The S&C Qualification That Actually Gets You
Coaching in Pro Sport
18 weekends. Four cities. Real teams. Real mentorship. The only postgrad S&C pathway in Ireland built around placement, not paperwork.
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Why most S&C courses leave you stuck
If you have already qualified as a PT and tried to make the jump into S&C, you have probably hit one of these three walls.
Wall 1 · All theory, no athletes
Online S&C diplomas hand you a certificate without ever putting you in front of a real team. Clubs notice immediately — you cannot bluff a session plan with athletes who train daily.
Wall 2 · No placement pathway
You qualify, you message 30 clubs, you hear back from none. The qualification opens the door technically, but with no warm intro you stay outside it.
Wall 3 · Tutors who have never coached pro
If the person teaching you S&C has never programmed for a county team or pro athlete, you are learning from a textbook. Athletes can tell within 5 minutes.
The IFT method: Programme · Coach · Deploy
A three-stage framework built backwards from one outcome: you walk into a club interview with case studies, not just a certificate.
Programme
Weeks 1–6. Master sport-specific periodisation — strength, speed, power, conditioning blocks for individual and team sport. You build three real programmes for real athletes by week 6.
Coach
Weeks 7–12. Live placement with one of our partner clubs. You coach real sessions under supervision. By the end of week 12 you will have delivered 40+ hours of athlete contact time.
Deploy
Weeks 13–18. Job-readiness sprint. CV, interview prep, club introductions through our network, and a documented case study from your placement to hand to any future employer.
What you walk away actually able to do
Programme an inter-county team for a full season by week 12
Not a worksheet exercise. A real periodised plan, reviewed by a working S&C coach, ready to deploy.
Walk into a club interview with documented case studies
Most candidates show a CV. Our graduates show 40+ hours of supervised athlete coaching with measurable outcomes.
Charge €60–€90/hr instead of €25–€40/hr
S&C-qualified coaches typically command 2–3x the hourly rate of general PTs because they serve a higher-paying market.
Build a referral pipeline through our partner club network
You join a community of working coaches across Ireland. Placements come from inside the room, not from cold-emailing.
Hold your own in any technical conversation with a head coach
Sport-specific physiology, return-to-play protocols, load management — fluency that gets you taken seriously.
What graduates have built
Senior PT salary figure: ERI SalaryExpert Ireland 2026. Graduate counts are aggregate across all Image Fitness Training pathways since 2008.
The 18-weekend curriculum
Weekends 1–3Foundations of S&C+
Movement screen, force production, energy systems, periodisation models. Build your first athlete programme by weekend 3.
Weekends 4–6Programme Design Mastery+
Strength, speed, power, conditioning blocks. Sport-specific demands analysis. Three full programmes built and peer-reviewed.
Weekends 7–9Placement Block A+
Live coaching with partner club. Supervised by working S&C coach. 20 hours minimum of athlete contact time.
Weekends 10–12Placement Block B + Return-to-Play+
Second placement rotation. Injury reduction, load management, return-to-play protocols. Real case study documented.
Weekends 13–15Specialism Track+
Pick: team-sport S&C, individual-sport, youth development, or tactical/military. Deep dive in your chosen lane.
Weekends 16–18Deploy · Job-Ready Sprint+
CV, case study packaging, club introductions through our network, mock interviews, final assessment.
The September 2026 intake
What is included
- ✓18 weekends of in-person instruction€4,800 value
- ✓Live placement with partner club€1,200 value
- ✓12 months post-qualification mentorship community€1,800 value
- ✓All course materials, assessment, REPs registration€600 value
- ✓Lifetime access to the IFT S&C alumni communityPriceless
Refund window
Sit the first weekend. If it is not the right fit, full refund — no questions, no friction. We would rather have you leave on weekend one than complete a programme that was not right for you.
Common questions
Do I need a PT qualification before I start the S&C Pro Coach Pathway?+
Yes — REPs Ireland Level 4 or equivalent. This is a postgraduate-level pathway designed for already-qualified Personal Trainers, sports coaches or related-discipline graduates adding a strength & conditioning specialism.
What sports does the placement cover?+
Placement options span GAA (hurling and football), rugby (academy and senior club level), soccer, athletics, combat sports, and individual Olympic-discipline coaching. You will be matched to a placement that fits your specialism track and geographic location.
Can I keep my current PT business running during the pathway?+
Yes — the pathway is delivered weekend-first to accommodate full-time PTs already running a client book. Most students continue their private PT clients throughout, then increase their S&C-rate work as placements deepen.
How does this compare to an MSc in Sport Performance or Sport Science degree?+
An MSc is academically deeper and takes 1–2 years. The S&C Pro Coach Pathway is practitioner-focused and structured around placement and deployment, designed to make you employable as an S&C coach. Many graduates pursue both — this pathway first, MSc later for academic depth.
What if I miss a weekend?+
One missed weekend can be made up at a different location or via recorded session plus a 1:1 catch-up with your tutor. Missing more than one triggers a conversation about cohort transfer — we will work it out.
What is the refund window?+
Full refund after weekend one. We would rather you leave on weekend one than complete a programme that is not the right fit for you.
Reserve your seat for September 2026
€0 deposit on monthly plan. Refundable through weekend one. The next intake after this is March 2027.
Reserve Your Seat