Alex and Diepsloot coaches attain their Safa Level D Coaching Licences
The South African Football Association will soon make it a requirement that LFA coaches all possess the minimum entry-level coaching licence in order to be sensitised on issues of safety before being allowed to mix and mingle with children of different age groups and gender.
The Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association has decided to upskill its coaches.
This is so they can attain their entry-level coaching licences to possess the right qualifications and skills to coach boys and girls of various age groups and gender.
Secretary general of the association Malvin Khumalo said it’s now a requirement for coaches to have an entry-level Safa Level D Coaching Licence which allows holders to coach at the LFA level, in the Johannesburg Regional Leagues, and the Sasol Women’s League.
Coaches will be free to upgrade their licence levels depending on where they want to go and coach, Khumalo said. To coach in the ABC Motsepe League, he or she will need a Level C, a Level B for the Motsepe Foundation Championship, and a Level A for the premiership which would be coupled with a professional licence for that level of coaching.
“It is imperative now that coaches must possess these level licences for various stages of football coaching so that coaches are fully aware of the dos and don’ts of dealing with children of a particular age group and gender group as well.
“This to sensitise the coaches to be aware as to how they handle children of different gender groups at different age levels as part of ways to avoid issues of child safety and gender abuse,” Khumalo told Alex News in an interview.
He was speaking at a festival of coaching to mark the completion of the eight-day course at the Alexandra Stadium on March 4. The course involved 30 coaches, 20 from Alex and 10 from the Diepsloot Local Football Association.
“We are aware that some of the coaches keep upgrading themselves and eventually move on, hence we are saying this will be an ongoing exercise that has now become a requirement for any person who claims or wants to be a coach in the LFAs.”
Khumalo said the LFA was in the process of appointing a technical director whose responsibilities, among others, would include liaising and overseeing coaches. Once appointed, Khumalo said the technical director would do a skills audit that would address the qualification shortfalls and the skills required for the coaches to ensure they possess the minimum entry requirements per the South African Football Association rules.
