Community training for young coaches in Odisha
Sport development organisation Pro4Sport Solutions (P4SS) has led the way in developing a new training programme for community coaches in Odisha. They organised the first community coaching at rural development organisation Gram Vikas’s headquarters in the Ganjam district of Odisha during the first week of June. As part of its drive to empower youth in rural areas by offering them coach development opportunities, the four-day course trained 14 young participants in the basics of different sports so they can work in their local communities.
The course was divided into sessions. The theory session taught participants the major roles and responsibilities as a coach. The practical session included elements such as sport-specific training, time management, space management, planning skills and communication. The sport-specific training and exercises were taught in cricket, volleyball, and badminton, which are popular in the local region.
Trainers were drawn from the P4SS team, holding qualifications from England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), UK Sport, Coaching Association of Canada and Australian Sports Commission. Successful participants were accorded a certificate. They ranged from 16 to 25 year-olds and included volleyball players, badminton enthusiasts and advanced weightlifters. Among the participants was Prasad Mohanty, an international weightlifter from Berhampur who has represented India in the Commonwealth Youth Championships. He said that the course was a great learning experience and taught him skills that will last a lifetime.
The event carries regional significance as there are only three or four higher education institutes in Odisha offering courses in sport. As per the last census in India, the total population of Odisha was over 40 million, which effectively translates to one higher education institute of sport for every 10 million people.
P4SS is planning to train more than 100 community coaches over the next 12 months in the region. If you would like to know more details about the course, please get in touch with Suheil Tandon at [email protected].
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