Coaches Guide for D of E
How our coaches involve Duke of Edinburgh students in community football sessions – and get the best out of them.
Duke of Edinburgh students join our Saturday community sessions to learn coaching skills, build confidence and contribute to the club. This guide is for our coaches.
Why they're here
- To learn coaching skills, build confidence, and contribute to the club.
- To gain real experience, not just complete hours.
- They are our future coaches – how we involve them matters.
Your role as coach
- Welcome them into the team.
- Give clear, simple roles.
- Support, encourage and guide.
- Provide feedback after tasks.
How to involve them
- Warm-ups: lead a stretch or fun game; work in pairs to build confidence.
- Skill practices: set up cones and equipment; demonstrate the practice, drill or game; supervise a small group.
- Games: for games like 1v1 or 2v2, students can serve the ball in to start the game, and referee small-sided games.
- Support: hand out bibs and balls; work 1:1 with players who need extra help; give positive feedback.
Top tips
- Plan one or two tasks for them each session.
- Get them involved early, not at the end.
- Rotate roles so they learn a variety.
- Turn mistakes into learning opportunities.
Avoid
- Leaving them standing around.
- Only giving "cone-carrying" jobs.
- Overloading them with too much responsibility.
- Ignoring them if they make a mistake.
Remember: a small effort to involve them equals a big impact on their confidence and future coaching journey. DofE students allow the coaches to coach – by supporting the session, they create space for the lead coach to focus on guiding the players.