The third phase of the Premier Skills initiative which uses football to train and inspire coaches and referees, kicked off in Lagos on the 30 July.
The five-day intensive training course, run in partnership by the Premier League and the British Council saw 15 grassroots football coaches, who have been through Phases 1 and 2, upskilled so that they can return to their local communities and pass on their newly-acquired knowledge to other adult football coaches across Nigeria.
Related: New Premier Skills Phase Off In Nigeria
The male and female coaches taking part in this intensive training course are from both Lagos and Kano, two of Nigeria’s most populous states with rich football history. The coaches learned a variety of training techniques which in turn increase their understanding, capacity to deliver, and commitment to inclusive community football projects.
This Premier Skills Phase 3 course was led by two Premier League Coach Educators, Graham Robinson and Paul Hughes, who delivered a combination of classroom-based lessons and on-pitch technical sessions.
In his words, Robinson maintained that the essence of the program is to develop the skills of a coaching educator, which in turn give them opportunity to learn the role of coaching educator.
” We hope to produce coach educator who can then go on and produce many coaches. They will also be given a task to go through local communities and deliver session as coach educator.
” The program is about all round sports. Some of the coaches here are not just football coaches, this is because some of the areas are transferable skills, so it does not have to be about football alone,” he said.
One of the participants, coach Kehinde Okuneye believes the program has further empowered her to achieve her dream of becoming a thorough- breed football coach. ” I have learnt a lot from Premier Skills program and it will really help me reach out to other coaches out there and most importantly help me become a good football coach. I should be able to train both male and female footballers.
“A lot has been learnt here but I will still head to Nigeria Institute of Sports to add more knowledge. Thanks to British Council for this initiative,” she said.
The course in Lagos is run by the Premier League and British Council in partnership with Lagos State Football Association, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Kano State Football Association, Kano State Sports Commission and the Kano State Ministry of Education.
Suleiman Haruna, Physical Education coach & Vice Principal at Kano Capital Girls School said: “[Premier Skills] It is a wonderful experience through which I have acquired modern and new coaching skills which I later imparted on the young ones in my community.
Premier Skills also helped me introduce female football in Kano State (Northern Nigeria) for the first time in history”. he said
Ahmed Mohammed, Director of Schools Education and Society Programmes at the British Council Nigeria said: “The programme is in line with the British Council’s plan to
improve child protection, development, equality and inclusion. The programme encourages the trained coaches to adapt lessons learnt and develop training sessions in their locality that are appropriate across a range One of the participants, coach Kehinde Okuneye believes the program has further empower her to achieve her dream of becoming a football coach.
” I have learnt a lot from Premier Skills program and it will really help me reach out to other coaches out there and most importantly help me become a good football.
“A lot has been learnt here but I will still head to Nigeria Institute of Sports to add more knowledge. Thanks to British Council for this initiative,” she said.
Premier Skills was re-launched in Nigeria in July 2
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