The Coaching Playbook is a dynamic Coach Education and Development programme for baseball and softball, launched in June 2025. 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 Playbook Pathway

The Coaching Playbook is divided 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. The courses available are: 

  • Introduction to Coaching (Online) - for assistant coaches and those beginning their coaching journey, working under the supervision of a head or lead coach. The Introduction to Coaching course is recommended, but not compulsory, before taking the CORE Coaching Couse. 
  • The CORE Coaching Qualification is the central qualification on the coaching pathway.  Designed for Head and Lead Coaches, those leading sessions, and coaches who are looking for or require an official qualification. This course is delivered over two days in a blended learning environment is the standard baseball & softball Coaching Qualification in the United Kingdom. 

Please note: BaseballSoftballUK has a responsibility to ensure that baseball and softball coaches operating in the UK meet the appropriate minimum standards for deployment and national standards for sports coaching. The CORE Coaching Qualification has been developed, in line with the CIMSPA professional standards for coaching, to fulfil this need and will be the expected route for coaches to who wish to lead sessions.  Coaches who complete the CORE Qualification (or recognised equivalent), alongside up to date safeguarding training and DBS check are eligible for BaseballSoftballUK Coach Membership and can progress to environment-specific learning.  Baseball and Softball in the UK meeting these standards for coach deployment is an expected requirement for the sport and part of BaseballSoftballUK’s commitment to helping create the best possible coaching environment. 

 

 

Coach Professional Development is divided into four key areas of focus and delivered though both in-person and online formats. The subject areas are: 

  • Youth Participation: Focused on getting children active, developing fundamental skills and playing baseball, softball or both 

  • Adult Participation/Competitive: For coaches of Adult BBF & BSF teams, this CPD is designed to help grow your teams coaching pool and skill 

  • Youth Talent: Designed to help coaches identify and develop 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 representing Great Britain on one of the National Teams 

Watch: The Coaching Playbook

Watch the video below as Head of Development Aled-Rhys Howell discusses the Coaching Playbook, Find a Coach Page, and the Coach Membership. 

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 2026, 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.