A coaching clinic for grassroots coaches in Bayelsa State put up by the organizers of Nigeria’s biggest football showpiece, the Bayelsa Governor’s Football Tournament tagged the “Prosperity Cup” has commenced in Yenagoa, the state capital.
The exercise, which is in its 3rd edition, is in collaboration with Nigerian Football Federation and the Bayelsa State Football Association and is aimed at preparing local coaches ahead of the season seven edition of the Prosperity Cup.
Declaring the clinic opened, chairman of the Bayelsa State Football Association, Barr Poubeni Ogun, said grassroots coaches in the state are fortunate to have a platform that is capable of making them better coaches.
While commending the organizers of the Prosperity Cup for the programme, Barr Ogun hinted that henceforth no coach would be allowed to manage a team without a CAF B-License coaching certificate.
He noted that the state football-ruling body and the organizers of the Prosperity Cup are working out modalities to ensure that grassroots coaches in the state have NFF coaching D-License certificate, stating that the National Institute of Sports, NIS certificate is no longer a criteria to manage a team.
Earlier, Director General of the tournament, Mr. Ono Akpe in an address, remarked that the exercise was a preliminary workshop to prepare the coaches for the eventual (NFF) D coaching licence programme slated for later this year.
According to him, the clinic was designed to train coaches in Bayelsa to realize their potentials as gaffers and to as well earn proper certification in coaching, noting that about fifty coaches have been selected for the NFF D coaching programme.
He explained that the essence of the exercise was to sharpen the technical abilities of grassroots coaches in the state, and expressed joy that the Prosperity Cup is achieving its objectives apart from winning trophies.
Mr. Akpe lauded the governor, Senator Douye Diri and his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the commissioner for Sports Development, Dr. Daniel Igali for providing the platform for grassroots coaches in the state to enhance their capacity.
Resource person and NFF Technical Director, Augustine Eguavoen asserted that he is positive that the programme would improve grassroots coaches in the state, maintaining that his dream is to see these coaches manage big players in the future.
He commended the Bayelsa State government and organizers of the tournament for conceiving the vision to impact the coaches.
Two coaches, Awala Kpunpamo of Bayelsa FA and Anthony Robert of Afini FC expressed gratitude to the governor, Senator Douye Diri and organizers for investing in the coaches.
The duo noted that the programme would equip grassroots coaches in Bayelsa with modern coaching techniques and also improve the quality of football during the tournament.
The exercise which would end on Friday enters day two on Wednesday, with the venue at the NUJ Press Centre, Azikoro Road, Ekeki, Yenagoa.
A total of fifty coaches are participating in the exercise.
