NIS Launches 8-week Coaching Programme In Uyo To Strengthen Grassroots Sports

The National Institute for Sports (NIS) has commenced an eight-week Summer Basic Coaching Programme in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, as part of efforts to strengthen coaching capacity and improve grassroots sports development in Nigeria.

The programme, organised in collaboration with Ray Tiding Consulting Ltd and the Akwa Ibom State Football Association (AKSFA), began at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo yesterday.

It is designed to equip participants with foundational knowledge and practical coaching skills, targeting football coaches, grassroots coaches, sports academy instructors, youth leaders, retired athletes, club coaches, sports administrators, and graduates seeking careers in sports coaching.

The programme was attended by Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Paul Bassey; NIS Registrar, Belmond Benson, who represented the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute, Philip Shaibu; AKSFA Chairman, Samuel Umo; NFF Board Member representing the South-South, Utuekong Nse Essien, as well as coaches and other sports stakeholders.

Bassey welcomed the initiative, describing it as an opportunity for coaches in the state who had been seeking access to structured coaching education.

He also commended what he described as the renewed direction of the NIS under Shaibu’s leadership, pointing to the renovation and increased activity at the institute.

The AKSFA chairman urged participants to make full use of the programme and continue developing their knowledge after completing the course.

“Do not stop at the completion of this programme. Continue learning, evolving and improving,” Umo told the participants, stressing that better-trained coaches would contribute to the development of football in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria and Africa.

Essien also praised the NIS for taking coaching education closer to the grassroots, describing the initiative as a positive step for the country’s football development.

He called for the programme to be extended to other regions to give coaches across Nigeria similar opportunities.

The NFF board member further urged participants to progress beyond basic certification and continually improve their professional competence.

He warned against stagnation after obtaining initial qualifications, stressing the need for coaches to advance through successive levels of training to make a greater contribution to sports development.

Over the eight weeks, participants are expected to learn the basic principles and techniques of sports coaching, develop practical coaching skills and acquire the ability to organise drills, exercises and competitions effectively.

The NIS said the initiative forms part of its renewed effort to expand access to sports education and professional development at grassroots level while creating a sustainable pathway for the continuous training and development of coaches across Nigeria.