Whether you are running a course for a group of adults, putting someone through their personal training paces, or looking after a kids’ sports team, as a good coach, you know that the process is what matters most. Your coaching resume might be jam-packed with results, trophies and sporting achievements, but it does not provide the format to take a deep dive into how you got there. That’s where a great coaching cover letter can help.
In this coaching cover letter example and guide, we explore the following practical aspects of a writing a coaching cover letter including:
- Format and structure of the coaching cover letter
- What to include in the introduction, middle part and conclusion of the letter
- How to write a coaching cover letter with no experience
Resume.io has 125+ cover letter examples and writing guides, offering expert tips and advice for job seekers from all industries. Have a look at our adaptable coaching cover letter for more ideas and inspiration to perfect your application.
Best format for a coaching cover letter
Just like any training session should follow a clear plan, the format of a coaching cover letter will allow you to outline your tactics and coaching methods as clearly as possible. This structure will help you organize your thoughts and cover different aspects of your coaching journey. Your cover letter should include:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting / salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
This comprehensive cover letter guide brings together even more ideas of how to write and format the perfect cover letter.
The coaching cover letter example below may offer some inspiration:
Dear Mr. Sanders,
Having coached high school soccer and at local club level for seven years alongside my PE teaching, the part-time youth coaching role at the Windham Soccer Club is an ideal fit.
My previous youth club sadly had to disband due to a redevelopment of their training facilities and I am seeking a new club (along with a number of my most talented young players). My previous club (Hailing) enjoyed regular top three league placings across five age groups over the past five years and I have personally coached four teams to City Cup glory. I know that league success is a priority for Windham in terms of attracting more players, and it is a path that I know well.
As well as possessing all required coaching qualifications, I am also a qualified physiotherapist and run a private sports injury clinic in my space time. I much prefer the coaching side, but I find that the parents of many of my previous players kept them with me because I know how to keep them fit as well as improve their skills.
I enclose links to some of my training videos along with a couple of presentations that I give to new parents about my training methodologies. I believe that there is nothing like getting on the field and working with the players, so I would be happy to come along to a trial training session if you would welcome it.
Sincerely,
Simon Canter
You can find even more writing and formatting tips in our related sports and fitness cover letter examples listed here below:
Cover letter header
The cover letter header is where a coach shows their attention to detail and their understanding of how visuals can impact a message. A hint of color and stylish formatting with your contact details (name, mobile, email and maybe socials) will catch the hiring manager or athletic director’s attention and show them that you are professional and polished. Check out the header on our coaching cover letter sample.
The aim of the cover letter header: Include the essential contact details in an attractive and functional format.
The cover letter header is one of the few places to add a touch of creative formatting to what is otherwise a white sheet of paper. Make sure to keep any design elements appropriate for the employer and role you are applying to. A professionally-designed cover letter template can help you avoid costly mistakes.
Cover letter greeting
Getting peoples’ names correct matters when relationships lie at the heart of your work. Check to whom the coaching cover letter should be addressed and spell it correctly. If you do not know, avoid the cold: “To whom it may concern” and instead opt for a warmer: “Dear X Football/Hockey/Baseball team.”
The aim of the cover letter greeting: You will expect your team to get your name right, even when they are gasping for breath, so make sure that you do the same.
Dear Mr. Sanders,
Cover letter introduction
The introduction of your coaching cover letter should lead with your biggest example of success in a relevant field. Look at the specifics of the role in terms of who you will be coaching and give an example that you would like to expand on during an interview. If this is impressive enough, the hiring manager will read on. Coaching is a motivation-led occupation, so you may also want to include some of your personal why factors. The intro from our coaching cover letter sample should give you an idea, but you need to make it personal for your journey.
The aim of the cover letter introduction: Grab attention with one of your big achievements. It should be market leading – why would someone hire you otherwise?
Having coached high school soccer and at local club level for seven years alongside my PE teaching, the part-time youth coaching role at the Windham Soccer Club is an ideal fit.
Cover letter middle part (body)
While you will likely have a list of achievements as long as your arm, the middle part, or body, of the coaching cover letter should explore only a couple of the most relevant. Use the STAR technique to explore the Situation, Task, Action and Result. You need to put your achievements in context. What counts is the scale of the improvement rather than the results themselves – that is your coaching impact. Weave a little personality into each story to share how you overcame obstacles that could have stopped you and your athletes from hitting your goals. Don’t miss the body section from our cover letter sample below.
Goal of the cover letter body: Share the sorts of sporting challenges that you will come up against in your new role.
My previous youth club sadly had to disband due to a redevelopment of their training facilities and I am seeking a new club (along with a number of my most talented young players). My previous club (Hailing) enjoyed regular top three league placings across five age groups over the past five years and I have personally coached four teams to City Cup glory. I know that league success is a priority for Windham in terms of attracting more players, and it is a path that I know well.
As well as possessing all required coaching qualifications, I am also a qualified physiotherapist and run a private sports injury clinic in my space time. I much prefer the coaching side, but I find that the parents of many of my previous players kept them with me because I know how to keep them fit as well as improve their skills.
How to close a coaching cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
Your conclusion should end on a strong note. Every coach believes in the power of next steps. It is likely that your hiring manager understands that successful coaches are in demand, so it is perfectly acceptable to share one last reason to hire you and then say that you are looking forward to the opportunity of meeting to discuss further. This call-to-action is a crucial part of any sales pitch, and it would seem strange if you did not include one at the end of your compelling application. Below you’ll find the conclusion from our coaching cover letter example.
Goal of the conclusion: End on a positive tone and suggest that you have plenty more sporting success stories to tell during an interview.
I enclose links to some of my training videos along with a couple of presentations that I give to new parents about my training methodologies. I believe that there is nothing like getting on the field and working with the players, so I would be happy to come along to a trial training session if you would welcome it.
Sincerely,
Simon Canter
Coach cover letter with no experience
You may be a beginner or amateur coach who is still rising through the ranks, but you really won’t get experience until you move up a level. Plenty of inexperienced coaches were “given a chance based on their personal qualities rather than their track record, so it is perfectly possible to get entry-level coaching positions with no experience. Here is what you might want to include in your coaching letter with no experience:
- Share your attitudes and people skills: You might be at the start of your coaching journey, but you will likely already have many of the people skills that you need to be a success. Share stories about when your communication and influencing skills made a difference in other non-sporting situations. They are transferable.
- Let them know about your sporting proficiency: You may not have spent a lot of time coaching, but if you had a previous sporting career you will have certainly been coached. Talk about what sort of coaching attributes you admire and what you have learned from those who have coached you.
- Share your why: Motivation is everything for a coach who will likely have to guide their athletes through tough times. Share why you want to become a coach.
Key takeaways
- Your results are only half of your coaching story – share your journey in your coaching cover letter.
- Give some context to your accomplishments with the STAR method.
- Have a look at Resume.io’s coaching cover letter sample for inspiration
