Local coaches receive international instructor certificates
Nine local coaches were on Wednesday awarded International Instructor Course (IIC) certificates by the Namibia Football Association (NFA).
The IIC is a qualification programme for instructors who teach full-time or on a fee basis at all levels of organised football. The course consists of four modules, and offers supportive and practical-oriented teaching aids.
The five-day course was held under the auspices of the German Football Association in collaboration with the NFA and the Botswana Football Association during the month of May this year.
Addressing the media, NFA acting technical director Jacqueline Shipanga said the aim of the course is to link existing football-specific and interdisciplinary skills of the instructors strongly with methodical, social and media competencies.
“As the (acting) technical director, I am not supposed to travel to the regions to offer workshops. Therefore, we have now empowered coaches who can take up that job so that in the future we can have more people in the regions trained to improve the game of football in Namibia,” she noted.
Shipanga added that the German Football Association donated football equipment worth N$100 000 that will be distributed to the regions, and they will continue educating as well as train those involved in the programme as they aim to improve football structures in general.
Collin Benjamin, one of the owners of the HopSol Youth League and an attendee of the course, told Nampa that the knowledge gained is vital in developing football in the country.
“The skills learnt will help in developing the game of football from grassroots, second and first division levels. Coaches at these levels will now be empowered with the knowledge of the game, which will be beneficial in the development of football at the national level,” he said.
Benjamin added that the goal of this course is to train those administrating the game to understand how to set up their training sessions or game plans.
Coaches who received certificates were Benjamin, Bobby Samaria, Woody Jacobs and the late Lucky Richter (who was in the original group) from the Khomas Region, Gerald Güther and Wallace Doeseb (Erongo), John Shikerete (Kavango East), Willem Kapukare (Otjozondjupa) and Agnus Elemu (Oshana).