NOCZ held a coach developers' course ©NOCZ

National Olympic Committee of Zambia (NOCZ) has collaborated to deliver the Zamcoach ICCE coach developers' training course in Kafue.

The event was held at Chita Lodge from April 29 to May 3.

NOCZ worked alongside the National Sports Council of Zambia, the International Council of Coaching Excellence (ICCE) and the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sport (NIF) to deliver the project.

The NOCZ said it had been held under the theme of "facilitating learner-centred coach development".

The five-day event attracted 14 participants from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia, with volleyball, football, judo and basketball represented.

The course sought to provide coach developers with principles and tools that will enhance their efficiency in training and supporting coaches across sport disciplines.

NOCZ President Alfred Foloko opened the event by stating the training was designed to be practical with lectures, examples and exercises to provide skills, encourage participation and information exchange.

He expressed his hope that participants would use the knowledge gained to enhance their coaching capabilities.

Foloko believes the course will also aid their respective national federations when the coaches return with an enhanced set of skills which they can share.

Zambia's Ministry of Youth Sports and Child Development (MYSCD) director of sport Bessy Chelemu was present at the opening.

NOCZ hopes the course will enable coaches to develop their national federations ©NOCZ
NOCZ hopes the course will enable coaches to develop their national federations ©NOCZ

She stated that the national sport policy advocates for quality training of various stakeholders of sport development in the country including coaches, technical officials, administrators and athletes. 

The course had been viewed as complimentary to this aim, as it would help ensure highly-trained coaches who were able to provide better training opportunities to athletes.

It was delivered by NIF senior consultant Pelle Kvalsund, Dr. Hakibwa Chipande from the University of Zambia and Larissa Galatti, an ICCE expert from Brazil.

The course concluded with a session led by Nchimunya Mweetwa, former Zambia national football player and founder of the Nchimunya Mweetwa Sports Foundation.

The session stressed the need for both integrity and character.