Belizean Football Coaches Receive Professional Training

Germany recently beat out Argentina to emerge victorious in the 2014 World Cup – a dream of football federations across the world and certainly one for Belize. Every journey has to start somewhere, and the Football Federation of Belize is partnering with FIFA to provide expert training for coaches across the country. German football instructor Jochen Figge is currently in Belize for a week, passing on his knowledge and techniques to eighteen Belizeans. It’s happening at the FFB headquarters in Belmopan, and our News Five team dropped in this afternoon for a look.

Mike Rudon, Reporting

Following a morning spent in the classroom, eighteen coaches hit the practice field this afternoon to learn the basics. It’s not only about techniques with a football, but also about punctuality, discipline, decisiveness and teamwork. It’s serious business for the FIFA-sponsored instructor and serious business for the FFB.

Ruperto Vicente, President, Football Federation of Belize

Ruperto Vicente

“We want to prepare coaches so that they can better prepare our young players because what we are doing as a Federation is building from bottom up, so we want to prepare so that in the next ten years we can become competitive not only in Central America but in the entire region including North America and the Caribbean.”

Jochen Figge

Jochen Figge, FIFA Instructor

“In these days modern football is something…we all have seen the World Cup and everybody wants to know why the results are coming together, and that’s actually what we are going to do here. We are talking about all the parts of methodology of football, like the modern style of playing tactics, techniques, systems of play and so on…but please keep in mind that this is only five and a half days to do this. This is a seminar in which we try to bring them as much as possible, but the time is not enough.”

Because the dream is so large, and time is so short, there’s a plan in place for maximum effect. According to Coach Figge, Belizean coaches have a lot of knowledge, but Belizean football is not at a professional level yet. So FIFA and the FFB will be working together to put a structure in place.

Jochen Figge

“We actually talking the same line that in the near future the Belize Football Federation should have a grading system, its own licensing system that they maybe have some local instructors doing the basic work around the country by themselves…things like that. That’s very important to graduate Belizean football because you need the structure not only for the national team but you need it for the development of football across the country.”

Ruperto Vicente

“What will happen at the end of this training, the last day, since we have four coaches coming from each district, those coaches will come together before we leave here and put a work plan together. Their work plan is going to be passed to this coach. He will review it, and see if anything needs to be added to it. Once he approves it, then our Technical Director who is a Mexican and well trained, will then supervise what these coaches will be doing in their districts, so our Technical Director will follow up on everything that they are doing so the Federation then will have to find the monies for the Technical Director to travel throughout the districts supervising and monitoring what these coaches are doing with our football players.”

The training session is focused on coaches working with the younger selections across the country. Reporting for News Five, I am Mike Rudon.