New coaches qualified through Spirit of Soccer
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008
Spirit of Soccer (SOS) sponsored an AFC (Asian Football Confederation) “D” coaching license for 35 candidates.
Spirit of Soccer has helped 35 coaches achieve qualifications in Cambodia.
Five of the coaches were female
During the third week of January 2008, Spirit of Soccer, in partnership with the Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MOYES), sponsored an AFC (Asian Football Confederation) “D” coaching license for 35 candidates.
The coaches were made up of teachers, coaches and and local social workers employed by both local and international NGO’s who were interested in adapting a football programme to the services provided to cambodian children.
Of the 35 candidates, five were female and one young coach, 17-year-old orphan Khoy from the children’s NGO Mlop Tapang, is a former drug-addict and gang member who has been on the streets since he was ten years old. His dream now is to be a professional coach.
The course was headed by Mr Nan (Cambodia’s only AFC A Licensed coach) and assisted by Mr Sam (International Liaison Officer for Spirit of Soccer, Cambodia, UEFA B coaching license).
The course, which lasted for five intensive 14-hour days, was part on the ongoing support which Spirit of Soccer has given the Football Federation of Cambodia and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, in establishing qualified coaches at the grass-roots level.
All the coaches received lessons on presenting Mine Risk Education and during the course the instructors covered elements of coaching such organization, communication, as well as addressing issues such as nutrition, fitness, child physiology and psychology, child protection and the treatment of sport injuries.
The course also provided Spirit of Soccer founder Scotty Lee and his team of coaches with an excellent opportunity to observe and select three successful candidates to join the Spirit of Soccer MRE field coaching team, and these trainee coaches will start their training in April 2008. This will increase the Spirit of Soccer field coaching team from six to nine coaches (including three female coaches) and will enable us to reach more kids living in ‘high-risk’ mined areas.
Of the 35 coaches, 30 qualified for the ‘D’ licence, although the instructors only recommended one coach to progress to the AFC ‘C’ course which will be held in Phnom Penh in May, 2008.
