Soccer Coaching & Education
Course Description
If you want to be a soccer coach or improve your soccer skills this course is an excellent starting point to your career. It will provide you with a pathway to the leisure industry, also to gain professional coaching qualifications for employment in Ireland and abroad, and in particular coaching in the USA. Strength and conditioning components along with technical skill will be monitored closely as students’ progress throughout the course. The syllabus will cover a broad range of theoretical and practical components designed for the students to advance into higher education.
Facilities include a state of the art gym, a full size 3G Astro turf pitch and a professional quality grass soccer pitch on campus.
Students will compete in the various Colleges/ Universities cups and leagues throughout the year.
The CSN Soccer trip to Universities in America has been successful in securing scholarships in Universities in Florida, Carolina, Texas and Tennessee. This trip may be offered to students and is a once in a lifetime opportunity to play and experience some of the top sports facilities in the world.
QQI Level 5
Sports, Recreation and Exercise
5M5146
One Year
Leaving Certificate or equivalent. All applicants are interviewed, and places are awarded on suitability. Experience in soccer coaching or other sports is an advantage.
The following subjects may be offered:
-
Soccer Coaching Level 5
5N4887
Students will learn the skills of soccer coaching. -
Soccer Coaching Level 6
6N5189
The purpose of this award is to equip the learner with the knowledge, skill and competence in technical, tactical, mental, physical, personal and lifestyle aspects of the game of soccer, to enable the learner to engage in planning and delivery of coaching sessions under appropriate supervision in the sport of soccer. -
Sports & Recreation Studies
5N2667
This provides students with an overview and understanding of the sport, leisure and recreation industry. -
Exercise & Fitness
5N2668
This subject is designed to provide the student with the skills and knowledge to assist in the delivery of safe and appropriate exercise and fitness programmes. -
Sports Anatomy & Physiology
5N4648
This subject area provides the learner with an understanding of the working of the human body in sporting contexts. -
Working with young People
5N1384
This module will provide a framework for students to develop appropriate activities for working with youth groups. -
Basketball Coaching
5N4888
A practical based component on the skills of basketball coaching. -
Communications
5N0690
Communication skills are highly valued in the workplace. This subject recognises that the acquisition of these skills is a life-long process, and central to personal, social and professional development. -
Work Experience
5N1356
This subject provides the student with practical experience in a work environment.
Optional Course
First Aid
Extra Units
- FAI PDP1 Soccer Coaching
- FAI PDP2 Soccer Coaching
- FAI 7V7 Coaching
- FAI 9V9 Coaching
- FAI Strength and Conditioning
- FAI Safeguarding
Career Opportunities
- Employment within the leisure and fitness industry.
- Professional coaching/football facilitator/regional development officer.
- Soccer scholarship U.S.A./coaching within athletic departments.
- Professional/semi-professional career in soccer.
- Strength & conditioning coach/fitness instructor
- Summer camp coaching, Ireland & USA.
For full details on progression opportunities see these links:
Cork Colleges Progression Scheme
QQI Requirements
CSN Graduates who Received Scholarships to the USA
- Liam Collins: University of Memphis: Div 1
- John Dineen: University of Delaware: Div 1
- Stacey Paul: Tyler Junior College Texas: (NJCAA)
- Laura Thompson: Tyler Junior College Texas: (NJCAA)
- Darren O'Connor: University of Delaware: Div 1
- Eoin Conlon: Florida Southern College: Div 2
- Robert Milner: Auburn University at Montgomery: Div 1
- Greg Yelverton: UNC Ashville North Carolina: Div 1
- Damien O'Rourke: George Mason University: Div 1
- John Andrews: Martin Methodist College Tennessee: (NAIA)
Former CSN Students who have Represented Ireland
- Shane Long: Senior
- Denise O'Sullivan: Senior
- Amanda Parkes: Senior
- Shane Guthrie: U23
- Dennis Behan: U21
- Craig Duggan: Youth & Futsal
- Ray Lally: U18
- Timmy Kiely: U18
- Jamie Meehan: U18
- Colin P O Brien: U18
Graduate Profiles
Damien O'Rourke
"The first thing I noticed about student-athlete life in the USA is how similar it was to my time at CSN. My daily schedule at CSN consisted of training on the pitch daily coupled with classroom work. The same can be said of university life in the USA. Earning a full scholarship to the states is not an easy achievement.
I believe my dedication to training and academics at CSN is one of the main reasons I eventually earned a place as a student-athlete at a division one collegiate facility as both work on the pitch and in the classroom are taken into account.
Every day I trained at least twice a day sometime three times if I went to the gym also. I challenged myself to bring the same high intensity to every session which I believed would pay off for me. I enjoyed the challenge and thrived on reaching goals set out for myself in terms of fitness and performance. I owe a lot to the coaching staff at CSN who helped me reach those goals and challenged my ambition every day.
On top of all that a high SAT score is also essential. Before I took my SATs I studied the material and earned a high score which ensured me of my place in the University. Thankfully, I had the chance to see and experience at first hand what it is like to be a student-athlete in the US through trips to the states with CSN as we competed against university teams and received tours of the facility. These trips were well organized in advance with a thoroughly professional approach on every detail by the staff which allowed us, the players, to get the most out of the trip. Aside from being a fantastic experience to compete against teams from another country, the social aspect of the trip made it even more memorable having met and played alongside (and against) players whom I am still in contact with to this day.
I played and studied in George Mason University for five years in a full scholarship earning a degree in teaching health and physical education. I have since returned to Ireland where I play in the Airtricity League and Teach at Galway Technical Institute."