UEFA seminar in Baku focuses on developing coach education

A highly successful UEFA initiative was held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, from 25 to 27 April. Delegations from Belarus, San Marino, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Wales, Moldova and Albania took part, along with, of course, the hosts from Azerbaijan. The group was put together with the dual aim of, on the one hand, fostering exchanges between countries with “similar” characteristics and, on the other, promoting the sharing of information and different experiences, in order to stimulate work and activities and to look as well towards federations with very different histories and cultures. The core theme was the development of coach educators. Each association was able to present its current snapshot in terms of Coach Education, with particular reference to its Coach Educator training programme. Under the 2020 Coaching Convention, UEFA asked all member associations to embark on a process that would lead them by July 2023 to set up at least one Coach Educator course, aimed at those figures within a national association responsible for training and developing the coaches of the future. The Coach Educator plays a key role within the technical departments of every national association, and UEFA has decided to support the development of these roles through a range of activities, including seminars for discussion and sharing such as this one. The underlying idea is based on the conviction that to have better football you need better players, who in turn need better coaches, who themselves must be “educated” by high‑quality coach educators. Representing the FSGC, Carlo Chiarabini, Director of the Coach Education Department, outlined the current situation. UEFA’s representatives described it as very positive, highlighting a long and complex process that began almost 10 years ago and which has accelerated significantly over the last three years (following the 2019 Conference in Cyprus). First came the overhaul of the UEFA D Leader and UEFA C courses (the FSGC was the first association in Europe to receive approval), then the start of work to introduce a course for goalkeeping coaches, and finally the ongoing efforts that will lead to a course specifically for Coach Educators. The San Marino delegation also included Fabio Lepri, Head of Grassroots Activities and the CEF Project, and several educators from the CEF Project – Mattia Rizzo and Luigi Di Spirito – as well as Under-13 head coach Alessandro Astolfi. The group took part in all activities over the three days, alternating between internal discussions and sessions in mixed groups, with one representative per country, in order to encourage the exchange of ideas, experiences and best practices. Each delegation was able to contribute interesting insights during a workshop marked by a high level of interaction and engagement. Special praise goes to the three UEFA instructors, Ghenadie Scurtul, Less Howie and Tibor Sisa, for the expertise and passion they conveyed throughout the seminar, providing an example of how to lead group activities with leadership and empathy. The San Marino FA will certainly make the most of the ideas, knowledge and new awareness gained in Baku, with the aim of working hard to achieve the objectives set. For San Marino, a further process of dialogue and exchange with other associations – Italy first and foremost – and with UEFA officials will be necessary, enabling the consolidation and implementation of the identified actions. It is a demanding challenge, but one that must be won in order to ensure a better future for our football.

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