UK Coaching Release New Research

UK Coaching has released research highlighting current trends in the coaching workforce, one of which is a marked decline in the number of female coaches.

The research, released last week, paints a detailed picture of the current state of coaching in the UK, highlighting a significant reduction in female coaches and various other key trends affecting the sector. UK Coaching drew insights from over 30,000 adults to ensure a robust and wide-reaching survey which reveals both concerning declines and encouraging growth in different areas of coaching.

One of the most significant findings is the sharp decline in the percentage of female coaches, which has dropped from 44% in 2022 to 38% in 2024—a 6% decrease over two years. This drop-off highlights the ongoing gender disparities within the coaching profession, which UK Coaching is committed to addressing through targeted initiatives and partnerships to tackle barriers and foster more inclusive environments for women in coaching.

The research also reveals several key trends within the broader coaching landscape, particularly regarding the status of active coaches in the UK. The proportion of UK adults who have coached in the last 12 months remains consistent at 6%, which represents approximately 3.1 million people across the country.

While the majority of active coaches (68%) continue to coach at recreational levels, there has been a notable rise in those coaching at higher levels. The proportion of coaches working at academy level has almost doubled, from 8% in 2022 to 14% in 2024, and those coaching at the national level has increased from 3% to 6% over the same period. This suggests that more coaches are progressing into higher tiers of competition and development.

Commenting on the research, Executive Director of Partnerships at Sport England Phil Smith said:

“Today’s Coaching in the UK publication serves as both an important reminder of the vital role played by coaches, as well as the challenges facing our sector. Coaches are pivotal to delivering the right environments and experiences of sport and physical activity and can help people to build positive habits that last a lifetime.  However, the new data shows a collective need to continue to support a wider range of people to become part of the workforce. The decline in the number of female coaches is especially concerning and Sport England will continue to do all we can to grow the number of women coaching through our investments and support of the Women in Coaching Taskforce”.

Coaching remains a key principle for the Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership with an annual Coach Education Week programme, now in its 17^th year, offering over 1000 places throughout the week from Monday 17^th to Sunday 23rd February. This year’s programme contains over 40 opportunities for coaches and deliverers covering a huge range of topics including supporting female coaches and safeguarding and welfare.

To find out more about the Coach Education Week programme please click here