The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has commenced the eighth batch of the CAF ‘D’ Diploma Coaching Course, with 35 participants drawn from across the country.
The one-week course officially began at the SLFA Secretariat in Kingtom, Freetown, as part of the Association’s efforts to strengthen the technical capacity of coaches and develop a new generation of qualified football coaches in line with Confederation of African Football (CAF) standards.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, SLFA Technical Director John Edward Keister described the programme as a continuous learning process aimed at identifying and addressing weaknesses in coaching organization, technique, education and awareness.
Keister said the course is designed to equip grassroots coaches with the fundamentals of coaching, improve their competence and better prepare them to nurture football talent from the community level to the elite level.
The CAF ‘D’ Diploma Coaching Development Programme is being delivered through a combination of theoretical and practical sessions, as well as internships, to provide participants with the knowledge, skills and methodologies needed to advance their coaching careers.
The latest edition marks the eighth time the SLFA has organised the CAF ‘D’ Diploma Coaching Course, creating further opportunities for local coaches to improve their knowledge and coaching competencies.
The SLFA said the capacity-building initiative forms part of its broader efforts to improve coaching standards and contribute to the continued development of football in Sierra Leone.