IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BRAY INSTITUTE.

Year 1 – Soccer Performance & Development  

Full-Time Soccer Performance & Education Programme ( 18+)

Full-Time Soccer Performance & Education Programme

The Year 1 Soccer Performance & Development Programme is designed for students who are passionate about developing both their playing ability and coaching expertise.

This full-time programme combines high-performance soccer training with industry-recognised coaching qualifications, helping you grow your game on the pitch while opening pathways to exciting careers in the sports industry. Whether your ambition is to compete at a higher level or pursue a future in coaching, this programme provides the skills, knowledge, and experience to help you succeed.

This programme combines weekly competitive playing opportunities for ambitious players with recognised coaching qualifications for those looking to progress into coaching roles within the game. Learning takes place through a blend of practical, on-pitch sessions and classroom-based study, ensuring you develop both the technical and theoretical knowledge needed for a successful career in soccer.  

This programme is designed to support players who are looking to take their game to the next level. While you do not need to be currently playing for a club to enrol, previous playing or coaching experience is essential.

It is also ideal for students with a genuine passion for soccer who are interested in developing a career in areas such as coaching, player development, talent identification, scouting, or performance analysis. Whether your ambition is to compete at a higher level or work behind the scenes as a coach in the game, this programme provides the knowledge, practical experience, and industry pathways to help you achieve your goals.

What You'll Develop

Our programme is designed to help student-athletes build the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to succeed both on and off the pitch. Throughout the programme, you will:

• Enhance your technical ability and overall individual performance.

• Develop a deeper tactical understanding of the game.

• Gain insight into playing positions, roles, and the different phases of play.

• Learn the principles of physical preparation and athletic performance.

• Understand the importance of health, nutrition, recovery, and wellbeing.

• Build confidence, resilience, and professionalism in a high-performance environment.

• Develop the ability to analyse individual and team performances to support continuous improvement.

• Learn the fundamentals of talent identification and player development.

• Gain practical experience in planning and delivering soccer coaching sessions.

• Strengthen your communication, teamwork, and leadership skills.

• Explore a range of career opportunities within the football industry, including coaching, analysis, scouting, and player development.

• Take ownership of your personal development, setting goals and creating a pathway for future success.

BTEC International Certificate in Sport

As part of the Year 1 programme, students work towards the BTEC International Certificate in Sport, combining academic study with practical learning to develop the knowledge and skills required for success in soccer and the wider industry.

This qualification includes the following units:

• Football Coaching

• Technical & Tactical Skills in Sport

• Health, Wellbeing & Sport

• Talent Identification & Development in Sport

• Practical Sports Performance

These units complement the practical soccer training programme, providing students with a strong understanding of coaching, technical and tactical performance, physical preparation, health and wellbeing, talent identification, and athlete development. Together, the academic and practical elements create a well-rounded learning experience that prepares students for further study, coaching qualifications, or careers within the soccer and sports industry.

FAI Coach Development Awards

Alongside their BTEC studies, students will also have the opportunity to complete a range of FAI Coach Development awards:

• FAI Safeguarding

• First Aid

• FAI Me & My Ball

• FAI Me & My Skill

• FAI Me & My Team Mates

These awards provide students with additional practical knowledge and experience while beginning their pathway within the FAI Coach Development structure.

Develop as a Player

Player development is at the heart of the programme.

Throughout the academic year, students take part in structured training sessions led by UEFA-licensed coaches, focusing on technical ability, tactical understanding, physical performance, decision-making, and game intelligence.

Training is designed to challenge and develop each player, while helping students understand how the technical, tactical, physical, and psychological aspects of football combine to influence performance.

Train & Compete

Students have the opportunity to train and compete in a structured, high-performance football environment throughout the academic year.

Regular competitive fixtures provide the chance to apply the skills and concepts developed in training and the classroom within realistic match situations. Performance is then reviewed through analysis and feedback, enabling students to identify strengths, address areas for improvement, and support their ongoing development.

Not Currently Playing? You Can Still Join

You do not need to be currently playing for a football club to join the programme, although previous playing or coaching experience is essential.

The programme is also ideal for students with a passion for football who are interested in careers in coaching, performance analysis, scouting, talent identification, player development, or the wider sports industry.

By working alongside players, coaches, training sessions, and competitive matches, students gain valuable practical experience while developing recognised qualifications and industry-relevant skills.

Develop a Deeper Understanding of the Game

Throughout Year 1, students build a comprehensive understanding of technical and tactical performance, principles of play, positional responsibilities, player development, and decision-making.

Students are encouraged to study, observe, and analyse football from multiple perspectives—including those of the player, coach, and performance analyst—to develop a broader understanding of how the modern game is played and coached.

Learn How Players Are Developed

Through the Talent Identification & Development in Sport unit, students explore how players are identified, nurtured, and supported throughout their development pathway.

The course examines the technical, tactical, physical, psychological, and social characteristics that contribute to player progression, while introducing the principles of scouting, talent identification, and long-term player development.

More Than a Coaching Programme

The Soccer Performance & Development Programme is far more than a coaching qualification.

It combines player development, coach education, academic learning, and practical industry experience to provide a well-rounded understanding of the modern game.

Whether your goal is to progress as a player, become a qualified coach, or pursue a career in performance analysis, scouting, player development, or another area of the football industry, this programme provides the knowledge, experience, and foundation to help you take the next step.

Build Your Future in Soccer

Year 1 provides a foundation for progression into:

• Playing pathways

• Soccer coaching

• Performance and match analysis

• Player development

• Talent identification and scouting

• Strength & Conditioning

• Sports performance

• Further and higher education

• The wider soccer and sports industry

Students can then continue their development through Year 2 – Advanced Soccer Performance & Development, progressing into more advanced areas of performance, coaching, tactical analysis and professional development.

Play. Perform. Learn. Coach. Progress.

Develop your game. Gain recognised qualifications. Build your future in soccer.