The Cook Islands Football Association hosted a four-day course for “CIFA Women's Football Coaching Certificate”. This course took place at the CIFA complex last week.

The course was designed to assist participants (coaches, teachers, parents or volunteers) to improve their knowledge and competence in relation to youth football.

The course is also part of CIFA’s long term plan to increase the number of female coaches throughout the Cook Islands to lead the growing number of female teams in Cook Islands.

Participants were able to gain knowledge and skills of the game, players, role of the coach and coaching for training sessions covering a variety of topics including long term plans for development and the coaching approach along with the laws of the game and goalkeeping.

As part of the training, participants were required to prepare and deliver a session of training involving the national U16 girls to demonstrate their skills and abilities.

The participants are connected to clubs around Rarotonga, and most have attended previous coaching courses. The return of previous participants portrays their passion for the game of football.

Tahiri Elikana, who is CIFA’s technical director and is also running the course, said: “It is great to see the return of these participants, it displays their willingness to take advantage of every opportunity to upskill, refresh and add new knowledge to implement when they return to their clubs.”

Elikana added: “This is our first Women's Football Youth Coaching Certificate as a progression for our female coaches that attended the Women's Football Grassroots Coaching Certificate conducted last year 2022.”

Participants needed to be active in football activities in order to register for the course. Some were nominated by their clubs as they will be active within the club coaching players during the football season.

The course was funded by CIFA through the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Coach Education Programme, allowing participants to register for free.

Future courses are scheduled over the coming weeks, which will allow coaches to prepare for the upcoming Football Season. This will also include courses held in Atiu, Mauke, Aitutaki, Mangaia and Mitiaro with dates to be confirmed.

Clubs around Rarotonga have been encouraged to nominate participants for the senior’s course scheduled from June 19 to 23, the participants will gain the CIFA Senior Coaching Certificate. This will allow coaches to coach at a higher level locally. The course is open for members to register as long as they are active in a local football club.

• CIFA MEDIA