A total of 63 coaches have been certified by the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) following their successful completion of a Goalkeeping course and a CONCACAF ‘D’ Licence course.
The participants displaying their certificates following the completion of the ‘D’ Lincence Programme
At a simple ceremony held on the lawns of the GFF’s Headquarters on October 5, twenty Goalkeepers who had completed their course in September 2017 collected their FIFA certificates, and 43 coaches who in March this year completed their CONCACAF ‘D’ Licence course received their certificates from GFF President Wayne Forde and Technical Director Ian Greenwood.
Commenting, Greenwood said he was pleased with the number of qualified coaches available, including current and former national players, because this would aid in improving the quality of football in Guyana.
“The only way we will improve Guyanese football is to improve the quality of our coaches. So, taking this step to become a licensed coach is a massive one. We have a long way to go, but we do have a lot of talented coaches, both male and female, who will really take us forward. You have now hit the first rung of the coaching ladder with the CONCACAF ‘D’ Licence. The next step will be to push towards the CONCACAF ‘C’ and ‘B’ Licences. We ask that you continue working with your clubs, the Academy Training Centres and the work which will be done at the level of the Coaching Education Department,” Greenwood said.
He urged the coaches that, whenever they feel the need to have support, they should reach out for it.
“The office doors are always open. We want you to engage with us as much as possible. Anytime you want any assistance, if you’d like to have someone come out and help with your sessions, please come and speak to us,” he admonished.
GFF President, Wayne Forde, in congratulating the coaches, challenged them to commit to a lifetime of learning.
“In every aspect of learning, the quality of the teacher oftentimes determines the quality of the student. We have recognised, over the years, that the fundamentals of the game have not produced the quality of players that we would like to see ply their craft in some of the most advanced and developed corners of the football world. We’ve recognised this as a challenge, and we have embarked on an agenda to educate our coaches as much as possible,” Forde advised.
“Some of you are transitioning from a career of playing into a career of teaching. In that transition, you must also transition yourself into a journey of learning,” he further advised.
“In 2015, we had our first (CONCACAF ‘D’ Licence) training programme, which resulted in a 20 per cent pass rate,” Forde said. “The pleasing news is that, for the 2017-2018 programmes, we have had 90 per cent pass rate. When you look at the great distance we have covered in a matter of months, it is an indication of how far we can go if we really commit ourselves,” he disclosed.
He encouraged the coaches to continue serving the game with honour, distinction and pride. “While everyone would be happy to be compensated for the work they do, many of us will have to continue to work in the trenches, just giving service to the game. Each and every act of service will amount to something great at some point in our lives,” he advised.
“Guyana’s football still needs service. The time will come when many of us will be compensated for the work we do, whether within these shores, within CFU, CONCACAF, or further afield; but at this moment, we need service. Don’t just hang your certificates on a wall. Go out there and do the difficult work. Those young boys and girls need to benefit from the education that you would have received over the past few courses we have had,” he admonished.
