From the moment a player kicks their first football, whether that be at 3 years old, 7 years old or 13 years old, learning and guidance from a coach is key. From the very basics of the beautiful game to the development and fostering of the next generation of Socceroo’s and Matilda’s. The role of a coach cannot be understated and is why there is a large emphasis on the education of coaches right throughout the Hills Football Association.
Providing courses and education resources for new and existing coaches is a large focus for Hills Football with a team of dedicated staff providing access to a diverse range of coaches regardless of their footballing background.
Nick Fitzgerald, the Community Player and Coach Development Manager at Hills Football, oversees and delivers the various coaching courses on offer by Hills. The main two courses delivered by Nick and his team are the MiniRoo’s Certificate and the Foundation of Football.
“Our MiniRoo’s (Certificate) is targeted at first time coaches. Generally, parents that have put their hand up to coach but have never coached before and just want to understand the basics,” Fitzgerald said.
“The foundation of football, you get a bit of a mix. Coaches that are just starting out have some sort of knowledge of football but want to understand the structure of sessions and coaching points.”
“Then you also get coaches that have a lot of experience but maybe haven’t looked at going down, getting their (coaching) badges before. The foundation of football is the beginning of your coaching licenses. You go foundation and then up to C, B and A.”
Prior to the start of this season, over 100 coaches attended one of the eight coaching sessions that have been offered by Nick and Hills Football. These courses help lay out the groundwork for the coaches to head back to their clubs and apply what they have learnt to the clubs’ needs and situations.
“I really like to let the clubs to figure out themselves, but we’re obviously there to, to help them support.” Fitzgerald said.
“Every club is different. Some clubs are bigger in numbers in terms of kids that they’ve got some smaller, some have got more grounds, some have got less. It’s not necessarily a one size fits all, we’re trying to accommodate for every part to their needs and, and what support they need from us.”
Coaches’ education is a continues cycle and ongoing process. Throughout the 2026 season Nick and Hills Football will continue to offer the MiniRoo’s Certificate and the Foundation of Football with an expected rise of interest and courses on offer around the halfway mark of the season.
Jason Eager, the Head of Football at Hills Football, has also just started delivering C license courses to allow coaches to take that next step and grow their knowledge of the game.
If you are interested in signing up or learning more about the various coaching courses on offer, you can find out more information on the Hills Football website or speak to your local club officials.
