. This will form the Coach-Club Agreement,
which the Union requires to be written, with a copy sent to the Clubs and Societies
Administrator. This must be acceptable to all parties, and be drawn up at the beginning of
any coaching undertaken, with the Club giving due consideration to the purpose behind
recruiting their coaches. Agreement on goals of coaching support and the performance
indicators should be included. An example agreement is included in the pack.
Coaches should also declare any pre-existing coaching commitments before commencing
work with the UCL Union Club. Coaches should also ascertain if the Club/team is receiving
instruction from another coach.
Coaches who become aware of a conflict between their obligation to their athlete and their
obligation to their NGB, (or other employing organisation), must make explicit to all parties
concerned the nature of the conflict, and the loyalties and responsibilities involved.
Coaches should expect a similar level of reciprocal commitment from the Club/team. In
this respect the Club President/team Captain should inform the coach of any change in
circumstances that might affect the coach/club relationship.
Equity
Coaches are required to respect the rights of every athlete they work with, and treat all as
equals within the context of their activity and ability. This must be regardless of age, ethnic
origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, cultural background or political affiliation.
Coaches must ensure that any activity under their supervision is free from any form of nonequitable behaviour.
12
Remuneration
The level of remuneration is determined by the Club, in accordance with guidelines set out
by relevant sports governing body.
Coaches are engaged on a self employed basis. UCL Union will require confirmation of
each coaches self employed status 1 prior to engagement, however it is the responsibility
of each individual coach to meet the requirements for payment of tax and National
Insurance.
Complaints Procedure
Anyone wishing to make a complaint about any person acting in the capacity of a coach
should report the matter to the relevant Club President in the first instance.
Any person acting in the capacity of a coach who wishes to make a complaint should
likewise report the matter to the relevant Club President in the first instance.
If in either of the above cases the matter remains unresolved, it should be referred to the
Clubs, Societies and Student Development Officer (email: [email protected]). On
receipt of a complaint procedural guidelines will be issued to all parties
1
Information on how to set up and register as self employed is available at www.businesslink.gov.uk
13