By GWEN CHIPASULA –
UP to 23 coaches from across Africa will today begin an International Judo Federation (IJF) Level-One residential coaching course at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) in Lusaka.
The coaching programme which has participants from over nine countries is scheduled to run until January 16.
Zambia Judo Association (ZJA) president Alfred Foloko said it was an honour for Zambia to be given the rights to host this course, the first residential course of its kind in Africa.
Zambia will be represented by seven participants at this course including ZJA president Foloko, national team coach Moola Limpimile and Lackson Mulemwa.
Others taking part in the course are Lamarck Kashimo, Gideon Mbao, Mama Hamoonga and Davis Simbeya.
Alfred Foloko said in an interview that the association is happy to host the first residential course in Africa which has previously been an online course.
“The office of the IJF presidential in Budapest wrote us to host this course and it is a great honour. This course is done online and has a 10 day residential phase to it,” he stated.
Foloko explained that the course started with 12 weeks of online lessons and the 10 days residential course was supposed to take place in Budapest, Hungary but Zambia negotiated to host because it would have been expensive for coaches to travel to Hungary.
He added that the IJF will send instructors to conduct the course.
“President Vizer has decided to give a proper continuation to our development programme for the region and is offering all the countries in Southern Africa to enrol three coaches per country to participate in the IJF Academy programme.