The First 30 Days: A Coach Onboarding Blueprint That Stops Volunteer Burnout

The Volunteer Challenge

Surveys of grassroots organisations suggest that over half struggle to recruit and retain volunteer coaches, citing time pressure, admin burden and lack of support.[file:1]

When new coaches are dropped into teams with no clear guidance, early enthusiasm quickly turns into overwhelm.

What Retains Volunteer Coaches

Research on volunteer retention points to a few consistent needs:[file:1]

• Clear role definition and expectations.
• Access to simple session plans and age‑appropriate guidance.
• Easy‑to‑use tools for attendance, communication and planning.
• A sense of community, feedback and appreciation.

A 30-Day Onboarding Plan

Week 1 – Welcome and Orientation

• Intro call with a club coordinator.
• Access to PDP, age‑group templates and club philosophy.
• Overview of communication norms with parents.

Week 2 – Support for First Sessions

• Recommended starter session plans.
• Quick attendance tools and safety prompts.
• Opportunity to shadow an experienced coach.

Week 3 – Development and Feedback

• Short check‑in: what's going well, what's difficult.
• Introduction to using passports for reviews and goal‑setting.

Week 4 – Integration

• Inclusion in coach groups and analytics views.
• Agreement on support and development pathways for the coach.

How PDP Makes This Scalable

PDP gives clubs a repeatable framework for onboarding every new coach:[file:1]

• Standardised templates, checklists and workflows.
• Centralised knowledge and resources.
• Reduced time spent reinventing processes each season.

Supporting coaches well is one of the most powerful ways to improve player experience and retention.[web:8][file:1]