adminCurtworth Masango
National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe (NAAZ) president, Tendai Tagara, said the association is set to introduce online learning for athletic courses.
The association is targeting sending 20 coaches to World Athletics for the first trial-monitored programme.
“Zimbabwe is one of the first countries set to produce coaches’ en mass through e-learning. We are going to offer the first online international Level 1 coaching course. We want to register 20 coaches to send to World Athletics for the first trial-monitored programme.
“The coaches will do their theory online. The association is going to monitor the practical aspect,” he said.
Tagara said the association wants the coaches to translate whatever they learn online into practical knowledge.
“We want to make it very clear that we don’t want to produce an online or internet coach, but a practical coach who is not afraid to take the challenge.
“During this period, we want them to have at least one athlete who they will be working with and report to the lecturers. As a federation, we will have three days of physical conduct to assist them to see how they conduct a physical session, planning and execution.
“We believe e-learning will have more coaches in schools. Our target is that in the next four years, we should produce a qualified coach for at least a quarter of each of the 9 000 schools in Zimbabwe.
“We are concerned about our rural coaches, who do not have access to the internet and access to other IT gadgets, but we are working out something to make sure once or twice a year we have a new format of physical courses for Level 1.
“We have also made it clear that our national teams are handled by Level 2 coaches, especially those going for international competitions like the Africa Junior Championships in Zambia in April. Again, no coach will accompany athletes to the Africa Junior Championships if he or she does not have his or her athlete in the team.”
Online Reporter