Share:
New research released by UK Coaching has revealed concerning trends, particularly in the sharp decline in women sports coaches in the UK. Conducted by YouGov, the national survey draws insights from over 30,000 adults and offers a detailed overview of the current coaching sector, including significant challenges and positive shifts.
The study showed that the number of women coaches has dropped 6% in just two years — from 44% in 2022 to 38% in 2024. This decline highlights the ongoing gender disparities in coaching. UK Coaching says it is committed to addressing this through targeted initiatives and partnerships tackling barriers and creating more inclusive environments for women.
Previous UK Coaching research showed that 78% of women believe that having more visible women role models in coaching would help advance their careers. To address this and other challenges, the organization has launched a “Gender Impact Strategy” to foster inclusive and diverse coaching environments, promote equity and drive systemic change. In collaboration with UK Sport, UK Coaching also provided support to 60 women coaches on pathway and high-performance programs. Ongoing research initiatives will identify and address the root causes of gender disparities in coaching.
In collaboration with UK Sport and Leeds Beckett University, UK Coaching is also working to explore the challenges and opportunities for women coaching in the performance space, with an emphasis on sport-specific factors that could help promote inclusivity. The organization has also worked closely with partners such as Women in Sport, Sport England, Sport Wales and more than 25 National Governing Bodies (NGBs) to drive a shared agenda for systemic change in the 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,” said Sport England Executive Director of Partnerships, Phil Smith.
Additional insights show that the number of UK adults who have coached in the last 12 months remains consistent at 6%, representing 3.1 million across the country. The number of coaches being paid has risen from 38% in 2022 to 53% in 2024, reflecting growing recognition. Also, coaches working at academy level have almost doubled and those coaching at the national level have increased from 3% to 6%. Access to coaching support continues to increase, with 53% of coaches receiving mentorship or development support compared to 45% in 2022.
Download “Coaching in the UK, 2024” here.
Share:
