Primary schools coaches to get licence

The National Primary Schools Coaching Licence Programme hosted by Atlantic LNG and the T&T Football Federation (T&TFF) kicked off with the first of several courses at the St Mary’s Government Primary School, Moruga on Thursday. The programme, which is aimed at improving the coaching skills of personnel attached to the primary schools across the country over two years, is being overseen by T&TFF Technical Director Anton Corneal and is an initiative fully supported by Atlantic LNG who have been the major supporter of the National Primary Schools Football League.

Representatives from 15 schools in the South Eastern Division completed day two of the course at Moruga on Friday with theory sessions taking place at the school’s audio visual room and practical sessions held at the school’s playing field. According to Corneal, the intention is to reach close to 250 primary schools over a two-year period. Chief among the topics presented were methods of coaching, tactics, techniques in receiving/passing (field), goalkeeping/heading (field) and care and prevention.

Corneal spoke about the initiative, saying it was an ideal way of attempting to improve the standard of coaches and subsequently players at the primary schools level. “This is the first of eight courses that we will have across the country. The primary school level is the foundation of our youth football and it is so important for us to create good habits at this age so I thought that Atlantic and the Football Federation saw it wise to come together for an initiative like this to make sure our coaches are qualified and the right instructions are given at this age,” Corneal said. 

The course will be completed tomorrow following which an evaluation of the participants will be done and further recommendations will be made aimed at preparing them for their coaching roles within the National Primary Schools League.