How To Become A Coach/Instructor: What It Is and Career Path

What is a coach/instructor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Elise Eden

Coaches stir up different memories of school, depending on how athletic you were. Some people remember the days fondly, and others are glad to be done with it. But coaches are crucial to the performance of student-athletes. Their guidance also helps students develop their competence and passion.

A coach instructs people on how to play a particular sport. They help teams and individuals develop their skills through practice drills, conditioning, and overall great advice. They also develop strategies, monitor performance, and evaluate the form of their athletes. A coach's role is also highly motivational, as they'll need to inspire the athletes to do more and push themselves.

The qualifications may differ depending on the school you apply to. But a bachelor's degree in a sports-related field is preferred, as well as many years of experience.

What general advice would you give to a coach/instructor?

Dr. Elise Eden

Vocal Area Coordinator, University of Wisconsin - Platteville

Find a mentor/role model who is in the place you want to be in 5 years. Getting started can be hard, but having a resource outside of your new job is invaluable.

ScoreCoach/InstructorUS Average

Salary

4.1

Avg. Salary $52,182

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.0

Growth rate 20%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.22%

Asian 5.45%

Black or African American 8.90%

Hispanic or Latino 13.26%

Unknown 5.68%

White 66.49%

Gender

female 58.17%

male 41.83%

Age - 34

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34

Stress level

8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.3

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a coach/instructor

Explore coach/instructor education requirements

Most common coach/instructor degrees

Bachelor's

57.8 %

Master's

28.7 %

Associate

6.3 %

Start to develop specific coach/instructor skills

Skills	Percentages
Classroom Management	7.92%
Math	6.09%
Instructional Support	6.02%
Student Learning	5.86%
Professional Growth	5.68%

Complete relevant coach/instructor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New coach/instructors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a coach/instructor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real coach/instructor resumes.

Research coach/instructor duties and responsibilities

Manage and schedule local and national soccer competitions.
Present information of math program through PowerPoint presentation to parents and community.
Teach students in GED program.
Serve on district wide PBIS team.

Prepare your coach/instructor resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your coach/instructor resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a coach/instructor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable coach/instructor resume templates

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