Crystal Palace F.C.
Foundation Phase Coach
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Foundation Phase Coach
Foundation Phase Coach (U9–U12) – Crystal Palace Football Club
Job Location: Academy Training Ground, BR3 1NZ Contract Type: Full-time Deadline: July 9th 2026
About Us
We are Crystal Palace Football Club, a Premier League club with nearly 160 years of rich history. With offices at Selhurst Park Stadium, our London hub, and our Training Ground/Academy, we offer an inspiring culture where innovation and professionalism drive both on-field excellence and off-field growth. From the players on the pitch to the teams supporting them behind the scenes, we’re focused on continuous improvement and diverse talent development.
About This Role
The Foundation Phase Coach (U9–U12) will lead and develop players at a critical stage in their football journey, aligning sessions with Crystal Palace’s coaching philosophy, Academy curriculum, and long-term player pathway. This role demands high-level coaching expertise, strong leadership, and a passion for nurturing young talent while building collaborative working relationships within a dynamic multi-disciplinary setting.
Responsibilities
Core Coaching Duties
- Design and deliver high-quality coaching sessions reflecting the Academy Playing Philosophy and Foundation Phase curriculum for U9 to U12 players.
- Develop and maintain Individual Development Plans (IDPs) with clear objectives in technical, tactical, physical, psychological, and social areas.
- Lead Individual Development Reviews and contribute to formal player progression discussions.
- Create a positive, inclusive, and challenging environment where players feel respected, motivated, and supported.
- Learn and consistently apply the Academy playing philosophy and professional coaching standards.
- Support player transitions from Foundation to Youth Development Phase.
Collaboration & Teamwork
- Work closely with Sports Science, Medical, Psychology, Education, Recruitment, and Player Care teams to integrate holistic player development.
- Attend and actively engage in weekly multidisciplinary meetings.
- Mentor assistant coaches, providing observations and feedback to support their development.
- Maintain consistency in coaching standards and behaviours across all Foundation Phase groups.
- Reformulate the academy’s overall training curriculum and plan seasonal programmes.
- Support talent identification initiatives, including trials and succession planning.
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Customer & Safeguarding Focus
- Foster strong relationships with parents and guardians, communicating effectively and representing Academy values.
- Uphold champion safeguarding guidelines for all young players, ensuring compliance with club, Premier League, and government policies.
- Promote Equality, Diversity & Inclusion in all professional interactions.
- Comply with Health & Safety policies, proficiency training (e.g., FA Safeguarding qualification), and continuous professional development.
Experience, Skills & Qualifications
Core Requirements:
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** UEFA Licence (working towards UEFA A highly desirable)**
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FA Advanced Youth Award (working towards)
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FA Safeguarding Children & Emergency First Aid in Football qualifications
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Proven experience in an EPPP (Elite Player Performance Plan) Academy
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**,
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Deep understanding of modern coaching methodology and youth-technique education
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Experience developing individualised player programmes for age-phase-specific development
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Knowledge of child and adolescent psychology and its impact on curricular design
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Training techniques that develop foundational cognitive skills including decision making
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Understanding of 'how might we' sessions to creatively solve problems in training
Desirable Attributes:
- Long-term collegiality with a history of ongoing personal and professional development.
- A mastery of high-quality video analysis techniques externally and within coaching sessions.
- A appraisal of language proficiency dispositions and reflection based on matches representative teams.
- Emphasis on recovering mechanical performance mastery to enhance movement efficiency within the sports physioterhetics dimension.
Key Competencies
· ** Thoughtful Leadership and Visionary**: Ability to envision where the Foundation Phase is headed collectively and individually so that each young member of the team can achieve their potential.
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· ** Culturing Relationships**: Secure empowerment of youngsters through care, understanding, and meticulous strategies to cultivate loyalty and make the club a welcoming place.
· ** Strong Pedagogical Charm**: Superb storytelling identities, preferably those that nurture an appreciation for context within sessions and apply theoretical principles from youth benchmarks.
· ** Communication Champions**: Skills to articulate progress with players and parents, enhancing trust through clarity and warmth.
· ** Data-Driven Decision Making:** Capacity for continuously observing players and leveraging technology, feedback loops, and data to substantiate assessments both technical and emotional.
What We Offer
· Complimentary Matchday Ticket · Comprehensive Reward Scheme (Tech and Sport Discounts via Gym/Discount Apps) · Health and Wellbeing Support (Appreciated inclusion of Taking stock) · Staff Membership & Discounts at Retail Stores, Gyms, and Hospitality Partners · Travel Season Ticket Loan · 25% Holiday Allowance to support work-life balance
Our Commitment to Equality and Inclusion
Crystal Palace Football Club is dedicated to fostering an inclusive culture focused on equality, diversity, and equity. We’opplify its values with policies, practices and genuine support for all individuals engaged with the club.
- Reasonable Adjustments: We are a certified Disability Confident Employer. Qualified Applicants requiring reasonable adjustments during recruitment or day-to-day operations should contact via DLO@cpfc.co.uk. Please note, this is exclusively for disability-related enquiries.
- Safeguarding: All employees at Crystal Palace commit to the welfare of young individuals, with all shortlisted candidates vetted via DBS checks. Failures will disqualify the application.
For further information or to seek support through accessing the services listed above: Please communicate with the dedicated HR team via the direct email: cpfc.recruitment@cpfc.co.uk.
Every candidate’s pathway to bringing out their full potential is paving a future brimming with opportunity here at Crystal Palaces.
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