Teachers & Coaches gather for course
The development of future footballers is the focal point this week where club coaches and primary school teachers have gathered together at the Cook Islands Football Association (CIFA) Academy in Matavera to learn and exchange a new set of coaching skills to pass on to their players at their clubs and schools in a FIFA Grassroots Coaching Course.
The goal of the gathering is to raise the understanding of the importance of grassroots football and to equip the participants with the knowledge to organise age-appropriate activities for children aged six to 12.
The four day course commenced yesterday with an opening ceremony where the participants were welcomed to the Grassroots Coaching Course by Cook Islands Football President, Lee Harmon.
“We are grateful to FIFA for supporting the grassroots development in the Cook Islands through this coaching course and to course instructor Daniel Shirley, thank you for accepting our request to come down to Rarotonga to facilitate this course,” he said in his opening address.
He went on to express gratitude to all the participants for taking the time to include the four day grassroots coaching course in their busy schedule.
“To the participants, you are all special due to the fact that you are the first point of contact and communication to our young footballers,” says Harmon.
“I urge you all to grasp a lot from this coaching course and pass this on to future footballers within your various clubs, primary schools and community,” says Harmon.
The coaching course is conducted by Oceania Football Confederations (OFC) Player Development Officer and FIFA Instructor, Daniel Shirley who will be assisted by CIFA’s Development Officer, Tuka Tisam and attended by a wide range of participants, all of whom play an active role in grassroots football in their various clubs and schools.
“I am here to assist and guide you with how you will run your coaching sessions within your respective clubs and schools,” says Daniel Shirley.
The content of the course will include theoretical sessions on the development of players and its importance, how to design sessions and field set up for children aged 6-12 years while the practical session will involve ‘live’ training and a festival with school children from the Takitumu Primary School.
More than 20 participants from around Rarotonga are attending the course and the course will conclude on Thursday with a festival for children aged 6-12 years where the participants will put theory into practice.
- CIFA Media

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