The Guyana Football Federation’s Coach Education Department continues to focus on efforts to grow female homegrown coaching talent with 24 former and current national players, club, school and community coaches starting the journey towards Concacaf W ‘C’ licence certification.
The six-day women’s only course opened on Thursday at the GFF National Training Centre in Providence, East Bank Demerara, with a strong showing from aspiring female coaches from nine regional associations across Guyana.
Women’s Football Association President Andrea Johnson, in her brief opening address, said the course is a step in the right direction for women’s football development in Guyana.
“Today is a historic day for women in football in Guyana. Never before have we had 24 female participants for any coaching course. For too long we have had a male dominated coaching staff for female teams, especially national teams. For Concacaf to be here in Guyana to do a C License coaching course for only women means that we are making another step towards development of the women’s game.”
The first part of the “blended learning” programme, facilitated by Anton Corneal, Concacaf Coaching Educator and former Technical Director of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association, GFF acting Technical Direction Bryan Joseph and coach Linsworth Gilbert, involves online theoretical lessons followed by practical sessions at the GFF National Training.
The internationally-recognised license will give participating coaches the skills and knowledge to design and deliver effective coaching sessions for a wider range of players and scenarios, especially for youth football development through the GFF’s nationwide network of Academy Training Centres.
Concacaf Coaching Educator Anton Corneal stressed that the “long term effect is actually growing the women’s game. Countries are at different starting points and we try to meet countries where there is a need. There is a need for women coaches. Concacaf has recognised that and has decided to spend a lot of time growing the women’s game. We need this effort, we need to ignite that growth.”
Guyana is the fifth country in the Concacaf region to conduct the C Level coaching training which aims to provide over 300 women across the region with the opportunity to coach at various levels.
GFF First Vice-president Brigadier (Ret’d) Bruce Lovell added: “In the footballing world there is a greater push to have more female involvement in football. We hear issues such as equitable access, equitable pay and so we are doing our part here at the GFF to ensure that we implement more programmes that will provide for greater female participation in the sport.”
Acting Technical Direction Bryan Joseph assured participants that the GFF is focused on growing the proficiency of the female coaches.
“This is not a course at the final day we will do an assessment to determine whether you have passed or failed, the persons who are not yet quite ready to receive the license, GFF will continue to work with them over time and to help them develop and get to the level of competency that is required to attain the license.”
In 2015, GFF President Wayne Forde inherited an ecosystem of coaches with no valid qualifications.
The GFF Technical and Education Department has since enabled the progress of an all-time high 58 coaches to ‘D’ license or ‘C’ license level, as well as introduced a coaching philosophy and pathway to ensure a uniform approach to football development across the GFF’s nine regional associations.
The course concludes on November 29.
