Windhoek
Local women football administrators and coaches are hoping to improve the beautiful game of football in their respective areas despite ongoing financial hiccups that threaten to hamper development.
Salome Iyambo recently attended a CAF Women’s Instructors Course in Cameroon, while Thuba Sibanda is due to visit Europe for a FIFA’s Master Programme.
Iyambo, who was nominated by the Namibia Football Association (NFA), attended the CAF course at the CAF Technical Centre in Mbankomo, Cameroon.
The course was conducted by Egypt’s Mohamed Abdul-Meneim, aka ‘Shatta”, Burundian Dominique Niyonzima and veteran South African football administrator Fran Hilton-Smith.
Iyambo expressed her appreciation and could not heap enough praise for the experience gained from her North African safari.
“In February this year I was appointed Galz and Goals instructor and had already facilitated courses in the Khomas region, while coordinating the programme in the Otjozondjupa region,” Iyambo commented.
She reiterated the value of football. “Football remains the biggest and greatest game sport in the world, providing many opportunities locally and internationally for athletes to become part of this global venture. Passion and patience are key to keep you intact in the game of football.”
There were 24 participants from English-speaking African countries, including coaches from the eight teams that have qualified for the upcoming CAF African Women’s Championships in Cameroon.
Sibanda will attend the FIFA Master International Management, Law and Humanities of Sport retreat, a course organized by the International Centre for Sport Studies (CIES) in conjunction with three universities – De Montfort University in Leicester (England), SDA Bocconi School of Management in Milan (Italy) and the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland).
The programme was created to promote management education within the sports world and has since developed to become a top graduate programme developing all-round managers to cope with the increasingly complex world of sports.
“I’m extremely excited about this course and look forward to learn more, and come back and help to propel local women and football in particular to greater heights. It will be an intense course and I’m anxiously looking forward to it. Thank you NFA for the trust and also FIFA for this chance,” a delighted Sibanda said.
Sibanda leaves for Leicester on September 9.