Israel Saria
Sunderland AFC’s head of international football development, Graham Robinson, has returned to the nation of Zambia this week to deliver the final stages of the Premier Skills initiative in the country.
The Premier Skills initiative, which involves the training of grassroots coaches around the world to help them gain the skills and confidence to run community football and coaching projects of their own, is nearing its final stages in Zambia, with 11 coaches looking to become a qualified coach educator.
Graham Robinson, who led Phase 2 of the programme in August 2014, has returned to deliver the final stages of the initiative and has continued where he left off, refreshing the future coaches knowledge since their last meeting with classroom coach education sessions.
Graham said: “Since the Premier Skills Zambia programme started in February 2014, the coaches have gained a lot of knowledge and this week we want them to impart what they have learnt to 30 new coaches over the coming days.
“I am convinced that they all have the skills to become a coach educator, it’s just now about them showcasing that in the correct manner. Throughout this week I will be assessing the different coaching and teaching sessions they deliver and looking at what improvements they have made since we last visited.”
The Premier Skills initiative began in 2007 and now works in 25 countries around the world. It draws upon the Premier League’s global appeal and expertise in delivering community programmes in the UK, alongside the British Council’s global network, track record of delivery and world class expertise in English.
The visit to Zambia further strengthens Sunderland AFC’s long-held commitment and reputation for investing in community and education programmes in Africa, with the club also working with the nation of Tanzania and Symbion Power on the new Jakaya M. Kikwete Youth Park in Dar es Salaam, set to open in October, where SAFC will provide technical and practical support to the park.
