Level 3 Diploma in Sporting Excellence

The Diploma in Sporting Excellence programme, governed by SportsAid, is delivered to performance athletes selected by their National Sporting Governing Body to enter the Talent Pathway in order to help them progress on their journey towards reaching their athletic potential.

The Diploma in Sporting Excellence is a unique programme for performance athletes:

The programme lasts for 2 academic years
Performers must also be studying a full-time study programme (for example, A levels or a BTEC)
Performers are conventionally aged 16-18yrs old (or performers with an EHCP aged 19-24yrs old)
National Governing Bodies select performers for the programme
Loughborough College works with NGB’s to design, deliver and assess the qualification

Any performers interested in studying the Diploma in Sporting Excellence are advised to contact their NGB about how they apply for the programme.

For further information about the programme, please contact dise@loucoll.ac.uk

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Learners will complete the bespoke Level 3 Diploma in Sporting Excellence qualification by developing the most appropriate knowledge, skills and behaviours to compete at the highest level.

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Not only does the programme help learners to progress within the performance pathway but it will also help learners to develop an extensive range of wider, transferable skills to help them balance the unique challenges around their sporting, social and academic demands.

This can greatly assist learners in progressing to higher education or employment, either within sport or an alternative career pathway.

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In addition, the Diploma in Sporting Excellence carries 64 UCAS points to help performers with their ongoing progression in to Higher Education, allowing them to continue on a dual career pathway.

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Loughborough College work with 18 NGB’s on their DiSE programmes, ensuring each sports programme is specifically adapted to the needs of the athletes and their performance pathway.

This leads to a range of bespoke delivery models that ensures performers are provided with the most appropriate programme to enable them to develop on and off the field.

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There are an extensive range of topics and units the DiSE programme will cover specifically aimed at the performance and wider life skills required of an elite athlete.

Key Information

Selection

Athletes need to be moving into Y12 at the start of the programme and remain in education for the duration of the 2 year course (not into Higher Education). Athletes can be on a non-sport apprenticeship, again, as long as they are on it for the duration of the 2 year course.

Selection will be at the discretion of the Sporting Governing Body and candidates will be shortlisted as such.

Eligibility

Performers will need to meet eligibility criteria to be able to participate in the DiSE programme – such as being 16-18 years old and in full time education. Athletes are not allowed to be chosen from private, fee paying schools unless able to provide written evidence of a scholarship, bursary or sponsorship at minimum 50%.

Training & Competition

Training and competition will take place at each franchise/region, with athletes required to log their hours on pitch. Coaches will work with athletes to set specific goals across the season and ensure progress is made during the programme.

1:1 Support

Includes a range of 1:1 support, such as with coaches, nutritionists and psychologists. Loughborough College elite sport tutors also provide on-programme support to help athletes improve performance and achieve the qualification.

Specialists

Includes working with a range of sport specific specialists who work within talent pathway programmes. Across the programme guest speakers and industry experts provide advice and guidance for elite athletes moving through the performance pathway.

Units & Topics

Sports injuries

Career planning & finance

Lifestyle

Nutrition

Health & safety

Mental skills

Anti-doping

Behaviours & values

Comms & media

Technical, tactical & physical skills

Loughborough College are one of the leading elite sport college providers in the country, with a strong pedigree of educating the next generation of Olympic athletes across an ever growing range of sports. As part of the DiSE programme performers have access to:

Appropriately qualified industry experts in nutrition and psychology that have worked with a range of elite athletes and National Sporting Governing Bodies
Industry experienced assessors who have industry experience either performing at a high level national or working in elite sport
Training sessions from NGB approved coaches
Residential training camps or delivery days with your fellow athletes
Athlete support in areas such as:
- Lifestyle awareness
- Social media conduct
- Management of injury
- Anti-doping advice
- Dual career workshops and UK-US University talks
- Additional workshops, such as kitchen skills sessions

Many programmes are developed individually with NGB’s and include a range of additional workshops and activity bespoke for performers. Such as strength and conditioning, physio screening, fitness testing, Individual Athlete Plans, access to NGB pathway Elearning platforms.