In schools and sports clubs, there’s often an admirable enthusiasm to invest in state-of-the-art facilities. From pristine artificial pitches to fully-equipped gyms and multi-sport halls, these spaces are built to inspire and enable young athletes to thrive (Not to mention wow prospective parents on school open days!). However, I frequently encounter a recurring and frustrating problem: while large budgets are poured into bars, plates, dumbbells and platforms , minimal funding is allocated for qualified and experienced coaches to deliver high-quality programs to the youth athletes within them.
What results is an excellent facility, but a poor standard of youth program happening within. Let’s be honest for a second, do you really think you’re going to get an excellent qualified coach with useful experience when you’re offering a term time only contract of 20k pro rata? You know what they say “Pay peanuts – get monkeys.”
It’s a classic case of having a beautiful Ferrari but having Fred Flintstone driving it.
all the gear but no idea
Facilities are important. They provide the physical space where young athletes can train, play, and compete. However, these spaces are just tools—they only become transformational when paired with knowledgeable coaches who can maximize their potential. You’d be surprised at some of the facilities World Class athletes train at, just watch the “Bolt” documentary to see the fastest man alive training on a cricket pitch.
The challenge is that too often, the budget runs dry after the facility has been built. Usually because equipment manufactures can squeeze more and more money out of naive Directors of Sport who haven’t ever equipped a gym before. Decision-makers prioritize the “what” over the “who,” leaving programs under the guidance of underqualified and overworked coaches fresh out of university. In some cases, volunteers with good intentions but little expertise step in to fill the gap. Or worse dual responsibility coaches: the stereotype I so often see is a Job description for a ‘Rugby/S&C coach”. What you often get is a rugby coach who has lifted some weights. Usually without any actual qualifications or real S&C coaching experience, particularly in kids.
It’s a bit like hiring a dual Maths & French teacher – it’s not really the same thing and means in reality you’ll get someone who is good at one, but likely terrible at the other. You might be great at algebra but just because you can count to 10 in French, doesn’t make you qualified to teach French.
While this approach might save money in the short term, it often leads to subpar outcomes for the young athletes the facilities were meant to serve, not to mention a very high turnover of coaches as they rightly seek better financial terms elsewhere.
Access to metal vs coaching expertise
Coaching is the cornerstone of any athletic development program. A great coach not only delivers effective training sessions but also mentors young athletes, teaching them discipline, resilience, and teamwork.
Qualified coaches can:
- Tailor training to individual needs: Ensuring athletes develop at the right pace to prevent injuries and build long-term performance.
- Integrate evidence-based practices: Modern training methodologies ensure athletes aren’t just training hard but training smart.
- Inspire and motivate: Facilities don’t create a love for sport—coaches do.
No matter how advanced the equipment or venue, the absence of quality coaching turns the Ferrari into a flashy but ineffective machine.
the consequences for youth athletes
When funding for coaching is neglected, the long-term costs can outweigh the initial savings:
- Injuries: Poorly planned training programs and inefficient load monitoring can lead to overtraining and preventable injuries.
- Inappropriate programming: Beginners doing bodybuilding splits, advanced contrast methods or undulating wave loading periodisation – really???
- Athlete dropout: Without skilled guidance, young athletes often lose interest or fail to progress, leading to higher dropout rates.
- Poor technique: Lack of experience usually means you haven’t seen what “good” really is, meaning low standards accepted when they should be challenged.
- Wasted potential: World-class facilities are only as good as the results they help produce, which rely heavily on the quality of coaching.
Spare some change?
To truly support youth athletes, schools and sports clubs must balance their investment in facilities with adequate funding for experienced coaching. Instead of seeing coaches as an optional extra, they should be viewed as an essential part of the program’s success.
Here are some actionable steps:
- Reevaluate budgets: Allocate a percentage of facility costs specifically for hiring and retaining qualified coaches.
- Prioritize CPD: Invest in the ongoing education of coaching staff to keep them up-to-date with best practices.
- Think long-term: Recognize that the impact of a great coach goes far beyond wins and losses—it shapes young athletes for life.
Conclusion
High-quality facilities are a fantastic starting point, but they are only half of the equation and they should be the second half. A Ferrari without the right driver is an underutilized asset, and the same is true for sports facilities without skilled coaches.
Schools and sports clubs have a responsibility to match their enthusiasm for facilities with equal commitment to the people who make them come alive. After all, the true goal isn’t just to have impressive venues—it’s to create environments where young athletes can thrive, learn, and grow to their full potential.
Let’s make sure we’re putting the right drivers behind the wheel.
Yours in sport,
Rob Anderson
