Football for life

Isaac Chikosi

A training conference was held last week for football coaches and trainers in Swakopmund at the Dome. The joint effort between the German Development Cooperation (Giz) and the National Football Association (NFA) saw coaches and trainers from different regions in the country. The program not only focused on skills and technique development, but also on lifestyle patterns that influence the game of football.
The program leaders, Caroline Kunschke a licensed coach and Johannes Shroepfer took turns in an exciting session on the Vineta Sports field. Speaking to the namib times, Kunschke mentioned that, “what we teach them is to help them improve their game and the well-being of the players”. She added that many good players fall prey to bad habits and should be made aware of the right lifestyle choices to make.
The participants who included Uerikondjera “mami” Kasaona a seasoned player and captain of the national team shared their experiences on the course. “Many coaches focus on game aspects such as … and forget about the influence of society and how to deal with issues such as teenage pregnancy as we also work with girls. Eating habits and other disciplines are equally important in the game of soccer”, mentioned Kasaona who also assisted with the training. She further added, “many find it hard to turn away from alcohol abuse and drugs. We want to integrate life skills into the practice.”
Many of the participants expressed their utmost gratitude as they believe the training program has given tools to improve the game at their respective levels.
The program also taught coaches how to identify different talent within their teams. “Not all good players are good administrators. This program helps groom players individually.
The program ended with an award ceremony on Friday where participants were awarded certificates.