Interviewing and hiring a club coach: process and safeguarding checks

A simple hiring process

1. Write the role down before you advertise: teams, hours, pay, reporting line, required qualification and check. Use the advert template.
2. Agree a small panel (two or three people) and decide what "good" looks like before reading applications.
3. Shortlist against the written criteria, not on who you already know.
4. Interview with the same core questions for everyone. Good areas to cover: how they plan a session, how they handle selection conversations, how they would work with the club's existing coaches, and how they keep players safe.
5. Watch them coach. A short practical session with real players tells you more than any answer.
6. Take up references, ideally from someone who has seen them coach recently.
7. Complete the checks required where the role is based before the coach works unsupervised.
8. Confirm in writing: role, pay or expenses, start date, who they report to, and the club's safeguarding policy.

Safeguarding and background checks by country

These are examples, not a complete list. Rules differ by country and, in some countries, by state.

England and Wales: DBS checks

The Disclosure and Barring Service describes its job as helping employers make safer recruitment decisions (GOV.UK). GOV.UK lists four levels of check: basic, standard, enhanced, and enhanced with barred lists, the last of which also shows whether someone is barred from the role (GOV.UK, types of check). England Hockey says that while a DBS check is being completed, the person will be supervised and will not run unsupervised sessions for under-18s (England Hockey).

Australia: Working With Children Check

In New South Wales, the NSW Office of Sport states that anyone in child-related work, paid or voluntary, must obtain a Working With Children Check, and that verifying the check is one part of a wider child-safe approach at the club (Office of Sport NSW). If the role is in another state or territory, check the rules of that state or territory.

United States: USA Field Hockey members

USA Field Hockey states that background screening and SafeSport training are required for all adult members and are included in coach membership (USA Field Hockey).

Elsewhere

Ask the national hockey association in the country concerned which checks it expects clubs to use. If you are hiring a coach who has recently lived abroad, ask how the relevant check can be obtained from the countries where they lived.

A welfare lead at the club

Many clubs name a welfare or safeguarding officer whom members can go to with concerns. England Athletics, for example, describes club welfare officers as playing a key role in making sure members have a safe and positive experience (England Athletics Club Hub). Tell new coaches who this person is on their first day.