The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
THE highly rated World Athletics Forum (former IAAF) Level One Coaches Course will be conducted in Mutare for the first time in the history of the prestigious and globally acknowledged athletics mentorship qualification.
Only 15 participants from different parts of the country are set to partake in the nine-day coaching course that has been pencilled for April 21 to 30.
National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ) president, Tendai Tagara, confirmed the development.
“Manicaland Athletics Board (MAB) is set to host its first international course. The International Level One Coaching Course has only been held in Bulawayo and Harare in the past.
“MAB chairman, Joshua Matume; their secretary Taurai Gatsi and the treasurer Briad Nhubu came to Harare to convince me on why they should host such a prestigious course.
“I am happy they presented their case convincingly and the course will come to Mutare. This was also cemented by the high number of Manicaland Province coaches who have registered to attend,” said Tagara.
The NAAZ president said several schools around the country have heeded the call to have their athletics coach undertake professional training. There is a high number of coaches from private and mission schools.
“On the other hand, NASH is encouraging qualified coaches to lead their teams at national events. This is a positive development that will enhance professional training of athletes from grassroots,” he said.
Tagara also spoke about the advantages of having professionally trained athletics coaches.
“The empowerment of an athletics coach increases his or her confidence in handling athletes as they have the bio-mechanical knowledge for application of sports sciences, especially when it comes to the running technique.
“They also tackle philosophy and physiology of sports exercise and anatomies. That will help produce better athletes,” Tagara said.
