British American Football Coaches Association

20/04/2026

The BAFCA Convention is Back!
The BAFCA Convention returns this July 10th–11th at the University of Nottingham Conference Centre. Get ready for two packed days of elite coaching insights covering every corner of the game.

What’s New for 2026?
Flag Football Track: We are excited to introduce a dedicated Flag section of the conference, led by Team GB’s Phoebe Schecter.

Coach of the Year Awards: We’ll be closing out the event on Saturday evening with our prestigious Coach of the Year & Hall of Fame awards ceremony. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the best in the game before we head home.

Discounted Rates: We have secured special rates for attendees; keep an eye out for booking links in the coming weeks.

Timing: Following feedback from previous Conventions, we have adjusted the dates to align with typical schedules allowing for Sunday practices to take place across the UK. Talks kick off on the morning of Friday the 10th and conclude with the awards on Saturday night.

We can’t wait to see the coaching community come together again. See you in Nottingham!

30/03/2026

Join us this Thursday at 7:00 PM for a packed online session! We’re diving deep into the areas that build successful programs.

What we are covering:
• 🧠 Coaching Culture
• 🏈 Women’s Coaching & Development
• 🚀 Youth Development (in both Kitted & Flag)
Reminder: Attending this clinic earns you 5 CPD points!

🔗 Sign up here to secure your spot:
https://bafa.justgo.com/workbench/public/events?ref=80A9940C0DC582822FE97DB84B76CAE9784A89ED

03/03/2026

🚨 IMPORTANT 🚨

As you may have seen from the recent press release, a refund on past Level 1 and 2 courses is being offered in line with the Union Jack Classic discount.

Please note, as stated in the press release, The process for partial refunds is being finalised and will be communicated in the coming weeks to those eligible.

This process is not managed by BAFCA, please monitor your inbox for updates.

06/02/2026

While the USA Football system is currently down, we have implemented a temporary workaround to ensure your coaching progress doesn’t stall. Please follow these steps to stay compliant:

Phase 1: Getting Your Temporary Certificate
Complete & Upload: Finish your online modules and Duty of Care/Safeguarding requirements. Upload these to your profile immediately.

Notify the Team: Once uploaded, send an email to [email protected] to let us know.

Verification: Our team will check your submissions and record them.

Just Go Update: We will upload a Temporary Certificate to your Just Go account, valid until the end of March.

Phase 2: Finalising Your Certification
Before March 31st: You must complete the remaining USA Football modules and drills once the system is back online.

Full Approval: Once completed, we will mark and approve your credentials as normal and replace the temporary file with your official certificate on Just Go.

Please ensure all Phase 1 steps are completed as soon as possible to avoid any gaps in your coaching eligibility. The temporary certification will allow you to register on JustGo.

06/01/2026

USA FOOTBALL TACKLE CERTIFICATION -

We were due to make a post this evening to remind coaches that the USA Football Certifications are not available over the month of February as the content is updated and that they should get on the course sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately the certification has been removed earlier than usual without any prior warning.

Coaches completing their Level 1 and 2 Qualifications should continue to do so as much as possible until it is available again, we will send out communications as soon as we have any further updates.

Any questions please email- [email protected]

21/12/2025

As Promised- Save The Date! 10th- 11th- July 2026

We wanted to let you know the date for next years Convention as early as possible to allow you plan. We are returning to Nottingham this year to provide you 2 days of Talks , Practicals, Networking and General Football Talk.

This year we are changing things slightly in that we will be extending the Friday sessions and removing the Sunday sessions to allow Coaches to still attend training on the Sunday in what could be a key Bye week in the season.

Speaker Announcements will follow in the New Year as well as details on some new features for Convention attendees - especially first timers!

Happy Holidays!

12/12/2025

Meet your BAFCA Regional Reps! 🇬🇧🏈

We are ready to hit the ground running. Here is who will be supporting your region this season:

📍 South West: Lydon Ward-Best & Ieaun Tucker
📍 South Coast: Dave Gibbs & Georgia Teague
📍 London & SE: Clark Gardener & Adam Lillis
📍 Midlands & East Anglia: Martin Hilton & Ian Hiscock
📍 North: Kevin O’Reagan & Ian Nicholson
📍 Scotland: Pete Laird, Andrew Gibson & Matthew Davies

🗓️We are currently planning Regional Clinics for the first part of 2026. If you can host a clinic, please get in touch with your regional rep to find out how BAFCA can support with costs.
🎓These clinics will each be worth 5 CPD points.

For any queries, please contact us at [email protected]

19/11/2025

📣 BAFCA Update

We’re going through a period of change at BAFCA and want to keep you all in the loop 👇

⚒️ We’re expanding our working groups. If you’re passionate about the development of the game (especially from Flag, Women’s Football, or the North), we’d love to hear from you!

💬 We know communication hasn’t been good enough, and we’re working to fix that. All communication should now go to [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Thanks for your patience and for everything you do to grow the game 🙌

03/11/2025

UPDATE - November course numbers now extended!!

🚨 Due to exceptional demand, we’re excite🚨 Due to exceptional demand, we’re excite to announce:

🏈 An additional Mid-November Level 1 Coaching Course
📅 Plus, an extended December Level 1 Course to close out the year strong!

Whether you're just starting your coaching journey or looking to formalise your experience, the BAFCA Level 1 Award is your gateway into British American Football coaching.

🔗 Course Details:
👉 https://www.sportstructures.com/education-training/our-courses/sport-coaching-courses/sport-specific-coaching-courses/bafca-courses/coaching-courses/bafca-level-1-award-course/

🎟️ Secure your spot now:
📍 November Course Booking: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/15151/sessions/806319/sections/33056/tickets

📍 December Course Booking: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/15151/sessions/779268/sections/33056/tickets
📣 Don’t miss out—spaces are limited and filling fast!

31/10/2025

🚨 Due to exceptional demand, we’re excited to announce:

🏈 An additional Mid-November Level 1 Coaching Course
📅 Plus, an extended December Level 1 Course to close out the year strong!

Whether you're just starting your coaching journey or looking to formalise your experience, the BAFCA Level 1 Award is your gateway into British American Football coaching.

🔗 Course Details:
👉 https://www.sportstructures.com/education-training/our-courses/sport-coaching-courses/sport-specific-coaching-courses/bafca-courses/coaching-courses/bafca-level-1-award-course/

🎟️ Secure your spot now:
📍 November Course Booking: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/15151/sessions/806319/sections/33056/tickets

📍 December Course Booking: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/15151/sessions/779268/sections/33056/tickets
📣 Don’t miss out—spaces are limited and filling fast!

29/10/2025

🚨 Free First Aid in Sport Courses – Powered by UK Coaching 🚨

Coaches, volunteers, and team managers – are you ready to boost your confidence in emergency situations on and off the field?

UK Coaching is offering First Aid in Sport courses designed specifically for those working in sport and physical activity. Whether you're new to coaching or a seasoned sideline leader, this training is essential to keeping our athletes safe.

✅ Learn life-saving skills
✅ Tailored for sport environments
✅ Flexible online and face-to-face options
✅ Ideal for British American Football coaches

https://www.ukcoaching.org/our-courses/first-aid-in-sport/?utm_source=z_marketing_october_2025_weekly_w2_first_aid&utm_campaign=marketing_october_2025_weekly_w2_first_aid&utm_medium=email

UK Coaching | Enhance your coaching skills with UK Coaching's accredited courses. For all levels, our diverse range of online and in-person training enhances your approach.