| There are so many different soccer coaching licenses | | | | Luckily the basic badges are easy to get. Then when |
| that you can get to enhance your chances of getting | | | | you qualify for one, you can aim for the next one, all |
| a great job. In this article, I'll tell you which are the | | | | while still getting experience. Eventually you progress |
| best. | | | | from the Youth license to the C, B and A which is |
| Probably you are a big fan of soccer (or football as it | | | | the top level. |
| is known in most of the world) already. But it's not | | | | In Europe, the situation is slightly different. UEFA, the |
| enough to just be a fan of the beautiful game, you | | | | governing body of European football dish out the top |
| need to prove your worth in other ways. Luckily | | | | tier of licenses - I'll come to them shortly. But national |
| there are some industry recognised soccer coaching | | | | bodies will give you the lower level badges. |
| certificates that you can add to your armory. | | | | So in England, for instance, the Football Association |
| There are really only two tracks that you need to | | | | will allow you to take the Level 1 and Level 2 soccer |
| choose from. One is the U.S. track and the other is | | | | coaching qualifications. Especially the Level 1 is really |
| the European track. Both are recognised worldwide | | | | easy and you need no experience to do it. Just |
| but I would say that the European badges just edge | | | | having it on your resume is a great way of showing |
| it so, even if you live in the US, you might want to | | | | that you are serious about coaching as a career. |
| choose to do the European ones. | | | | After that, UEFA allow you to take the "B" badge |
| The U.S. badges are given out by the United States | | | | (also known as Level 3), the "A" badge and then the |
| Soccer Federation. They are graded in different levels | | | | "Pro" badge. This last badge was recently made |
| so you can start light and get the basics so that you | | | | compulsory for all pro managers in Europe - yes, |
| can teach kids. Of course, to coach soccer, anyone | | | | even the best have to take an exam! If you want to |
| can do it - but it is the soccer schools and then the | | | | become the next Alex Ferguson then you should |
| clubs that demand the badges - this is why you need | | | | eventually aim to take this badge. |
| them. | | | | |