The L3CCF is awarded by 1st4sport Qualifications and has been developed in partnership with The Football Association (FA) and FA Learning.
Coaching Football is a pathway unit of the 1st4sport Level 3 Certificate in Coaching. The L3CCF is accredited at Level 3 on the National Qualifications Framework. It is also recognised as a UEFA ‘B’ Coaching Award, when held in conjunction with the Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Football.
For information on the accredited status of the L3CCF, please log on to the QCA-accredited qualifications website at www.accreditedqualifications.org.uk.
Is the L3CCF for me?
If you are an experienced Level 2 football coach (over 18 years of age) who would like to coach at a higher level and be involved in the delivery of annual coaching programmes within a club, then the L3CCF is designed for you. To achieve the L3CCF, you will need access to a team to coach (a youth or adult team competing regularly). You are encouraged to discuss the suitability of your team with a coach educator from the approved centre, prior to signing up for the qualification.
Why should I study the L3CCF?
- To help players and your team improve their techniques and develop technical and tactical skills in the small-sided game environment.
- As a significant milestone on The FA's football coaching ladder and in combination with the Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Football.
- For the achievement of the UEFA ‘B’ Coaching Award.
- To access full membership and the benefits of the FA Coaches Association (FACA).
What can I use the L3CCF for?
- As preparation for in-depth working with a team.
- As part of the development of a credible CV for employment in the sport and recreation industry.
- As a UEFA-accredited qualification, it allows you access to a variety of opportunities within the professional game.
- To progress on to the Level 3 NVQ in Coaching Teaching and Instructing association football or the FA Advanced Licence (UEFA ‘A’).
- To access membership of FACA.
For further information on FACA, please log on to the FA website at www.thefa.com and search for ‘FACA’.
What will I learn?
Your learning programme will develop your understanding of:
- football coaching principles and ethics
- the technical and tactical aspects of coaching the sport at this level
- how to plan and develop football coaching programmes
- how to manage and implement football coaching programmes
- the background science and understanding that underpins coaching programmes
- how to conduct football coaching sessions within your coaching programme
- how to effectively evaluate your activities and develop a plan for your further development as a coach.
If needed, there may be opportunities for you to receive higher levels of support via a mentoring/support programme between the initial training programme and final assessment. Please contact your approved centre for details.
How will my learning programme be structured?
Learning programmes are usually designed by the approved centre that delivers the qualification. They may, therefore, vary in length and format. Depending on your needs, delivery centres can offer intensive courses or a series of learning events over a number of weekends. Whatever the timescale, all learning programmes should include the following phases:
- An induction to the qualification and your programme of learning and assessment.
- A learning programme that will be divided into a number of stages, likely learning programme A and B. Between parts A and B, and before your final assessment, therewill be a gap during which you are expected to complete a variety of study tasks andgather evidence of your implementation of the principles.
- A programme of assessment spread across the course, including a number of observations of your coaching by an appropriately qualified assessor.
At the end of the programme, you will be provided with formal feedback on your performance and an action plan for your further development. You should be aware that the qualification is likely to take between six and 12 months to complete.
What will my assessment involve?
The L3CCF assessment will require you to:
- deliver two practical coaching sessions, during which you will be observed by an assessor
- complete an extensive series of post-training-programme tasks relating to the planning of a coaching programme for your team
- implement a 10-week phase of the programme with your team and produce evidence of the plans and evaluations for sessions delivered within the programme
- deliver two further coaching sessions during your final assessment, which will include a functional practice and/or phase of play and/or small sided game (8 v 8)
- answer oral questions on aspects of your performance, underpinning knowledge, understanding and application.
Where can I access the qualification?
The qualification is delivered by 1st4sport Qualifications’ approved centres, not all of whom offer open courses to members of the public. Your first port of call to access a course should be to contact FA Learning. Contact details are provided below.
How much will the qualification cost me?
Approved centres offering this qualification determine their own fees and they will vary from centre to centre. The fees charged should entitle you to a programme of learning and assessment, registration and certification for the qualification, a 1st4sport Qualifications Candidate Pack and appropriate learning resource. For further information on the costs of courses, please contact an approved centre.
Contact details
The qualification is delivered by 1st4sport recognised centres, not all of whom offer open courses to members of the public. Your first port of call to access a course should be your County Football Association. Contact details are provided below.
Other 1st4sport Qualifications you may be interested in:
Many of the qualifications below have been developed in partnership with FA Learning.
- 1st4sport Certificate in Event and Match Day Stewarding (CEMS)
- 1st4sport Certificate in First Aid for Sport (FAS) Level 2 Award in Coaching Studies (L2ACS)
- 1st4sport Level 1 Certificate in Coaching Football (L1CCF)
- 1st4sport Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Football (L2CCF)
- 1st4sport Level 1 Certificate for Match Officials in Football (L1CMOF)
- 1st4sport Level 2 Certificate in the Treatment and Management of Injury in Football (L2TMI)
