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Tendai Tagara

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
THE National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ) is holding a Coach Education and Certification System level 1 course at White City Stadium as it continues with efforts to improve the standard of athletics in the country.

The coaching clinic is being conducted by IAAF certified lecturers Lisimate Phakamile and Tendai Tagara, who is also the NAAZ president.

The workshop is being co-ordinated by Watson Madenyika and Manuel Mpofu.

The 12-day International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) accredited course got underway at the ceremonial home of athletics in Bulawayo on Thursday and will end on December 18.

A total of 24 coaches are attending the course with each province in the country being represented by two coaches making a total of 20 provincial representatives. The other four slots are filled by the security forces and university representatives.

Coaches are being trained on different aspects of the sport that include coaching philosophy, skills of coaching communication, fundamentals of running, jumping and kids athletics events.

“This is a very important course, IAAF offers us a slot to have this course once every 10 years which goes to show the importance of the course.

Our target is for these guys to work with the youth, clubs and schools. We want them to establish vibrant clubs that will produce quality athletes.

“We expect them to impart the correct skills to those they will go back to teach.

“The other pivotal aspect is for these guys to work with schools because they have the resources. We want to do away with the mindset of viewing athletics as a termly thing.

“Athletics should be done throughout the year if we are to improve the sport in the country. The kids athletics event we are teaching here will play a pivotal role in ensuring the development and nurturing of talent at a young age,” said Tagara.

Zimbabwe picked nine medals, including three gold at the African Junior Championships in Algeria and one of the athletes reached the 800m finals at the World Youth Championships in Kenya and  will be looking forward to an improved outing at the World Junior Championships in Finland next year. — @innocentskizoe