22 Sep 2014

Physical Education lecturer at the University Of Botswana, Professor Jimoh Shehu says coaches are key in talent enhancement.

Speaking at the Athlete Development Across the Life Span conference on September 20, Professor Shehu said coaches action and inaction could have a great implication for the quality of sport experiences, life-long physical activity, participation, and various kinds of sporting success.

He further said, regardless of their level, coaches had a duty of care, and they were also accountable for providing competent scouting, training, instruction, modeling, game plan, talent identification development programmes, and character development.

He said sport was a dynamic field, therefore it was imperative that coaches maintain and continuously enhance the knowledge, skills, attitude, beliefs and judgment required to meet sport participants’ needs as they evolved, and in light of research advancement.

He reiterated the fact that it is important to develop the coaches for pujrposes of professional orientation and socialization, Investment in human resource development, adding that it will also help them to meet the competencies for practice and enhance professional capability

According to Professor Shehu, coaches need formal learning opportunities regardless of care stages, given that the lack of opportunities will leads to professional blunders, persistent poor performance, and declining standards of sport/athlete development.

He said Botswana is perceived as a knowledge economy or society and as such a knowledge society is a competitive one and it is characterized by knowledge generation, dissemination, and utilization and sharing and it requires learning organizations and life-long learners

“We need a systematic approach to coach development across the sport codes, settings and programmes,” he said.

On an athlete’s retirement experience, former Botswana’s sprinter, Carlifornia Molefe said he retired in active sport due to injury.

He said during his time he was idolized by many people and he is a happy man because he had the opportunity to be developed well under the tutelage of Bobby Gaeitsiwe, therefore he became one of the best athletes in the country.

He however said his injury came while he was training for China Olympic Games, thus denying him the opportunity to represent the country at a higher stage.

Molefe, who is currently the 400 metre indoor record holder, said the injury also came at a wrong time given that he was at his peak.

He said during his retirement, he faced myriad challenges, such as financial constraints because initially he had never planned to retire and his future plans were ruined instantly.

He however thanked Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) for the support they gave during his trying times: “I am proud to also tell you that I am a BNOC employee,” he said

Other topic that were discussed at the conference include amongst others, athletes retirement transition, Botswana long-term athlete development, and positive youth development through sport. ENDS