New Generation of Ghanaian Athletics Coaches Begin IAAF Level 1 Coaching Course

Consistent with its aim of organising courses for sports coaches and sports administrators, the Ghana Olympic Committee in collaboration with the Ghana Athletics Association and with support from Olympic Solidarity has opened a 10-day IAAF Coaches Education and Certification System (CECS) Level 1 Course for 24 selected athletics coaches at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The Level 1 Course, which is being attended by coaches drawn from all ten regions of the country, is aimed at training the next generation of coaches for the country.

The Course also gives an opportunity for many younger coaches, who have demonstrated a love for the sport and surrounded themselves with athletes they are training, to get the requisite qualifications.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the all-important course at the Media Centre of the Accra Sports Stadium last Saturday, Ghana Athletics Association Vice President Dr. S. L. Lamptey thanked the GOC for organising the programme and also urged participants to take the course seriously.

“One of the GAA’s key responsibilities is to work with both professional and volunteer Coaches within our sport to make the vision of the Association become a reality,” Dr. Lamptey said.

“I would like to entreat all Course participants to take this course seriously and endeavour not to just pass the exam but to make a mark that can subsequently allow them climb up the ladder of the IAAF 5-Level CECS qualification.”

“We understand that this course will treat salient topics such as: Introduction of kids Athletics, Talent Identification, Growth and Development, Skills Teaching, Sprints, Jumps and Throw events just to mention a few.”

Dr. Lamptey also said the training programme would produce certified coaches to unearth more talented athletes for the country.
He said: “We cast out net wide in selecting the participants, so every region is represented although the programme is for only 24 coaches. Most of the participants are already training athletes but they have no formal training.”

“This programme is essential in securing the future of Ghanaian athletes because a lot of the certified coaches from the National Sports Authority (NSA) have gone on retirement and need to be replaced so this course will ensure that we are able to fill the vacancies of those that are no longer in the system,” he summed up.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Secretary General of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Rev. Richmond Quarcoo reflected on the impact of similar projects embarked upon by the GOC over the years, with particular emphasis on the Olympic Solidarity Courses for Administrators and Sports Journalists Workshops in the country.

He added that the GOC will seek to organise more of such programmes in the future to enhance the skills of the nation’s coaches and administrators.
The course instructors are Ezra Gunen from Nigeria and Gambia’s Abdou Karim Sey. The programme ends on Monday, 15th December.