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Sport Coach - Working conditions

Kaiwhakaako Hunga Whakataetae

Working Conditions

Sport coaches work at sports and training facilities such as gymnasiums or sport centres, and outdoors in all weather conditions on rugby fields, golf courses, cricket fields, and other outdoor sports areas.

Sport coaches may travel around New Zealand and overseas to events and competitions with their teams and sportspeople.

"We've had six international trips this year. I love the travel side of it – it's a real bonus. Karate is a small sport in New Zealand, but a huge sport internationally, so we have to travel a lot to be competitive."

Stella Lenihan - Professional Sports Coach

Equipment

Equipment sport coaches may use includes:

sports equipment
video and performance analysis equipment
training equipment such as weights, treadmills and heart rate monitors
timing and scoring equipment
heart rate monitors.

Hours

Sport coaches work long and irregular hours. These may include early mornings, evenings and weekends, depending on their athletes' needs.

Nearly half of sport coaches work part time (less than 30 hours a week).

Contact with people

Sport coaches work with athletes and/or teams of all ages.

They also have contact with:

sports officials
other sport coaches
sport science providers
parents and teachers
sport club or sport organisation staff
the media
sponsors and funders.

"I've always been comfortable talking to groups, but I've had to work on my one-to-one, and the way I approach that. You are trying to find creative and constructive ways to make your point, which only comes with practise."

Tony Iro - Assistant Coach, Warriors

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Updated November 2009

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