The modern conventional Confederation African Football (CAF) B Diploma Course held in Monrovia for 18 Liberia coaches has ended week after 21 days of theoretical and practical exercises which were covered in three modules over a period of three months at the SKD Sports Complex in Paynesville.
The physical and written evaluations were supervised and completed on Monday, April 17, at the SKD Sports Complex facilities by CAF experts Abraham Gbrelassie of Ethiopia and Honour Janza of Zambia.
At the closing ceremony attended by Sports Minister Zeogar Wilson and his deputy, G. Andy Quamie, including Executive Committee members, LFA president Mustapha Raji reechoed his dream of seeing more quality coaches at all levels in Liberia’s football.
The president described the moment as another great day for football as the LFA celebrated the candidature of 18 coaches for the CAF B Diploma.
The president also vowed that his administration will delicately seek the training of more than 50 CAF A Diploma coaches and 150 CAF B Diploma coaches in the coming years.
“Today is another great day for us as we celebrate our coaching development platform following the training of additional coaches which will serve clubs and all of us in an effort to improve the quality of our football,” Raji stated.
He recounted, “I’m also proud that one of CAF’s instructors stated a key point that today modern football stresses the need for coaches to be computer literate.”
“For those of you who doubted our plead to have all Liberian Coaches computer literate, I am happy that you’ve heard it from the mouth of the CAF expert Abraham Gbrelassie,” Raji echoed.
Raji encouraged all his coaches who have deficiency in this area to liaise with the LFA to provide the necessary help that is going to bring them up to speed with other coaches around the world.
The president used the occasion to extend his profound thanks and appreciation to CAF’s president, Patrice Motsepe, CAF’s Executive Committee members, and the Technical Development Committee of the African governing body for granting Liberia License D, C, and B (to be evaluated by CAF representatives).
He also reminded football stakeholders through a special message to Sports Minister Zeogar Wilson that the programs including the special Fitness Course that are currently underway and the next CAF B Course scheduled for December this year are fully sponsored by the FIFA Forward 3.0 fund.
“We are looking forward to developing 50 (CAF Diploma) coaches we as the Executive Committee decided to subsidize the program by providing more support toward the development of football,” he stated.
“As part of our quest to develop football, we are looking to developing 50 coaches [CAF B Diploma] in the area of B and an additional 100 coaches (CAF B Diploma) in the area B,” the president underscored.
In remarks, Minister Wilson encouraged more female participation in other programs of such while signaling Miss Famatta Dean, the only female coach in attendance.
”I want to extend my thanks and appreciation to everyone who volunteered but I hope that we can encourage more female’s participation because today, gender equity is being encouraged considering that our government believes in feminism,” Minister Wilson categorized.
In a brief statement, coaching expert, Gbrelassie, who conveyed the special message from the CAF Technical Development Committee said he was happy with the quality of the course which he thinks will provide more quality coaches and players for Liberia.
”I am happy with organization of the course because it was carried out by quality CAF instructors which is a recipe to produce quality coaches and players.
“To have my good friend Joseph (Kaetu Smith) and Technical Director Browne as instructors for this course, was very rewarding,” Mr. Gbrelassie confessed.
Mr. Gbrelassie also buttressed the need for coaches to be computer literate which according to him, is a hot-bed for modern coaching.
Making brief remarks on behalf of the CAF B Diploma candidates, LIFOCA President Barents Karr offered big thanks to the CAF Instructors, LFA and the Ministry of Sports for the initiative.
“We want to say a very big thanks to the LFA and president Raji, Minister Wilson, CAF experts and our own, Instructors Smith and Technical Director Browne and assure you that the knowledge acquired will take us a long way because it was taught on a modern scale,” Karr acknowledged.
“Many thanks to all my colleagues and special thanks to the only female, Miss Dean in the class despite all the challenges, she stood the test of time,” Karr averred.
