Designed in collaboration with the British Baseball Federation and British Softball Federation, and with input from stakeholders across the UK, the Coaching Playbook sets the standard that all British baseball and softball coaches must meet.
The Coaching Playbook is divideded into two sections: required learning for coaches, to ensure a minimum standard across British Baseball & Softball, and Coach Professional Development, which features sport- and position-specific learning and advanced knowledge for those looking to elevate their coaching career. The required courses consist of:
- Introduction to Coaching (Online) – for assistant coaches and those just starting their coaching journey
- The CORE Coaching Qualification – for Head Coaches, those leading sessions, and coaches who are looking for or require an official qulaification. This course, delivered over two days and with a blended learning evnironment is the standard baseball & softball Coaching Qualification in the United Kingdom
Please note that the Introduction to Coaching course is recommended, but not required, before taking the CORE Coaching Couse.
Coach Professional Development is divided into four key areas of focus, covering the vast majority of subjects and topics, and delivered across both in-person and online formats. The subject areas are:
- Youth Participation: Focused on getting children active and playing baseball, softball or both
- Adult Participation/Competitive: For coaches of Adult BBF teams and Captains for BSF Leagues, this CPD is designed to help grow your organisation’s coaching pool and skill
- Youth Talent: Designed to help coaches identify and develope talented youth players, either for their club or a National Team
- High Performance: For coaches looking to challenge themselves, High Performance CPD is designed to upskill players looking to represent Great Britain on one of the National Teams (note: this section covers fastpitch softball & baseball)
Coach Membership
Coaching who have completed the CORE Coaching Course are able to sign up for a Coach Membership, offering coaches safety, securiny, and additional benefits above and beyond the CORE Coaching Course.
Interested coaches must have their CORE Coaching Qualification, must have a valid DBS Certificate – available free from BSUK – and must complete safeguarding training, also available for free from BSUK.
Coach Members receive the following benefits:
Access to BSUK’s Coaching Playbook and session resources
- Visibility on our ‘Find a Coach’ page. This highlights you’ve completed all your pre-requisites to deliver safe coaching and provides opportunities to advertise your coaching.
- Discounts on coaching masterclasses, clinics and workshops
- Exclusive webinars and CPD opportunities
- Priority booking and early access to training events
- Digital certification and license recognition
- Member newsletter with tips, news, and spotlight stories
- Safeguarding and inclusion updates tailored to coaches
- Opportunities to get involved in national initiatives and projects
The Coach Memberships will be FREE for all qualified and eligible coaches until 31 December 2025, after which there will be an annual fee. For more information, please click here.
Transferrable Qualifications
In order to make the transition to the Coaching Playbook as easy as possible for existing coaches, especially those who have completed any of BSUK’s previous Coaching Levels, we have created a handy guide to transferrable and equivalent qualifications, available here. If you have one of these qualifications, please email Coaching@BSUK.com with a copy of your Certificate and a copy of the course syllabus to transfer your qualification. If you have a qualification not mentioned on the list, please get in touch here. Please note that you must have achieved the qualification prior to 16 June 2025 in order for it to transfer.
Get Started
The Coaching Playbook is ready for you! Click on the tiles below to get started on your Coaching journey, and make sure to sign up for our newsletter for further news, courses, and opportunities!
