THE Premier Skills initiative run by the Premier League and British Council has returned to SA. The programme took place at Moses Mabhida stadium on the weekend with intensive training for KwaZulu-Natal’s 60 grassroots soccer coaches and 24 referees.The training was led by head coach, Graham Robinson, a premier skills head coach with the support of community coaches from the UK.
The programme combines the reach of the British Council with the global appeal of the Premier league to use soccer to develop a brighter future for young people around the world. It offers valuable skills development and clear understanding of how to set up sustainable community projects at grassroots level using soccer to tackle issues such as health, disability, gender issues, social inclusion and education
Premier League Director of International Relations, Tim Vine said: “Premier Skills has already had a huge impact around the world, and more specifically in South Africa where we have run the programme since 2013. We have trained some hugely talented and passionate community coaches and referees, who are now passing on their experience to a new cohort of coaches coming into the game for the first time.”
British Council South Africa works with SAFA alongside six NGO partner organisations. The partner NGOs in Durban are Amazulu community trust, Whizz Kids United, Peace Players, Mtubatuba Football Academy, Benevolent Sports, Special XI F.C and Phinduvuye Community Development.
CEO of the SAFA Development Agency, Dr Robin Petersen said: “Our longstanding partnership with the Premier Skills programme has allowed us further to achieve our goal of training 10,000 coaches per annum across the country. Linking these coaches to our local structures and NGOs ensures that the skills learned are put to use in the best possible manner.”
British Council Country Director, Colm McGivern said football was like the 12th language in South Africa. “I am delighted to launch Premier Skills here for a second, bigger run. There is no more powerful way in which we can connect with young people in communities across the country. Working with grassroots coaches and referees, the programme develops their leadership skills, which in turn they can use in their own communities. We are proud to partner with SAFA and local NGOs which also know the powerful role coaches can play in the lives of those they reach with their inspirational work.”
Under the current phase of the programme, more than 1,100 coaches and referees have been trained.
