Coaching Conference Mission Possible

Minimum Standards

What are Minimum Standards for Deployment?

Minimum Standards for Deployment (MSD) describe the basic competencies required for coaches coaching children, players and athletes at a variety of levels.

The standards are designed to promote high-quality coaching delivery from coaches, whilst at the same time giving participants, parents, employers and deployers a guide to the kind of experience, skills and qualifications they should expect coaches to have. The MSD components are relevant to paid and volunteer coaches.

The minimum standards include: -

  • Minimum age
  • Appropriate qualification level
  • Insurance
  • Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks
  • Policies (Code of practice, Equality, Participant Welfare, Health & Safety)

Sports Coach UK are working with approximately 39 sports to agree a set of core MSD components and additions. This phased approach allows for differences between sports, coaching levels and settings. As when this work is completed Coaching Hampshire & IOW will publish the finding and promote both the core components and additions.

CriteriaDefinitionRationale
Minimum Age

Assistant Coach 16+ years

Lead Coach or Independent deliverer 18+ years

The reason for the age split is to ensure that a Lead Coach or Independent deliverer is also an adult.
Appropriate Qualifications

Assistant Coach UKCC Level 1

Lead Coach or Independent deliverer UKCC Level 2 or above

For any non-UKCC qualification, confirmation would need to be sought from Sport Specific Governing Body to clarify if the qualification enables/allows them to lead or independently deliver.
InsuranceInsuarnace policy that covers the coach for the duties to be undertakenTo ensure the coach as well as the participant is covered.
Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checkWithin Scotland coaches will comply with the requirements of Scottish Disclosure and Enhanced CRB applying elsewhere.Vetting and Barring for England.

Policies:

  • Code of Conduct
  • Equality
  • Participant Welfare
  • Health & Safety
A provider would need to have the relevant policies and be implementing them and a coach would need to sign up to the policies.Identifying areas of best practice and importantly that they are implemented by the provider and the coach.

MSD Update - August 2010

Sports Coach UK has recently completed a review of the content, function and nature of minimum standards for sports coaches within the UK sports coaching industry.

Based on these findings, minimum standards for deployment have been recommended for use by organisations engaged in the employment, deployment and development of coaches.
The document is available online.