The British Baseball Federation, British Softball Federation, and BaseballSoftballUK are excited to announce the launch of the new Coach Education programme for British baseball and softball Coaches – The Coaching Playbook.

The culmination of more than two years’ of collaborative work, the Coaching Playbook is divided into two key areas – qualification courses and Coach Professional Development, for coaches who have completed the basic requirements. For the first time, this means all coaches across baseball, fastpitch softball, and slowpitch softball in the United Kingdom will need to meet a minimum coaching standard.

“We're proud to launch the Coaching Playbook today. The programme is designed to be an accessible and informative coaching pathway that supports coaches at every level, across all disciplines of our sports,” said BaseballSoftballUK Head of Development Aled-Rhys Howell. “By setting minimum standards, we aim to raise the quality and consistency of coaching across the sport. Above all, the Coaching Playbook reinforces our commitment to player and coach safety at the heart of everything we – BSUK, BBF and BSF - do.”

There are two qualification courses, with each designed for a specific audience. The first is the Introduction to Coaching course, for new and assistant coaches who are just starting their coaching journey that is completed online. For coaches with previous experience, those looking to lead sessions, and head coaches, the CORE Coaching Qualification is required – a two-day, blended learning course that teaches coaches not only how to coach, but how to train, practice, and improve each time they step between the lines.

With the Coaching Playbook comes the new Coach Membership, the replacement for the former Coach License administered by BSUK. The Coach Membership gives coaches the insurance, resources and visibility to not only improve their club, but players around the country, with the launch of the new Find A Coach page. All Coach Members will have completed the Core Coaching Course (or transferred a relevant qualification), will have safeguarding training, and a valid DBS, and ensures that both the participants and coaches have the most robust safeguards possible.

British Softball Federation President Lesley Morisetti commented, “The new coaching playbook is an exciting and essential step forward- by providing a consistent framework, training and membership for coaches across both baseball and softball, we're laying the groundwork for stronger player development, greater collaboration, and long-term success for British softball.”

“Having a nationwide network of highly skilled and qualified coaches is vital if we are to raise the standards of the domestic game,” said Richard Evans, President of the British Baseball Federation. “The Coaching Playbook is the result of a lot of joint work between the two federations and BSUK and represents a major step forward to help improve coaching across the country.”

“The Coaching Playbook is a testament to what can be achieved when we work together across our sports. Through a three-way working group, we’ve found the sweet spot between the strategic leadership of our National Governing Bodies and the expert delivery of our dedicated staff team,” said BaseballSoftballUK CEO John Boyd. “This programme not only raises the bar for coaching standards but also reflects our shared commitment to building a stronger, safer future for baseball and softball in the UK.”

For more information, please visit www.BaseballSoftballUK.com/coaching.