Dozens of coaches from around the Cacadu district descended on the Rhodes University campus for a youth soccer coaching course, run in partnership with the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, and the Stars in their Eyes Foundation.
Dozens of coaches from around the Cacadu district descended on the Rhodes University campus for a youth soccer coaching course, run in partnership with the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, and the Stars in their Eyes Foundation.
Formed in 2005 with the Western Cape government, the foundation became involved in soccer when it was announced that South Africa would host the 2010 World Cup. Eltojn Hart, its managing director, said the foundation's programme for children included support for youth coaches, as well as life skills training.
Some coaches were selected through the South African Football Association Cacadu, and some through the department. Those selected work mainly with youth soccer teams. The coaching course started on Monday 6 December and ended last weekend.
Morning theory sessions were followed by hitting the field for practicals. In the afternoons, the coaches were back in class to recap, before going back on to field – this time working with children.
Among the coaching staff was former Banyana Banyana captain, Desiree Ellis. Anda Ngcebetsha, district co-ordinator for the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture's Mass Participation Programme said the emphasis had been on how the coaches should deal with children.
The coaching course ended on Saturday with a mini soccer tournament, in which more than 150 school children played. During this event, the coaches were expected to identify problems and work with their teams to solve them.
Ngcebetsha said the aim was now to have each region participate in tournaments within the various age groups, and to end the season with a district tournament. The coaches were awarded certificates at the end of the course.
