Manager/Coach

Becoming a manager and/or coach is fairly straightforward. The best way is to get yourself on a suitable course. All the national associations run a variety of courses through their regional organisation throughout the year so there should be one near you at some point. You can access all the governing bodies of the game via the links section.

McDonald's is very committed to mums becoming coaches. Their research indicates that mums are more suited to coaching than dads – you can get all the details at www.mcdonalds.co.uk/

Getting a recognised qualification is important on two counts. The first is that it will equip you to coach properly; the second is that more and more local leagues are making it a mandatory requirement for entry that each team is managed by a qualified person.

The courses are genarally wide ranging in terms of what they cover. You're also likely to receive a grounding in first aid and child welfare, so even if you don't coach the team yourself you'll be quaified to play a supporting role - perhaps doing the pre-match warm-up or helping out on an occasional basis if the regular manager is unavailable. The course is fun to do, doesn't take up too much time and really makes you think about doing things the right way.