Coach Education Week - Filling up Fast!

Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership (HSP) will host its annual Coach Education Week between Monday 17th and Sunday 23rd February 2025. There are over 40 courses, workshops and opportunities on offer and places are filling up fast!

 The programme will include a variety of in-person and online courses with both paid-for and free opportunities available throughout. The weeklong campaign provides sport coaches and physical activity deliverers with valuable opportunities to develop their skills, knowledge and qualifications. 

Coach Education Week originated in 2008 when the then HSP Board member, the late David Wray, secured investment from Hertfordshire County Council to support his vision to use the power of sport the raise the life chances of Hertfordshire’s young people. 

With David’s guidance and with the support of current HSP Chair, Mervyn Morgan, the annual Coach Education Week has gone from strength to strength, and in recognising David Wray’s contribution, HSP Partnership Director, John O’Callaghan said: 

“We remain indebted to David Wray for his enthusiastic and unstinting support of the Partnership’s work over many years, before his untimely death, and we continue to miss his warm, generous nature and passion for the power of sport to positively impact on the lives of young people.  David continues to be a real inspiration for our work and the 2025 Coach Education Week is further testimony the vision that David had some fifteen years ago." 

This year’s programme includes topics such as mental health, falls prevention, working with long term health conditions, dealing with challenging behaviour. Additionally, there is a strong emphasis on safeguarding, which is very topical given the recent Sport England investment into a national network of Sport Welfare Officers to drive up welfare standards across the country. Moreover, to celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month, the programme will contain several courses to champion the LGBTQ+ community in sport and raise awareness. 

Following the success of the inaugural course last year, HSP will be welcoming back Professor Mike Callan with his exclusive, British Judo accredited, Finding Your Feet course. The course, delivered across 6 hours, uses Judo techniques to help people fall safely thus reducing injury from falls, predominantly in older people. Since last year’s highly successful launch, the programme has gained international recognition. 

Charlie Mann, Clubs and Workforce Lead said:

"For Coach Education Week to be entering its 17th year really is remarkable. The programme has come such a long way and has developed a strong reputation in the sector putting Hertfordshire on the map. The breadth of courses on offer shows the reach of the programme and is testament to people across the Partnership who make it possible. The needs of coaches and deliverers in the sector are constantly evolving and it is imperative that we deliver a programme that reflects the modern workforce.” 

With over 1000 learning opportunities, Coach Education Week offers workshops and accredited courses designed to strengthen the skill sets of coaches at all levels. This event is an essential part of HSP’s ongoing commitment to workforce development, ensuring coaches are prepared to engage and inspire diverse communities. 

To view the full list of what is on offer, please click here. If you have any questions about the programme or any of the courses on offer, please contact Charlie Mann at c.mann3@herts.ac.uk.