Coaching Clinic

We conducted a coaching clinic for the coaches in the community and the coaches we had worked with over the last ten days. Due to start at ten am, as usual we began a little later than scheduled. What is so noticeable is how the coaches took time off work and battled public transport to get to the coaching clinic. We eventually had 14 coaches which is a fantastic turn out.

It was a little tough to start as it was a little one way, I wanted to set it up where it was an open forum and we were able to show, discuss and demonstrate ideas together.

So after a quick discussion and covering ideas from the FA youth modules we set about completing a session, a basic passing session encouraging body shape, pre-scanning and movement. The coaches struggled to get it to begin with which emphasized my view that coaches should not get frustrated when players can not get new ideas immediately, because as coaches, we at times struggle to understand it too.

The coaches worked hard and were attentive, as the session continued the lines of communication improved and the discussions developed.

The area that we were using to complete the coaching clinic was also an area which two local primary schools used at lunch break, we were surrounded by little children, some sat watching, some playing and joking around, using tires and sticks as toys, the simplest of things bringing exercise and entertainment.

I think the clinic was successful, and something I certainly enjoyed doing. Hopefully next year when I return we will see some of the coaches implement the ideas and see these ideas in the players. From little acorns, big oak trees grow.

After the clinic we grabbed a quick lunch at Mothers Kitchen in town, and then headed out to Oscerian Flower Farm to watch a match. Most of the flower farms have football teams, similar to how Coal Mines would in the UK decades ago. It’s great for the community to have a team, for young players to watch and aspire to play in and for the community to support. Oscerian play in the 2nd tier of professional football in Kenya, but the match we watched was a reserve team game vs Shalamay, the flower farm team were from the town I had coached at Thursday and Sunday. They play in the 4th tier of football. What a fitting end towards the end of my trip, being able to watch the players and community who I had coached in the week, play. Shalamay are not full time professionals, unlike Oscerian, so the players of Shalamay still work on the flower farms. The match was organized last minute, so it is likely they worked that morning, jumped into a very small van, where it seemed impossible to fit a team into and drove the nearly 2 hours to play.

The game was competitive, and there was plenty of quality on show. After the match I was asked to have a talk with Shalamy and then was introduced to the coaches of Oscerian who Hesbon had played with. I was also introduced to their team, and had a quick chat with them. A great experience. On the way home, I asked Hesbon what was an Africans opinion on a white man? He said that many feel that the white man feels like they are superior to them. I found this notion very humbling, but also found it to be reasonable considering the events of history. I do not understand how anyone should feel they are better than anyone else? Please, I am not trying to say I have never thought or felt this, nor am I saying I haven’t passed judgement on someone before, I am just saying that this trip and this conversation has opened my eyes and mind to many things, and made me look at things in a very different light. My ex-girlfriend is a public defendant and when I asked her, how could she defend those who she knew was guilty, her simple response was “it’s not my job to judge”, perhaps it shouldn’t be any of our jobs to judge?