Coaching workshop

Drive to develop soccer at grassroots

LOCAL football coaches, referees and administrators from four district municipalities completed the South African Football Association (Safa) 10-day coaching workshop in Komani last week.

Safa EC secretary Isaac Klaas said the course formed part of the association’s plans to develop coaching skills at a grassroots level throughout the country.

“We have a development programme called the Safa coaching development course. It talks to three spheres: the ref- erees, the administration and the coaches.”

Klaas said the programme started three years ago and had participants from the inland district municipalities, from Chris Hani, Alfred Nzo, OR Tambo and Joe Gqabi.

He said the coastal municipalities including Buffalo City, Nelson Mandela Bay, Amathole and Sarah Baartman were also among the identified areas selected to have local coaches receive training.

“This course is to ensure that we train coaches to understand the basics and to have the skills.”

Despite the challenges faced by the senior national team, Klaas remains optimistic that the country’s football fortunes will change.

“Safa has a vision. Our target is to train 15 000 coaches every year, and young players who will be coached by these guys can be part of a national team in 2022.”

One of those who attended the latest course was Amavarara FC coach Bulelani Matroos, whose team made it to the provincial play-offs in East London last week.

Matroos, a former Premier Soccer League player, said he was trained on how to deal with children playing football.

“Football starts with young children. We need to understand their mentality and how we can nurture their talent.”