East Kilbride Thistle have minimum standards for its coaches at all age groups, however the club is fully supportive of its coaches who wish to progress their knowledge and experience beyond that required for the team they are coaching, into different pathways and specialisms. If you would like to discuss the options available for coaching at East Kilbride Thistle, please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Coaching Children (Aged 5 to 12) Children love playing games and few games are better for giving a sense of enjoyment and excitement than football. East Kilbride Thistle believe childrens coaching should be about ensuring everyone has the chance to play, by providing fun and enjoyable activities. Patience, sportsmanship and participation are key factors in providing a stimulating environment that promotes fundamental skills and development. The SFA's programme for coaching children looks at practical methods to help prepare and organise training for children.
Youths (Aged 12 to 18)
The Scottish FA's programme for youth coaching should be a useful guide to any coach. The role of the coach is to continue the development of technique and game understanding in players. Coaches should devise practices that develop the player's decision making abilities. The tasks involved in managing a team are multiple. Planning, promotion, organisation, people management, and teaching are all essential. Master the basics, and work on every aspect of the game, with the help of the Scottish FA's coaching programme.
Coaching Adults (18 years and over)The Adult Pathway offers five levels starting at the Club Coach Certificate through to the Scottish FA UEFA Pro Licence. The adult courses are aimed at coaches working with adult players at amateur, junior or senior club level.
Specialist Courses
As well as the Children, Youth and Adult coach education pathways, the Scottish FA also run a number of courses which cover individual requirements and areas of specialism, such as Goalkeeping and Coaching Footballers With Disabilities.
