British Esports launches new esports coaching and safeguarding courses in collaboration with UK Coaching, 1st4sport, NSPCC, UNICEF UK and the National Crime Agency

New Coach Development Framework and its learning programmes aim to set professional standards in esports coaching, improve safeguarding in esports and support the development of future champions

Sunderland, UK, Wednesday 12th March 2025 – The British Esports Federation, the national body for esports in the United Kingdom, has launched a Coach Development Framework and learning programmes to elevate professional standards in esports coaching and safeguarding.

It has partnered with UK Coaching, the only independent representative body for coaches in the UK, and its awarding organisation,1st4sport, as well as the National Crime Agency, plus children’s charities UNICEF UK and the NSPCC, to create two initial online learning programmes: ‘Duty to Care in Esports’ and ‘Introduction to Esports Coaching’.

With nearly 38m gamers in the UK (Statista), children commonly expressing a desire to become a professional gamer (Children’s Commissioner) and the International Olympic Committee recently announcing the inaugural Olympic Esports Games in 2027, esports is establishing itself as a mainstream activity alongside traditional sports, meaning esports players will soon have the opportunity to represent Great Britain and win Olympic medals.

This opportunity highlights the need to establish effective talent identification and development pathways at all levels of esports, matching what already happens across traditional sport. Esports coaches and leaders facilitating esports programmes are integral to this process. Well trained, knowledgeable coaches and leaders are better equipped to create safe, healthy, inclusive esports environments and provide appropriate support, advice and guidance to empower players and teams to achieve their full potential.

“While the esports industry has successful coaches linked to specific game titles, unlike traditional sport it does not currently have globally recognised professional standards for esports coaches and leaders,” said Tom Dore, Vice President, British Esports Federation. “Nor does it have suitable expectations around safeguarding and protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults when they are playing esports.

“The esports industry must do all it can to support and protect every member of our community. All stakeholders within the industry must understand their individual and collective responsibilities in achieving this.”

To support the global industry and help protect children and young people, British Esports has developed a comprehensive Coach Development Framework, which can be used as the foundation of global standards and professional development in esports. It has been designed to identify core knowledge, skills and behaviours which coaches and leaders in esports need, while recognising the variety of esports titles and the specialist skills and knowledge that individual games require.

“Esports has always been about pushing limits – whether in gameplay, strategy, or competition,” said Sam Mathews, Founder & CEO of Fnatic. “But if we want to stand alongside traditional sports, we need real infrastructure.

“At Fnatic, we’ve invested heavily in building structured coaching, player development, and wellbeing initiatives because we know talent needs more than just skills to succeed. With the Olympics on the horizon, this initiative is a big step in setting the standards esports needs – not just to develop talent, but to build careers and make sure the future of esports is built to last.”

Built on the foundation of the Coach Development Framework, British Esports has also created the Coach Development Pathway, which will support the global community of aspiring and existing esports coaches through a range of professional development and training opportunities, including two initial online learning programmes:

1. Duty to Care in Esports

This is a FREE online learning programme focused on the moral and ethical responsibilities of all stakeholders in the esports industry by developing essential knowledge to build safer, healthier, and more inclusive esports environments.

Based around 7 key pillars of Safeguarding, Child Rights, Online Safety, Cyber Choices, Mental Health, EDI and Health & Wellbeing, it has been written by the likes of UNICEF UK, NSPCC and the National Crime Agency.

“We recognise that significant numbers of children engage with esports everyday so it is really important coaches and leaders in the esports industry understand more about children’s rights,” said Liz Twyford, Sports Programmes Specialist at UNICEF UK. “Duty to Care in Esports’ will support coaches and leaders on this learning journey and help them to embed child rights, safeguarding, and other critical focus areas, into their practice.”

2. Introduction to Esports Coaching

This esports coaching programme is endorsed and certified by UK Coaching, the only independent representative body for coaches in the UK, and its awarding organisation,1st4sport.

It is designed to provide esports coaches, both new and experienced, with an understanding of effective coaching principles and practices. It will help coaches to identify players’ motivations, their existing skill level, and offer ways in which they can develop them, not only as players, but as people, and focuses on four key areas: Coach, Environment, Player and Game.

Hayley Khan, UK Coaching Director of Development, said: “Establishing recognised coaching standards is essential for the growth and professionalism of esports, just as it is in any other sport. ‘Introduction to Esports Coaching’ provides esports coaches with an introduction to fundamental skills and knowledge to support their players and teams effectively, setting them on the path to long-term development and success.”

“Just because an individual is, or was, a good player, or just because they have excellent in-game knowledge, doesn’t automatically mean they are a good coach,” said Chester King, President, British Esports.

“Effective esports coaching incorporates much more than simply game-based skills and strategies. It involves empowering the holistic development of individuals and teams in safe, healthy, positive, inclusive environments. With these new courses, we’re helping to develop knowledge and best practice to improve standards in esports with the long term goal of developing Olympic champions.”

Duty to Care in Esports and Introduction to Esports Coaching are available NOW through British Esports Learning, a new online learning hub which is home to all of British Esports’ current and future professional development and learning opportunities for the esports industry. Visit British Esports Coaching to begin your journey on the coach development pathway.