The OFC Senior B-Licence coaching course is now underway at the Fiji Football Association Academy in Ba.
During the official opening of the course, Fiji Football Association (Fiji FA) Board of Control and Deputy Finance chairperson Aiyaz Musa said this is the first time ever when Fiji FA is hosting a Senior B-License Coaching course with 18 participants from Fiji and one from New Zealand.
He said this course will raise the profile of coaches and enhance the knowledge and competency level of all the coaches.
“Together with this, Fiji FA is working towards its goal number 2, which is, ‘to create an effective coach education program for all’.
“Last year a coaching policy was passed by Fiji FA on the level of coaches coaching at different levels and team and today (yesterday), I can say that by the end of year 2020, all Premier teams will have a qualified B-License Coach.
“I am also pleased to see that we have three women participants in this course,” he said.
He thanked Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) for establishing the OFC Coaching Convention which underpins our coaching policy.
“The convention, together with the Policy has stream lined the coaching pathway in Fiji.
“A special thanks to the man behind all this hard work, Mr. Giovani Fernandes who has a pillar of strength for majority of our coaches and a mentor to our Technical Director as well.
“The technical Department of Fiji FA is one of the most organized in the Oceania Region and Mr. Giovani has contributed a lot towards it.”
Fiji FA technical director Ravinesh Kumar said this is one of Fiji FA’s dream coming true.
“This was our dream when we used to see countries like New Zealand having their own participants of such number back in 2014 and I was wondering when we will come to this stage, and here we are today, having 18 of our local participants in this course.
“Do not thank us. Thank yourself because it is through your own hard work that you have made it here today,” Kumar said.
OFC Head of Education and Player Development Giovani Fernandes said they would be focusing on six competences.
“It’s a course where we focus on six competences starting from football, leadership, game understanding, player development, coaching process and closing with development of a personal football philosophy,” he mentioned.
“A course in which we look to provide experiences for the coaches to grow but also to challenge them to be better adopted to the new experiences they may have in the future.
“It’s only the second member association’s B-Licence that we conduct, before it was all regional courses. First was in the Solomon Islands which is closing next week and this is the second course.
“For us, it’s a huge step like the technical director has mentioned and we are also very proud, but at the end it’s about people doing the work, being involved in football and supporting the country and that is what will determine the success.”
Participants: Ronil Kumar, Shalen Lal (Re-Accreditation), Dhirend Chand, Ravneel Pratap, Roneel Ram, Arthur Simmons, Shaheem Ali, Pranesh Amarsee, Annabel Rao, Tagi Vonolagi, Sailosi Danford, Naomi Waqanidrola, Mohammed Imran, Nazeel Ali, Sanaila Bera, Kinisimere Ravai, Mira Sahib, Iosevo Vosaboto.
