Keep Talented Athletes on the right track
Talented athletes need help to overcome the challenges they face both on and off the sports track or field, such as injury, illness, psychological issues and conflicts between their training schedule and personal commitments. The 1st4sport Level 3 Certificate in Talented Athlete Lifestyle Support (L3CTALS) recognises necessary knowledge and practical skills needed to provide that support.
Click here to request an application pack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the qualification for?
Why deliver this qualification?
What are the candidate pre-requisites?
How is the qualification structured?
How is the course delivered?
What will candidates gain from this qualification?
Who will deliver and assess the qualification?
What qualifications do tutors, assessors and verifiers need?
What are the fees?
How do I find out more?
How do I apply?
Other qualifications you may be interested in
Who is the qualification for?
Anyone over 18 years old, wishing to work with talented athletes. Candidates may already be working within the education sector or sports industry (for example, teachers, lecturers, sports coaches, personal trainers, careers staff, sports development officers etc).
Why deliver this qualification?
Funding Opportunities
The L3CTALS may be eligible for public funding. Contact your local Learning and Skills Council for more information.
Quality resources available
Specially developed candidate resources and assessment tasks make this qualification effective and engaging.
Demand for this qualification is set to increase
With the role of the mentor being recognised as crucial to the success of today’s athletes, and the Government already directing funds towards cultivating young talent, the scene is set for a growth in demand for this qualification in the run up to the 2012 Olympics.
Developed alongside recognised experts
The L3CTALS has been developed in partnership with the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) and is supported by UK Sport.
Satisfies the demands of existing schemes
The L3CTALS is a nationally recognised qualification, particularly relevant to those who deliver the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE). It also will provide an entry route into the TALS Degree course.
Raises your profile
Successful L3CTALS candidates potentially associate you with sporting excellence. Your centre could be seen as the leading support provider for future talented athletes at all levels of competition.
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What are the candidates pre-requisites?
Candidates must be over 18 years old. In addition during the course of the L3CTALS candidates are required to attend supplementary workshops and provide the following evidence:
- a certificate of attendance at a recognised Child Protection course
- a certificate of attendance at an Anti-Doping in Sport tutor training course
- a certificate of attendance at an Educational Opportunities in Sport training course.
By the end of the course candidates need to have evidence of having worked with an athlete for at least six months.
How is the qualification structured?
The qualification is divided into the following units:
| Unit No | Unit Title | Guided Learning Hours |
| 1 | Mentoring within the Performance Environment | 20 |
| 2 | Developing Networks within the Performance Environment | 7 |
| 3 | Working with an Athlete in the Performance Environment | 8 |
| 4 | Athlete Transitions | 7 |
| 5 | Supporting the Talented Athlete | 18 |
How is the course delivered?
The qualification can be studied either part-time or full-time and is designed to be delivered through a mixture of both practical and classroom-based activities. This includes tutor-delivered sessions, home study activities and evidence gathering for assignments.
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What will candidates gain from this qualification?
On successful completion of the L3CTALS, candidates will be able to:
- demonstrate knowledge of the role of a mentor to talented athletes
- describe the current sporting landscape with particular reference to performance pathways
- identify factors that may affect talented athletes’ performance environment
- demonstrate how a support network – professional services eg physiotherapist, nutritionist, psychologist, etc. – can benefit talented athletes and agree access arrangements for talented athletes to these services
- identify and record talented athletes’ needs
- communicate effectively with talented athletes by analysing communication barriers and implementing strong listening and feedback skills
- identify key transition points in talented athletes’ careers (such as GCSE to A-Level, A-Level to University/Work, School to College, Talented Athlete to Podium Athlete) and demonstrate a knowledge and application of transition theory to signpost potential strategies, enabling talented athletes to manage their transitional experience
- support talented athletes to set goals and action plan for development
- effectively facilitate and evaluate anti-doping and drugs-testing workshops
- maintain appropriate records of meetings with talented athletes
- understand data protection policies – to ensure they do not release inappropriate personal data
- evaluate their own performance in the talented athlete lifestyle mentor role so they can identify self-improvements areas.
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Who will deliver and assess the qualification?
The key roles are described below:
Tutor – Responsible for and/or involved in the delivery of the learning programme and conducting aspects of the internal assessment. Might also be termed trainer-assessor and/or internal assessor.
Independent assessor – An appropriately qualified assessor, employed by the recognised centre, who has not been involved in the candidates’ programme of training or internal assessment. This person is considered to be able to provide an independent assessment without prior knowledge of candidates’ performance.
Internal verifier – Appointed (and employed) by the recognised centre to review the work of all those involved in the assessment of the qualification at that centre, to ensure consistency of assessment for candidates over a period of time.
What qualifications do tutors, assessors and verifiers need?
The same person or two different people may fulfil the roles of tutor and internal assessor. Whichever option is chosen, the centre’s external verifier will wish to ensure that all persons providing training or assessment for the qualification meet the qualification-specific criteria below.
Tutors, internal assessors, independent assessors and internal verifiers of the L3CTALS must:
- hold the current TASS Certificate in Professional Athlete Lifeskills or have completed or be working towards the EiS/UK Sport Athlete Support Management training
- have a minimum of 2 years’ experience in providing lifestyle support to talented athletes within performance pathways
- hold or be working towards completing the ENTO Unit D32/33 or the A1/A2 Assessor Units, or the 1st4sport Introduction to Assessment Practice in Sport qualification (IAPS) or have attended a programme of assessor training matched to national standards
- hold or be working towards a 1st4sport Certificate in Tutoring in Sport (CTS) or have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), or have attended a programme of tutor training matched to national standards
- attend appropriate talented athlete lifestyle support qualification induction training.
TASS can assist recognised centres source tutors that meet the necessary criteria if required.
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What are the fees?
Fees are charged per candidate and provide registration and certification for the qualification, as well as a 1st4sport Qualifications Candidate Pack, learning resources and certificate. Further information on fees is available in your qualification application pack.
How do I find out more?
To find your nearest recognised centre please contact us:
Tel: 0113-290 7610
Email: enquiries@1st4sportqualifications.com
For more information on the organisations that the L3CTALS was developed in partnership with, please visit their respective websites at: www.tass.gov.uk, and www.uksport.gov.uk
How do I apply?
If you are not already a 1st4sport Recognised Centre but would like to deliver the 1st4sport Level 3 Certificate in Talented Athlete Lifestyle Support, you will first need to fill in a Centre Recognition Application Pack.
To apply, please click here.
If you are already a recognised centre and would like to deliver the 1st4sport Level 3 Certificate in Talented Athlete Lifestyle Support, please click here.
We don’t charge you any fees to apply to deliver this qualification.
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