First IAAF Level 1 coaches’ course draws to a close
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Expectations are that western Jamaica will start to directly benefit as soon as next season from the first IAAF Level 1 coaches’ certification course held outside of the Corporate Area.
Twenty-one participants from western Jamaica are taking part in the 10-day Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA)- sanctioned course, which is being hosted at the Montego Bay Community College. It started on Wednesday, July 17, and will end tomorrow afternoon.
IAAF-certified instructors Wayne Long and Lorna Vernon are the instructors, and each participant was given books and other literature on proper coaching techniques.
Stephen Smith, president of the County of Cornwall Athletics Association (COCAA), organisers of the course, told the Jamaica Observer that he expected to see the improvement almost immediately, especially at the primary school level.
“A number of the participants would have been taught the formal way how to coach for the first time and this will be significant, as they will pass on this knowledge to their students as well as others,” Smith said.
“We have others who would have been taught on different occasions at different places, including GC Foster, but to be IAAF certified, one must sit an IAAF designed course.”
The stipulations of the course are that only 24 participants are allowed in each cohort and Smith said they got the maximum number, but three were unable to attend. “This is good for western Jamaica as it exposes more young coaches from all levels, prep schools, primary schools and even high schools to internationally accepted coaching methods.”
Long told the Observer that the course had gone very well so far. “Things are going very, very good and the students are very receptive and open to new ideas and willing to learn.”
The course, he said, would qualify them “to coach at the youth level, to spot talent and to be assistant coaches at their high schools”.
Each student will sit a written exam at the end and have to get 45 out of 60 to pass.
The curriculum includes “all aspects of kids athletics”, Long said. “We took them through all aspects of throws, jumps, running and race walking.”