4B018E - Football Coaching Foundations (Online) 01 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2032 | Version 1

Associated Module Information

Module Code: 4B018E
Module Title: Football Coaching Foundations (Online)
Faculty: Faculty of Life Sciences and Education
Faculty Group: Sport
Faculty Sub Group: Football Coaching
Module Leader: Robyn Pinder
Module Team: Liviu Cristea
First Intended Intake: SEP 2026 Final Year of Intake: 2031
Date Closed:
Credit Value: 30 Credit Level: 4
Language: English
Percentage of Module Taught in Welsh: 0
Equivalent Module:
HECOS codes: 100095 - sports coaching
HECOS Code Weighting: 100

Document Version Information

Version 1
Valid From 01 Sep 2026
Valid To 31 Aug 2032

Module Aims

This module will: 

  • Introduce you to the key coaching theories, methods, and practices that support effective football coaching 

  • Help you develop the skills to plan, deliver, and reflect on coaching sessions that are inclusive and enjoyable for all players 

  • Support you in exploring and shaping your own coaching identity through practical experience and critical reflection 

Content Summary

This module is your first step into the world of football coaching. It will give you the essential tools, knowledge, and confidence to start planning, delivering, and reflecting on coaching sessions that are inclusive, engaging, and effective. You’ll explore what shapes your coaching philosophy and motivations and learn how to build a positive coaching environment that helps players grow - technically, tactically, and personally. Through a blend of practical activities, interactive resources, and guided reflection, you’ll begin developing your own coaching style and professional identity. 

You’ll also be introduced to reflective practice which is an important habit that will help you become a more thoughtful, adaptable, and impactful coach. Everything you do in this module is designed to prepare you for real coaching experiences and work-based learning embedded within the course. By the end, you’ll be ready to step confidently onto the pitch and into the industry with a strong foundation to build on. 

Learning and Teaching Methods

Activity Type Hours
Lecture 56
Guided Study 112
Placement 50
Formative assessment 10
Summative Assessment 60
Problem/Challenge Based Learning 62
Total Hours Selected 350

Learning Outcomes

# Learning Outcome
LO1 Demonstrate understanding of key concepts, methods and behaviours associated with planning, delivering and evaluating football coaching sessions.
LO2 Reflect on personal coaching experiences to identify strengths, areas for development and shape a coaching philosophy/identity.

Module Requisites

N/A

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Category Assessment Type Description Duration Word Count Weight (%) Best of? Pass Mark
Asynchronous Assessment Portfolio The Coaching Portfolio provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate critical thinking, planning, and reflective skills in line with the University's emphasis on assessment as a tool for learning. 0 2500 30 No 100
Synchronous Onsite Practical Assessment Practical Coursework (Onsite) The Practical Coaching Session delivery component reflects the applied, industry-facing nature of the course, supporting the development of graduate attributes such as communication, leadership, and digital fluency. It provides a meaningful opportunity to demonstrate applied competence in football coaching, in line with professional standards and expectations. The practical coaching delivery assessment is purposefully conducted on-site during residential study visits to ensure students are assessed in a realistic, applied environment that mirrors professional coaching settings 15 N/A 70 No 40

Assessment Matrix

Assessment Type Learning Outcomes
LO1 LO2
Portfolio
Practical Coursework (Onsite)

Reading List

Coaching Excellence (Level 4) 

(Year 2026/27) 

 

 

38 items 

 

 

Week 1: Coaching Philosophy and Motivations (3 items) 

 

Understanding sports coaching: the pedagogical, social and cultural foundations of coaching practice, by Cassidy, Tania; Potrac, Paul; Rynne, Steven; Cassidy, Tania, 2023 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Sport coaching concepts: a framework for coaching practice, by John Lyle; Chris Cushion, 2017 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Excellence in coaching - in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, by Christine S. Nash; John Sproule; Peter Horton, 2011-06 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Week 2: Coaching Methods (5 items) 

 

An investigation of the effect of athletes' age on the coaching behaviours of professional top-level youth soccer coaches - in Journal of sports sciences, by Partington, Mark; Cushion, Christopher; Harvey, Stephen, 2014-03-16 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Athlete-centred coaching : developing decision makers, by Kidman, Lynn; Lombardo, Bennett J., 2010 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Introduction to Teaching Physical Education: Principles and Strategies, by Jane M. Shimon, 2025 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Sport Coach Education, Development, and Assessment : International Perspectives., by McCarthy, Liam., 2024 

 

 | Recommended 

 

The spectrum of sport coaching styles, by Shane Pill; Brendan SueSee; Joss Rankin; Mitch Hewitt, 2022 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Week 3: Creating the Coaching Environment (4 items) 

 

Game sense : pedagogy for performance, participation and enjoyment, by Light, Richard, 2013 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Scoreboard soccer: creating the environment to develop young players, by David Baird, 2022 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Creating caring environments: an exploration of football managers and coaching - in Sports Coaching Review, by Deborah Agnew; Shane Pill, 2023-01-02 

 

 | Recommended 

 

The Soccer Coach's Blueprint : Build a Strong Team Culture to Create a Winning Environment., by Carney, Jason., 2018 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Week 4: Planning, Preparing & Delivering a Coaching Session (5 items) 

 

Foundations of sports coaching: applying theory to practice, by Ashley J.G. Gill, 2021 

 

 | Recommended 

 

An analysis of practice activities and instructional behaviours used by youth soccer coaches during practice: Exploring the link between science and application - in Journal of sports sciences, by Ford, Paul R.; Yates, Ian; Williams, A. Mark, 2010-03 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Exploring football coaches’ views on coach education, role, and practice design: An Australian perspective - in PloS one, by Selimi, Erch; Lascu, Alexandra; Serpiello, Fabio; Woods, Carl T., 2023-05-16 

 

 | Recommended 

 

The soccer goalkeeping handbook : the essential guide for players and coaches, by Welsh, Alex, 2014 

 

 | Recommended 

 

An introduction to sports coaching: connecting theory to practice, by Robyn L. Jones; Kieran Kingston, 2013 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Week 5: Engaging & Motivating Participants (4 items) 

 

Effects of a Motivational Climate Intervention for Coaches on Young Athletes’ Sport Performance Anxiety - in Journal of sport & exercise psychology, by Smith, Ronald E.; Smoll, Frank L.; Cumming, Sean P., 2007-02-01 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Effects of an Interpersonal Style Intervention for Coaches on Young Soccer Players’ Motivational Processes - in Journal of human kinetics, by Pulido, Juan J.; Sánchez-Oliva, David; Leo, Francisco M.; Matos, Sergio; García-Calvo, Tomás, 2017-10-20 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Applied positive pedagogy in sport coaching : international cases, by Light, Richard; Light, Richard; Harvey, Stephen; Curry, Christina; Gibson, Kass; Hill, Nick; Jarrett, Kendall; Kuklick, Clayton; Paterson, Juliet; Pill, Shane; Pimenta, Ricardo; Price, Letitia; Razak, Mohammad Shah; Sup, Michael, 2021 - 2021, 2021 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Sport and exercise psychology research: from theory to practice, by Markus Raab; Paul Wylleman; Roland Seiler; Anne-Marie Elbe; Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis, 2016 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Week 6: Tactical & Technical Foundations (8 items) 

 

Teaching sport concepts and skills : a tactical games approach, by Mitchell, Stephen A.; Oslin, Judith L.; Griffin, Linda L., 2021 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Coach behaviours and practice structures in youth soccer: Implications for talent development: Identifying and Developing Elite Soccer Players - in Journal of sports sciences, by CUSHION, Chris; FORD, Paul R; WILLIAMS, A. Mark, 2012 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Practice activities and behaviours employed by youth soccer coaches within a professional female soccer academy in England: A case study - in International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, by Sam E Alder; Allistair P McRobert; Francesca M Champ; Joe Causer; Matthew Andrew, 2025-12 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Case Studies From Elite Youth Soccer: Reflections on Talent Development Practices - in International sport coaching journal, by Wixey, Daniel; Ryom, Knud; Kingston, Kieran, 2021-01-01 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Elite soccer drills, by Matkovich, Michael J.; Davis, Jason, 2009 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Talent selection in youth football: Technical skills rather than general motor performance predict future player status of football talents - in Current Issues in Sport Science, by Sieghartsleitner, Roland; Zuber, Claudia; Zibung, Marc; Charbonnet, Bryan; Conzelmann, Achim, 2019-11-12 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Science and soccer: developing elite performers, by A. M. Williams, 2023 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Challenging traditions: Systematic review of practice, instruction, and motor skill acquisition in soccer - in International journal of sports science & coaching, by Pacheco, Matheus M; de Oliveira, Luiz M M; dos Santos, Carlos C A; Godoi Filho, José R M; Drews, Ricardo, 2023-10 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Week 7: Evaluation & Reflective Practice (5 items) 

 

Focus on reflective competence: A triangulation to examine youth soccer coaches' reflective competence - in Current Issues in Sport Science (CISS), by Max Danner; Mareike Ahns; Günter Amesberger, 2024-09-23 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Reflection and reflective practice discourses in coaching: a critical analysis - in Sport, Education and Society, by Christopher J. Cushion, 2018-01-02 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Understanding sports coaching: the pedagogical, social and cultural foundations of coaching practice, by Tania Cassidy; Paul Potrac; Steven Rynne; Tania Cassidy, 2023 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Sports Coaching Education and Alternative Pedagogies : Approaches in Higher Education., by Purdy, Laura.; Barker-Ruchti, Natalie., 2025 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Developing the reflective sports coach: a study exploring the processes of reflective practice within a higher education coaching programme - in Reflective practice, by Knowles, Zoe; Gilbourne, David; Borrie, Andy; Nevill, Alan, 2001-06-01 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Assessment Support (4 items) 

 

The study skills book: your essential guide to university success, by Kathleen McMillan, 2021 

 

 | Recommended 

 

The complete guide to referencing and avoiding plagiarism, by Neville, Colin, 2016 

 

 | Recommended 

 

Developing a coaching portfolio: enhancing reflective practice - in Strategies, by Harry Hubball; Scott Robertson, 2004-11 

 

 | Recommended 

 

The flipped university: exploring student progression in football coaching and development - in Education + Training, by Robert Griffiths; Jay Probert; Brendan Cropley, 2018-05-23 

 

 | Recommended