KZN first to recognise experienced coaches
The Province of KwaZulu-Natal has taken the lead in the recognition of sport coaches’ experience by becoming the first province in the country to roll out the National Coaching Framework (NCF), an integrated plan of SASCOC (the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee).
This was confirmed by the President of SASCOC Mr Gideon Sam at the graduation ceremony of the first batch of coaches in Durban on Friday (4 March) who last year underwent an RPL course (Recognition of Prior Learning) as part of the NCF.
A total of 70 people comprising of coach assistants, coaches, provincial coach developers and a national coach developer from 11 different sporting codes received their internationally recognised qualifications as part of addressing the skills shortage needed to realise transformation in sport.
The list includes many recognisable sporting personalities such as netballers Bongiwe Msomi & Precious Mthembu, football coach Calvin Peterson, Nisha Rupnarain the SA Netball Team Manager and many others.
The SASCO President said KZN was number one and was “cracking a pace”. “I want to congratulate you for the effort you have put and for the reward you are going to enjoy,” he said to the excited coaches.
Delighted by KZN’s success, Mr Sam joked that KwaZulu-Natal as the leading Province will have to pack the qualified coaches into a bus to go and teach the other provinces in particular the Eastern Cape and Western Cape where he came from.
The Head of the Department of Sport and Recreation, Mrs Rohini Naidoo said the graduation of the 70 coaches was a milestone indeed. She said the process brings on board the coaches, even those who have been coaching but had no qualifications to do so.
The NCF clearly spells out the SA Coaching Pathway. At the very entry point is the Pre-Coach coaching designation, followed by the Coach Assistant, Coach, Senior Coach and Master Coach. Once reaching the Coach designation, people can also divert to the Assistant Provincial Coach Developer, National Coach Developer and even the National Coaching Education Advisor (NQF9).
The full NCF and related documents can be accessed on the Sport and Recreation South Africa website; www.srsa.gov.za.