The advantages of using an outsourced, specialist sports coaching company include: the range of services available through to the level of skill and accreditation. Let’s look at a few of the key benefits in detail:
Wide portfolio of services: An established, well-staffed sports coaching company will have many personnel to choose from, with a wide range of expertise and a number of unique off the shelf services. Unlike being tied to a single employee, or using more academically-suited teachers to cover PE, these experts are trained and passionate about sport. Many of them specialise in particular areas and schools are able to request a coach with the most appropriate skills.
Flexible supply and support: Full-time employees are just that – full-time. This means that there may be occasions when a PE teacher’s ‘paid’ time is not being used to the greatest advantage. An outsourced solution, however, where a coach can be used only when they are needed, can be far more efficient and cost-effective. This includes covering PPA or any other regular PE sessions.
Accreditations and skillset: All of our professionally trained and accredited coaches are experts in PE activities. Our schemes of work follow the National Curriculum guidelines, within the OFSTED framework, and have the added benefit of our own quality control programmes. Training is paramount and ongoing within our organisation, and we are always looking to improve the level of service we provide.
Getting the right person: When a school employs a teacher or member of staff they will go through all the due diligence of interviews, CVs, references and backchecks, I’m sure. But it is not until that person gets to work that you really get to find out their true nature, qualities and ‘fit’ for the role. If you get the right person ‘great’ but if it turns out to be a misjudged decision, it could take years to rectify the challenges. With an outsourced coaching company, a simple phone call will get you a replacement.
Access to market expertise: The sports coaching marketplace is a rapidly changing environment with new skills, technologies and legislation being introduced each year. As a dedicated coaching company, we are committed to maintaining the highest possible standards in personnel, training and ongoing accreditation. With Progressive Sports you are always guaranteed a coach with years of experience and the right levels of skill and qualification.
One downside to using an outsourced solution may be the ability to engage with the culture and principles that a particular school has created for itself. As a longstanding business, with a commitment to quality at its core, we are highly aware of the importance of trust, relationships and respecting culture. To us, getting that bit right is the top of our list every time we send someone to a school.
As all of our current customers will testify, the primary objective of our business is to build relationships, understand the values of the schools we work with, and ensure that all of our coaches are fully engaged with these commitments. Our ongoing ambition is to be the coaching provider of choice in the area simply because we know that our customers do have a choice.