PNGOC runs workshop to better coaches

By ERIC PIET
THE Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee has conducted the first of three workshops, the Team PNG’s Elite Performance Coach Education Programme for coaches, in preparation for next year’s Pacific Games in Samoa.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the three-day workshop on Friday at the Laguna Hotel, Team PNG chef de mission Emma Waiwai said the workshop was to provide coaches with education that could enable them to work smarter in preparing their athletes for Apia.
PNGOC’s Chris Amini, who developed the Team PNG elite performance coaching education programme for coaches based on knowledge gained in US in the international enrichment coaching programme course, said the workshop was to support and develop coaches in games management concepts and best practice.
“This education programme is targeted for individuals that are currently coaching at the international level and also for developing junior coaches,” Amini said.
“The programme focuses on developing interpersonal and intrapersonal knowledge that is essential for a coach to be effective.”
Amini told the coaches that it was important for a coach to achieve full development of his or her coaching philosophy.
“You must acquire deep knowledge of your sport and that includes the customs, rules, traditions, values, strategies, and ethics unique to the sport you are coaching,”
Amini said for coaches to be effective they must have or know three types of knowledge, which include knowledge of oneself, knowledge of one’s athletes and knowledge of the sport one is coaching.
The workshop aims to produce four outcomes also known as the four Cs: competence, confidence, connection and character.
A coach must be competent in the sport, he or she must have self-confidence to meet the demands of the sport and life, the coach must have the ability to build and sustain positive connections with others and they must have good ethical behaviour such as empathy and respect which is referred to as character.
The overall goal of these workshops is to educate and prepare coaches so that PNG will top the medal tally at the Pacific Games.
The first of the three workshops was concluded yesterday Sunday with two others to be held next year before the games in July.