ADVANCED Certificate in Player Care
Places are limited on the football industry’s first Advanced Player Care course for 1st Team staff. Enrol your staff today.
“I found the advanced player care course incredibly valuable for my professional growth, as it covered a range of themes and real-life situations that player care staff face daily. It was filled with practical information and fresh ideas that can be applied directly in the role. The course encourages reflection and pushes you to develop further.”
New for 2025, the ‘Advanced Certificate in 1st Team Player Care’ is the new market leading course, written by experienced Player Care professionals to challenge and grow those currently working in the industry.
This eight-week live online remote programme gives participants all the skills and knowledge they need to understand and implement Player Care best practice through tested theories, discussions, debates and practical takeaways - taught within a limited class size of high quality peers.
“I was delighted to be asked to take part in this course and it certainly did not disappoint! Learning, discussing and engaging in all aspects of first Team Player Care with other students in the sporting industry, whilst being presented by some of the most knowledgeable experts in Player Care. Would highly recommend to anyone currently in player care who are looking to expand their knowledge whilst networking with like-minded individuals.”
Taught exclusively by Hugo Scheckter [ex Brentford, West Ham & Southampton], Elle Cooper [ex Manchester United] and Jon Wolf [ex NBA], some of the industry’s leading Player Care experts (see full bios below), your staff will be fully supported, challenged and mentored from Day One.
By the end of the programme, you will:
- Be able to focus on proactive rather than reactive Player Care
- Carefully consider the decision making needed in high pressure situations
- Create documents & policies to help organise the department
- Consider how to appropriately vet suppliers
- Be challenged by real life scenarios
- Be exposed to a number of different approaches to Player Care to help create a personal philosophy
“We’ve designed this course as we wanted to really help Player Care staff with the ‘how’ of Player Care. There’s so many different ways of doing things - so we have 3 tutors who’ve been there, done that - having made some mistakes too - so you can learn and build your own philosophy & playbook. ”
Your tutors for the Advanced Certificate in 1st Team Player Care
Our 8 live sessions cover the following topics. Please note, that the course is still being finalised and these are subject to change at any time.
Session 1: Successful Player Care Recruitment & Pre-signing Onboarding
Focus on the recruitment process, onboarding logistics (e.g., accommodation, visas, banking), and player-family integration. Discussions include ethics, low-cost solutions, and balancing player needs vs. wants.
Session 2: Offboarding, Academy Integration, & Personal Development
Emphasis on the transition from academy to first team, tailoring support for individual development, and efficient offboarding. Important topics include education, life skills, and the reactive vs. proactive management of player needs.
Session 3: Team Group Education, Ongoing & Crisis Management
Covers mandatory training for teams, crisis management, and personal and cultural support for players. Topics include anti-doping, security, and media control, with a focus on addressing crisis situations.
Session 4: ‘Unreasonable Hospitality’ & Family Engagement on Match Days
Focuses on family involvement in match days, offering exceptional hospitality, and providing support beyond financial aspects. Includes topics like logistics, visas, ticket allocation, and creating memorable experiences for players and their families using the teachings of Will Guidara’s Unreasonable Hospitality book.
Session 5: Loans, Welfare, & Injuries
Discusses player welfare and strategies for managing loans, injuries, and family communication. There’s an emphasis on tailoring support to each player's environment and recovery, aligning departments, and proactive welfare management.
Session 6: Player Care Team Management
Explores team management, staff recruitment, balancing player needs with departmental goals, and the work-life balance within player care. Discusses emergency protocols, player care perceptions, and reporting upward.
Session 7: Gatekeeper Theory, Player Appearances, & Supplier Management
Focuses on protecting players from emotional and physical strain through gatekeeping. Discusses how to manage player appearances and signed items, while maintaining efficient supplier management, contracts, and procurement processes.
Session 8: Perceptions & Final Project
Concludes with a discussion on how perceptions impact the success of the Player Care department. Participants engage in group debates about the priorities between players, families, and the wider club, with case studies for practical insight.
Advanced CERTIFICATE IN PLAYER CARE SESSIONS - COHORT 1 - 3-5pm UK time live on zoom
First come, first served. Limited spaces available.
Successful Player Care, Recruitment Presigning, Onboarding, Mon 3rd Feb
Offboarding, Academy Integration, Individual Personal Development, Mon 10th Feb
Team Group Education, Ongoing Phase, Crisis Management (Player) Mon 17th Feb
‘Unreasonable Hospitality’, Family Engagement, Match Days Mon 24th Feb
Loans, Welfare, Injuries Mon 3rd March
Player Care Team Management Mon 17th March
Gatekeeper Theory, Player Appearances, Signed Items, Supplier Management Mon 24th March
Perceptions, Tailored Discussion, Final Project discussion Mon 31st March
Meet The Tutors
HUGO SCHECKTER
Hugo has served in Player Care roles at 5 Premier League clubs and has taught hundreds of students about the ins and outs of Player Care. He founded The Player Care Group in 2020 and is now one of the world’s leading authorities within Player Care, having helped over half of Premier League clubs with their provision since launching TPCG.
Hugo has served in senior Player Care roles at Southampton FC, West Ham United FC and, most recently, Brentford FC as well as consulting with elite clubs worldwide. He holds a Business and Sport Administration degree from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., is a qualified football coach, is on the Board of Trustees at London based charity Football Beyond Borders and was formerly the reserves manager at non-league side Stonewall FC.
EllE cooper
Elle spent nearly 8 years in Manchester United’s Player Care department, most recently as Player Care Manager. Elle is trilingual and is currently completing a masters in Performance Psychology. She brings a passion for welfare, policies and experience of working with some of the highest profile players in the game.
Jon Wolf
Jon spent 9-years at the NBA where he led the NBA’s player development initiatives and strategy for NBA players from high school through retirement. His work included launching the NBA’s first development programs with USA Basketball’s Junior National Team & NIKE’s Elite Youth Basketball League, consulting NBA & G League clubs on creating frameworks for long-term player development, and leading NBA Player Development’s strategy and development of new projects to grow business by connecting player development with the larger goals of the NBA and its partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
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This course is designed to give those already working in Player Care roles a stronger understanding of the job and so the course is best suited to those with prior or current experience.
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Yes. Please email contact@playercaregroup.co.uk to arrange to pay by invoice. Full payment must be received before the place is confirmed.
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We will always do our best to provide you with a recording of any missed session, up to a maximum of three sessions. However, it is highly recommended you attend each session live to benefit from the interactive nature of the course.
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If you cancel up to a month before the first session, we will issue a full refund. If you cancel less than a month before, we will only refund you if we can fill your place. Once sessions have started, no refunds will be issued.
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You’ll receive a confirmation email, the full course schedule, and a Welcome Pack to read through ahead of the first session.
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No. We want you to focus on the live sessions, where our tutors will answer any questions you may have. Between each session, there will be a summary of learning as well as some items to consider for next time. But there’s no written homework due.
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We are still working with academic partners to confirm the final assessment criteria but it will be assessed and graded.