Sport (Vocational)

What Will You Learn?

The Sport course offers a unique opportunity for students to immerse themselves full-time in the varied disciplines and roles possible within the sports industry. If you have a passion for sport, you will be able to examine it from the perspective of a huge range of possible future careers. 

Learn how to analyse elite performance, to psychologically prepare an athlete for their biggest sporting achievement, to develop a new product to hit the sporting world by storm, how to plan and deliver a rehabilitation programme, and so much more!  

Experience what each individual unit has to offer as you discover just how many options there are in the industry, and uncover your strengths and interests to guide your future career path.

Modules

•  Unit: 1 Anatomy & Physiology. To understand the major body systems related to exercise, such as the skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory and energy systems is a crucial step for anyone aspiring to work in the sports industry. This unit will enable you to know the structure of each of these systems and understand the role and function they take on as the body starts to exercise.
• Unit: 2 Sports Coaching. The purpose of this unit is to show you how varied the role and responsibilities of a coach can be and how they can impact on an athlete’s performance and even their career. It will also show you how a variety of methods and techniques need to be used by a coach in order to ensure that they are getting the best out of their athletes.
• Unit: 3 Current Issues in Sport. This unit analyses the growth and development in sport, current cultural factors that affect participation and how to remove any barriers to the multi technological developments seen in today’s sporting arenas and links to the media effects on sport. You will appreciate your favourite sport and how it has developed from often humble beginnings with no rules or structure to a complex global multi million pound industry.
• Unit: 4 Physiology of Fitness. The purpose of this unit is for you to further become familiar with the anatomy and physiology of the human body and learn the effects of exercise on the various body systems, both in the long term and short term, as well as being able to scientifically test and prove the adaptations. You could also look at how exercise routines differ as the body adapts over time and how an elite performer's exercise routine and body adaptations are significantly different to that of the average learner/performer.
• Unit: 5 Sports Nutrition. The unit will enable you to investigate the components of a balanced diet and relate this information to recommended guidelines from public health sources associated with nutrition. The links between a healthy balanced diet and the ability to perform at a high standard are well known and this unit provides the opportunity for you to be aware of the impact good nutrition and hydration has on your performance by looking into the physiology of the digestive system.
• Unit: 6 Sports Psychology. The unit will look at the importance of sport psychology and its influence on performance. You will gain an understanding of personality and motivation and the effects they have on performance. You will understand the differences between stress, anxiety and arousal and how the three can combine in order to affect sports performance. You will also investigate the different stages of group development and the factors which influence a group, for example, social loafing and Ringelmann effect.
• Unit: 7 Practical Team Sports. This unit will help you to know what is required in order to become a successful sports performer in a team sport. To participate in any sport, it is essential for the participants to be able to understand and perform a wide range of skills and techniques related to the specific activity. It is also important for participants to know the rules, regulations and the role of officials. Successful performers possess the ability to apply tactics and strategies related to the activity effectively and are able to evaluate performances and suggest ways to improve.
• Unit: 8 Sport as a Business. This unit provides the knowledge base for you to understand business concepts within the world of sport. You are encouraged to be innovative and creative in devising your own business ideas whilst reinforcing the underpinning knowledge around organisational structure, market research, legal factors and financial implications. The unit prepares you for employment, through transferable business knowledge, that can be used within the sports sector.
• Unit: 10 Outdoor Adventurous Activities. This will help you gain an understanding of a range of outdoor and adventurous activities. You will find out who is responsible for regulating the activities and which organisations provide facilities and instruction for the activities. Health and safety are important aspects of delivering sport and in the participation of outdoor and adventurous activities. You will also  look at the impact activities can have on the environment and the importance of protecting it. You will participate in a range of outdoor and adventurous activities that will enable you to work as a member of a team, reflecting the nature of the sports industry where this is a skill which is greatly in demand
• Unit: 11 Practical Individual Sports. This unit will help you to know what is required in order to become a successful sports performer in an individual sport. To participate in any sport it is essential for the participants to be able to understand and perform a wide range of skills and techniques related to the specific activity. It is also important for participants to know the rules, regulations and the role of officials. Successful performers possess the ability to apply tactics and strategies related to the activity effectively and are able to evaluate performances and suggest ways to improve.
  
• Unit: 14 Instructing Practical Activity. This unit will help you understand the key components of planning exercise programmes and delivering an exercise session. You will look at health screening methods and risk assessments. You are required to design a six-week programme for two contrasting clients, considering their needs and goals. This unit will enable you to develop knowledge and understanding on how to become a fitness instructor and may motivate them to pursue this as a future career.
  
• Unit: 15 Sports Injuries. By completing this unit, you will study how to minimize the risk of injuries, by understanding preventive measures of extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors. You will discover how to react to common injuries that can occur during sport, and be able to plan treatment and rehabilitation programmes for a variety of injuries sustained throughout sport.
  
• Unit: 16 Analysis of Performance. This unit provides an insight into performance analysis and the different methods used at various levels of the sports performance pyramid and the resources required to achieve these goals. Learners should understand that sports performance is dependent on a multitude of factors for success, such as; human movement, physiology, psychological make-up as well as technical and tactical requirements.
  
• Unit: 17 Talent Identification. In this unit, you will look at what it means to be talented. To do this, you will delve into predictors and types of talent with relevant sporting examples. You will consider and explore different talent identification programmes and talent development programmes in a variety of sports before creating one of their own.
• Unit: 19 Organising Sports Events. The unit enables you to practically apply theoretical knowledge in planning and delivering a sports event.. You will plan, run and evaluate an event of your own choosing within the constraints of time, budget and institute resources. Events can vary in scale from sports quizzes, coaching mornings and tournaments to larger scale fundraising events, competitions or inter-form competitions. The unit will help you to understand the implications and considerations of running a sports event.
• Unit: 21 Athlete’s Lifestyle. This unit provides an insight into the different impact factors can have on lifestyle and sporting success by highlighting the behaviours athletes are expected to demonstrate when communicating with significant others and identifying strategies that can be used to cope with additional pressures. You will also explore the need for athletes to consider careers after competitive sport, ensuring there are alternative options for athletes when they stop competing.
  
• Unit: 23 Fitness Training & Programming. This unit looks at different fitness components required when planning fitness-related programmes for a variety of fitness levels, giving learners a range of ways to train each component and the chance to participate in a number of these sessions. This unit will allow learners to explore SMART goal setting, incorporated into their programmes to help athletes achieve within their sporting performance. Finally, learners will monitor their athletes progress through the planned programme, adapting the programme to suit their needs and providing feedback against their set goals.
  
• Unit: 24 Sports Development. Learners will understand the role of sports development officers at grass root level and the initiatives used to target groups in overcoming barriers to participation. This will aid the learner in comprehending the barriers to sports participation for different groups and the initiatives that can be used to help increase participation. They will look at the structure of sport in the UK and the conflicting demands placed on different sports bodies within the larger structure of sports development. Learners will explore the roles these individual organisations play in delivery of sports policy and effectiveness and success of sporting initiatives.
  
• Unit: 25 Fitness Testing. In this unit, you will look at fitness tests covering a range of physical fitness components. You will research and design your own health-screening questionnaire and carry out health monitoring tests. You will administer a complete programme of health screening, health monitoring and fitness tests for a selected individual, ensuring they are valid, reliable and suitable. You will also provide feedback to clients, comparing their results with national normative data and recommending how the client can improve their fitness and health in the future.
  
• Unit 26: Work Experience. This unit gives you the opportunity to experience first-hand the many and diverse roles that are available within the sports industry. The unit will help you to identify the different roles within organisations and the responsibilities of those involved. Learners will have the opportunity to develop their own personal skills and interview techniques, before being placed in an appropriate work experience placement. 
  

Special Features

• If there’s an opportunity to leave the classroom and teach a topic practically, we’ll take it. Why be sat at a computer when you could learn by experiencing it in a more exciting way!
• We take full advantage of a wide range of assessment methods across all our 19 units, allowing you to develop industry relevant skills and experiences alongside demonstrating your knowledge and understanding.
• Bring your lessons to life with a range of options to develop your understanding and apply your knowledge further, including external speakers, additional qualifications, a variety of residential and day trips, and our Sports Ambassador Programme.

Where Will This Lead?

Strong links are formed with employers, leading to work experience, placements and talks. As a student on this course, you can be involved in leadership events as part of our primary school work.

You will also have the opportunity to take part in many trips. Groups visit the football museum, Sports City and various Centres of Excellence to name just a few of the options