Coach Development & Mentorship "The Foothills Way"
Passion. Personality. Purpose. These three words are commonly used when describing the ideal Calgary Foothills Coach. Our coaches are a big reason for our Club’s success. We recognize their commitment and invest in their development as much as we do our players’.
Our Coach Development and Mentorship mission is to create an inclusive, supportive, and collaborative environment that empowers our coaches to thrive in their roles. By doing so, they can enrich the overall experience for our players, staff, and volunteers.
Our Coach Development Program
Foothills provides FREE coach education for all U4-U18 assistant and head coaches. We offer education in line with the current Canada Soccer Association Community Stream:
- Active Start (U4-U6 Coaches) – Provides a basic understanding of physical literacy
- Fundamentals (U6-U8 Coaches) – Develops the basic understanding of physical literacy following the Canada Soccer Long-term Player Development model.
- Learning to Train (U9-U12 Coaches) – Focuses on understanding the development stages of the players they are working with.
- Soccer for Life (U13+ Coaches) – Covers how to effectively plan and run technical and tactical development sessions, considering the player’s development stage.
Foothills has over 420 certified coaches. This is more than any other Alberta-based club by a wide margin. Our coaches invest in us, and we invest in them. Tier 1-3 coaches put in 252 hours per year, and out Tier 4-6 coaches put in 108 hours per year. To help them develop, we provide them with formal coaching clinics and pay the costs of their certifications. We also host regular in-house education sessions specific to the Foothills Way, looking at areas such as how to manage a practice, best practices for players within their respective phases of development, and how to maximize the players’ training time.
Congratulations to APDL (formerly AYSL) Head Coach and League1 assistant Paul Ferries who attended the first part of the 'A License Diploma' in Toronto in August 2023. At Foothills, we support coach development to foster growth and continuous learning.
Soccer Coach Stephanie Colvin coaches our U10 APDL Girls team along with Luis Tinoco. She attended our April 2024 Coaches Workshop and took a minute to share with our roving reporter some of the things she likes best.
Thanks, Stephanie!
ProSoccerData for Coaches
Currently, all coaches from U11 up participate in our ProSoccerData program. Foothills is the only Calgary-based Club using this specialized app to develop our coaches and players.
ProSoccerData is an online management platform enabling clubs, federations, and leagues to operate with higher efficiency and maximize individual development. Leading professional clubs, including Seattle Sounders FC, Rsc Anderlecht, FC Metz, KF Kortrijk and Ajax AFC use this tool.
The program includes a series of meetings and training individualized for each coach and their team. It establishes the responsibilities of head and assistant coaches and formalizes team and player decision-making.
In short, ProSoccerData helps coaches focus on answering the question, “What does the team need from a game and player point of view.”
We Are Expanding Our Coaching Family
Are you passionate about soccer and love sharing your expertise with enthusiastic players? We’re on the hunt for dedicated coaches to join our Club!
Whether you’re an experienced professional or a recreational soccer enthusiast, we welcome coaches of all levels.
Make a Difference. Inspire and nurture the next generation of soccer stars while promoting teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship.
Grow Your Skills. Enhance your coaching abilities through workshops and opportunities for professional development.
Enrich Your Life. Experience the joy of guiding young players to learn, develop skills, and become outstanding individuals.
What Makes A Great Coach?
It’s simple. We are looking for individuals who will help us instill a life-long love of soccer. A coach is arguably the most important component to doing that.
To become a Grassroots level coach, you do not need soccer experience! Our Coach Development and Mentorship can teach you what you need to know.
However, you must be:
- Enthusiastic.
- Hard working and have a sense of fair play.
- Willing to learn and improve.
For experienced coaches, valid coaching certification and a proven track record of coaching excellence are required.
If this sounds like you, we invite you to join the Foothills family and become part of a close-knit community of coaches.
Please note, the safety and security of our players is a top priority. All of our coaches must pass a Calgary Police Information Check.
Our mission is to make soccer a fun and rewarding experience for all players of all abilities.
Apply Now To Become A Foothills Coach
If you’re ready to start coaching with the Foothills soccer family, we want to hear from you! Please send a brief introduction to colin@gofoothills.ca. Let us know which age groups you prefer coaching, and we’ll be in touch!
Together, we can build a thriving soccer community and create lasting memories on and off the pitch.
Michael Lennox is a Foundation Phase Manager with Foothills and leads our Coach Development and Membership program. For more information, please email michael@gofoothills.ca.
