The coach development experts.
Transforming learning experiences in schools, clubs and organisations.
Games over drills
Trusted in 75+ countries
Learning by design, not luck
Who we transform learning for
Schools & teachers
In most schools, the quality of a student’s sporting experience depends on which teacher or coach they get.
We change that. Working with leading independent and international schools, we help Directors of Sport and Heads of PE build a consistent, games-based approach across every lesson, fixture and team.
Clubs & coaches
Clubs are only as strong as the coaches on their pitches every weekend. We work alongside Technical Directors, Heads of Coaching and Foundation leads to build a shared coaching approach that runs right through the club, from first-time volunteer parents to academy staff.
National Organisations
Coach development at scale. We partner with federations, state bodies and County FAs to reach their coaching workforce with practical, games-based learning that coaches actually use.
Trusted and loved from grassroots to elite
Plus schools, County FAs and community clubs worldwide
Let’s talk.
Whether you’re a school, club or national organisation, tell us about your coaches and what you’d like to achieve. We’ll come back to you within 24 hours with ideas on how we can help.
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Email
info@thecoachinglab.org
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Follow us
Coaches developing coaches.
The Coaching Lab was founded by Jack Rolfe, a coach developer with a BSc in Sports Coaching Science and 10+ years coaching hockey, football and AFL from community to talent programmes.
Based across the UK and Australia, Jack has delivered for Premier League academies, national federations and schools around the world, and still spends his weeks on the pitch with coaches.
Want to make them personal? Let’s build them together.
We co-design custom MatchPlay Cards around your principles of play, your coaching language and your brand. Trusted by West Ham, Auckland FC, Melbourne Victory and the England Football team, custom decks give every coach in your club or school the same playbook.
- MOQ 50 units.
- 3-4 week turn around.
What people ask us:
Do you visit schools and clubs in person?
Yes, and it’s where we make the biggest difference. We deliver in-person PD days, workshops, coach observation and co-coaching at your school or club, working alongside your coaches on the pitch and in the staffroom. With bases in the UK and Australia, we travel to organisations worldwide.
We’re now booking 2027 visits.
Can we have our own custom MatchPlay Cards?
Yes. We co-design bespoke decks built around your principles of play, coaching language and branding, as we’ve done for West Ham, Auckland FC, Melbourne Victory and the England Football team.
Contact us on info@thecoachinglab.org to learn more.
Do you offer bulk or organisation pricing?
Yes. We offer packages for whole-school, whole-club and workforce-wide orders, including combined packages of coach development, MatchPlay Cards and UPskill. Contact us for a tailored quote.
Can you present at our conference or coaching event?
Yes. We’ve delivered at the Football NSW, Football West and Football Victoria coaching conferences and for the Australian Sports Commission. Sessions are practical, games-based and tailored to your audience.
See what others say:
/ 5
Improved communication
We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability
Liverpool Football Club
LOVE THEM!
The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches. The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches. The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches.
Rugby Australia
Different problems to solve
I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads
John Lawson, Rangers FC
Really effective
I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety
Paul Barry, Crystal Palace FC, Assistant Head of Coaching
Play, play, play!
MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play
Darren, Park Sports Project
Facilitate the problem solving
Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards
Alan Good, Liberty Field Hockey, USA
Improved communication
We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability
Liverpool Football Club
LOVE THEM!
The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches. The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches. The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches.
Rugby Australia
Different problems to solve
I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads
John Lawson, Rangers FC
Really effective
I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety
Paul Barry, Crystal Palace FC, Assistant Head of Coaching
Play, play, play!
MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play
Darren, Park Sports Project
Facilitate the problem solving
Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards
Alan Good, Liberty Field Hockey, USA
Improved communication
We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability
Liverpool Football Club
LOVE THEM!
The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches. The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches. The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches.
Rugby Australia
Different problems to solve
I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads
John Lawson, Rangers FC
Really effective
I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety
Paul Barry, Crystal Palace FC, Assistant Head of Coaching
Play, play, play!
MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play
Darren, Park Sports Project
Facilitate the problem solving
Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards
Alan Good, Liberty Field Hockey, USA
Improved communication
We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability
Liverpool Football Club
LOVE THEM!
The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches. The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches. The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches.
Rugby Australia
Different problems to solve
I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads
John Lawson, Rangers FC
Really effective
I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety
Paul Barry, Crystal Palace FC, Assistant Head of Coaching
Play, play, play!
MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play
Darren, Park Sports Project
Facilitate the problem solving
Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards
Alan Good, Liberty Field Hockey, USA
Improved communication
We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability
Liverpool Football Club
LOVE THEM!
The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches. The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches. The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches.
Rugby Australia
Different problems to solve
I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads
John Lawson, Rangers FC
Really effective
I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety
Paul Barry, Crystal Palace FC, Assistant Head of Coaching
Play, play, play!
MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play
Darren, Park Sports Project
Facilitate the problem solving
Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards
Alan Good, Liberty Field Hockey, USA
Improved communication
We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability We use them with our U18s to develop their communicaiton and adaptability
Liverpool Football Club
LOVE THEM!
The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches. The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches. The girls love them, they are a great stimulation for conversation between players and coaches.
Rugby Australia
Different problems to solve
I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads I will try to select MatchPlay Cards© that fit the theme we are working to. We can't predict what will happen next in the game so we want to give them different problems to solve and make things chaotic with underloads and overloads
John Lawson, Rangers FC
Really effective
I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety I'm a big advocate of MatchPlay Cards they a really effective and visual aid to support players to interact, it gives them variety
Paul Barry, Crystal Palace FC, Assistant Head of Coaching
Play, play, play!
MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play MatchPlay Cards constantly create opportunities for players to learn through play
Darren, Park Sports Project
Facilitate the problem solving
Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards Huge part of my journey of understanding that I can just facilitate the problem solving, rather than doing it for me with MatchPlay Cards
Alan Good, Liberty Field Hockey, USA