Winter 2024 (Public) | Page 50

|| FEATURE
investment in advanced coaching education . With each United Soccer Coaches Diploma or U . S . Soccer Coaching License predicated on completing the previous award level , costs add up . And advanced certifications may be required to be competitive in the hiring process as full-time , well-compensated jobs open up . United Soccer Coaches has offered more blended advanced education opportunities to support the aspiring career and other coaches .
See a full statistical snapshot of aspiring career coaches on The Training Ground .
Aspiring Coach Compensation
Snapshot
• 92 % are currently paid coaches
• 57 % are employees ( W-2 ); 35 %
are independent contractors ( 1099 ); 8 % are
volunteers
• 61 % have a one-year contract ; 31 % have
a seasonal contract ; 2 % have a two-year
contract
still trying to become a full-time coaching
• 44 % make under $ 5,000 per year from
professional . It can happen at any age !
their primary coaching position ; 27 % make
$ 5,000- $ 10,000 ; 15 % make $ 10,000-
VOLUNTEER COACH
$ 20,000 ; 14 % make over $ 20,000
• 44 % make $ 5,000 or less from coachingrelated
Definition : Volunteers as a coach with no
activities ( camps , clinics , private
financial remuneration
training , etc .) beyond their primary
11 % responding to the survey identify as a
coaching position ; 15 % make over $ 5,000 ;
volunteer coach .
41 % earn zero dollars .
• 32 % have a secondary paid coaching
Critical Clarification Note on Volunteer
position
Coaches : It is important that we give broader
• 37 % with a secondary position are youth
context to the relatively low percentage of
head coach ; 20 % are high school varsity
volunteer coaches reflected in the survey
or JV head coach ; 5 % are assistant college
results . The total volunteer coaching
coach
community in the U . S . is exponentially larger
• 63 % make $ 5,000 or less in their secondary
than is reflected by this survey , both in total
coaching position ; 23 % make $ 5,000-
numbers and percentage of active coaches .
10,000 ; $ 10 % make $ 10,000- $ 20,000 ;
However , most volunteer coaches are parentcoaches
4 % make over $ 20,000
that serve during the introductory
• 58 % receive zero benefits beyond their
years of their own child ’ s soccer playing
compensation ; 25 % receive education
experience . They tend to spend three years
stipend or reimbursement ; 12 % receive
or less in this role . At that juncture , their child
United Soccer Coaches membership ; 10 %
either a ) departs soccer for other recreational
receive meals reimbursement
activities or b ) the parent determines a
more expert coach with more dedicated
What do the stats tell you ?
time would be appropriate for their child .
• Coaching education . Advanced coaching education is an investment an aspiring coach will likely need to make . Academic education is not enough .
• Start early . The earlier the better to
This early parent-coach does not generally identify as a coach , and they are both unlikely to receive this survey through any standard soccer-related channels and / or disinclined to respond to it as it doesn ’ t seem to reflect their
26 | Soccer Journal
actively pursue coaching as a full-time coaching affinity . career .
Youth / club soccer is dependent on volunteer
• Hope springs eternal . For the many young coaches with the vast majority ( 83 %) serving coaches in the aspirational stage , there at the youth level . They ’ ve also taken on are also many older , more senior coaches important roles with 63 % as head coaches and 8 % even serving as Directors of Coaching or Executive
We do it because we love it . I wish I could make a true living to support my family by coaching youth players . How can we provide high-quality coaches and compensate them without making youth soccer unattainable for all families ?
Directors .
With this survey ’ s respondents reflecting more experienced coaching volunteers , almost 75 % have played soccer , with college , high school , adult amateur and even professional as their highest level . Nearly 25 % played youth soccer as their highest level , rounding out nearly 100 % of our volunteer respondents having a soccer-playing background .
Minority groups represent over 20 % of volunteer coaches . However , even as a volunteer , it is a challenge to attract and retain women coaches , with only 16 % serving at any level .
See a full statistical snapshot of volunteer coaches on The Training Ground .
Volunteer Coach Compensation Snapshot
• Volunteer coaches by definition have zero financial remuneration
• 75 % receive zero additional benefits ; 10 % receive stipend or reimbursement for education ; 9 % receive United Soccer Coaches membership ; 5 % receive meal reimbursement
What do the stats tell you ?
• Highly valued contributors . It is critical to confirm — and honor — that volunteer coaches continue to be critical contributors to American soccer at all higher levels of the game .
• Dependent on volunteers at all levels . Youth soccer is dependent on qualified , experienced volunteers to support it . However , high school , college , adult amateur and even professional soccer also reap considerable value from the many volunteer coaches that serve the players and the game .
• Deserve our thanks . United Soccer Coaches salutes all the volunteer coaches who give of their time and talents . Our game could not happen without them . n