❌ How much does a youth football coach earn, and what does their salary look like in practice?

You bring your child to two 1.5-hour training sessions per week. Sometimes, on weekends, there’s a match or a few hours at a tournament. You see the coach moving around the kids, occasionally giving instructions, setting up some poles, and at the tournament standing on the side offering feedback.
You might think – wow, that’s a fun and incredibly easy job! So little effort… But then you hear that a coach’s salary should be counted as a part-time or even full-time wage, and you feel a bit of indignation – for what?

After all, your child received only three hours of training that week, and Saturday’s tournament lasted just six hours. That’s only nine hours of work! So, by paying your child’s membership fees, are you okay with the academy paying the coach “for nothing”?

But have you ever really stopped to look at the coach’s work? Have you tried to understand whether a rejected raise request, leading to a coach moving to another organization, was just about chasing money? And most importantly – have you ever spoken with a coach to understand what their work truly entails?

Read also: Once again, the management is raising participation fees – does this mean extra money in the owner’s pocket?

Considerations for a Coach’s Work – Training Only

➡️Before training, the coach usually has to:

✅ Prepare for the session
✅ Create a training plan
✅ Send the plan to the coordinator
✅ Upload the plan for certification or another system
✅ Travel to the training facility
✅ Prepare the facility for training

By the time a single player touches the ball, the coach has already spent a lot of time preparing.

➡️During training, the coach must:

✅ Stay fully engaged
✅ Transfer knowledge and develop players
✅ Control the flow of the session
✅ Ensure the safety and well-being of players
✅ Actively nurture young athletes in alignment with the academy’s values

Not everything is visible from a spectator’s perspective. When players avoid injury, it’s easy to miss that this may result from months of the coach refining training methods to maximize development while keeping sessions safe. Can you spot the difference in the way a player receives the ball, a skill developed by the coach? Much goes unnoticed. And after training, when walking your child to the car, do you ever look back to see what the coach continues to do?

➡️After training, the coach:

✅ Cleans up after the session
✅ Analyzes players’ development
✅ Draws lessons from previous sessions
✅ Handles documentation and administrative tasks

A 1.5-hour session can quickly become several hours of actual work.

But that's not all. The work of a coach isn't just a training.

Coaches’ Salaries – Work Beyond the Field

❗Ongoing work:❗

You called the coach yesterday to ask about the weekend match, and two weeks ago to clarify something after evening training. In both cases, the coach provided answers promptly. Considering the number of players and groups they train, these calls happen daily at various times. Parents rarely, if ever, notice or appreciate this effortless communication.

❗Personal development:❗

Constant self-analysis: “Is my approach to educating young players appropriate? Am I handling the pressure of shaping a player’s entire career?”

Mistakes made early in a player’s development can be irreversible, and this responsibility weighs heavily on a coach. A football coach must develop skills not only in tactics and technique but also in sports psychology, motor skills, and even nutrition.
In many clubs, there aren’t specialized coaches for all these areas, so the primary coach assumes full responsibility for holistic player development. This requires continuous personal and professional growth, which often becomes almost an obsession. Coaches spend hours analyzing matches, discussing with colleagues, browsing online forums, attending webinars, and reading professional literature. Excellence demands constant learning and adaptation. Football evolves quickly, so coaches must stay updated with trends.

❗Development of the organization:❗

A coach’s role isn’t limited to players. They actively participate in organizational growth, meet with managers to discuss recruitment, and plan additional initiatives, often participating directly.
Tournaments, trips, birthdays, day camps, and football camps – coaches contribute to planning and execution, often unpaid, yet dedicate time and energy to ensure the best experience for their players.

❗Coaching courses:❗

To be a football coach, one must complete certified courses that can take months or even years. Each course has mandatory fees necessary to obtain licenses. Examples:

Koszty licencji i kursów – inwestycja w zawód trenera

🪙UEFA PRO: 18,000 PLN + VAT
🪙UEFA Elite Youth A: 6,500 PLN + VAT
🪙UEFA A: 6,000 PLN + VAT
🪙UEFA B + A for former pros: 10,000 PLN + VAT
🪙UEFA Youth B: 2,500 PLN + VAT
🪙UEFA B: 3,200 PLN + VAT
🪙UEFA C / Grassroots C: 1,300 PLN + VAT
🪙Grassroots D: 500 PLN + VAT
🪙UEFA Goalkeeper A: 6,000 PLN + VAT
🪙UEFA Goalkeeper B: 3,500 PLN + VAT
🪙UEFA Futsal B: 2,500 PLN + VAT
🪙Futsal C: 1,000 PLN + VAT

Source: Weszło Junior

Courses are often held in distant cities, requiring coaches to cover travel, lodging, and meals.

❗Coach training:❗

Necessary not just to maintain licenses but to ensure continuous development. Many regional football associations offer free training, yet ambitious coaches invest in additional development via private programs, such as international internships.

Are Coaches Appreciated?

While funding for football schools is often discussed, what about funding coaches? Developing coaches is crucial. Many Polish coaches face challenges securing positions abroad. Working at a football school is foundational, enabling coaches to grow. International internships are costly and often beyond a coach’s salary. Many treat academy work as a side job, yet it’s a source of fulfillment and ambition. Consider the workload: 8:00–16:00 at a regular job, 17:00–21:00 coaching, weekends traveling to courses and tournaments, and using vacations for international internships.

This dedication is toward securing a top coaching job and sustaining themselves. It’s even harder when faced with a system that favors former professional players fast-tracked through coaching licenses.

Coaches’ Salaries vs. Reality

Where do clubs and academies find money to support coaches? Development costs can reach tens of thousands of PLN. Without coaches, the football ecosystem cannot exist—they are key to its growth. Coaches need freedom and time to focus on development. Remember, their day has the same 24 hours as ours. You cannot fully commit to two jobs: one to earn a living, one doing what you love. Coaches also have families, homes, and responsibilities outside work.

Is football coaching fairly compensated?

To thrive, a coach must be a professional, not just a hobbyist. Professionalizing the coaching role is crucial, allowing coaches to earn a living. Fair compensation ensures they can focus, develop players, and maintain motivation.

📢 A good coach is an engaged coach—and their dedication should not come at the cost of financial insecurity or instability!