SA Rugby recently hosted two successful Rugby Africa Regional Trainer and Educator courses, aimed at expanding the World Rugby (WR) accredited workforce across the African continent.
The first course took place in Pretoria from 22-25 January and the second was staged in Cape Town from 7-10 February. These initiatives are aligned with SA Rugby’s “Destination 2027” strategic objectives of increasing the number of accredited Trainers and Educators in South Africa across all 15 provincial unions.
The quality of the Rugby Africa Trainer and Educator programmes are directly influenced by the calibre of the workforce, making the development of these courses essential for the growth and development of rugby in Africa.
The training sessions were led by Rugby Africa’s Regional Training Manager, Denver Wannies, and Medical Education Manager, Dr Joseph Kalanzi, alongside three WR-accredited Master Trainers and four WR Trainers.
A total of 25 trainer and 22 educator candidates from South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe participated in the comprehensive programme, which culminated in the successful delivery of WR Level 1 courses across several strands – namely coaching, match officiating, strength & conditioning, and medical – by the Educator candidates.
The accredited trainer workforce can ensure the quality delivery of WR accredited courses, while the accredited educators are able with delivering WR Level 1 and Level 2 courses in the relevant strands.
Ian Schwartz, General Manager of SA Rugby’s Participation and Development Department, said: “By enhancing the skills and knowledge of all our coaches and other officials, we are ensuring that they are qualified and equipped with the latest techniques and best practices. By investing in education and training, we aim to elevate the overall standard of rugby in South Africa, fostering the development of the next generation of rugby talent.”
Hilton Adonis, Senior Manager of Training and Education in the Participation and Development Department, was full of praise for the commitment and passion of the course attendees.
“These courses are a testament to the commitment of SARU to develop a skilled and accredited rugby workforce,” said Adonis.
“By providing top-notch training and education, we are not only improving the quality of rugby in South Africa and elsewhere on the continent, but also ensuring that our coaches and officials are well-prepared to meet the demands of the game.”
This initiative marks a significant step towards strengthening rugby education and increasing the availability of skilled and accredited coaches, and other officials, ensuring the continued safeguarding of a skilled workforce in the country and rest of Africa.
Delegates from South Africa:
Trainer Course: Sakkie Vermeulen (Limpopo), Jan Slabbert (Limpopo), Johan Vermeulen (Blue Bulls), Andre Botha (Blue Bulls), Gert Mulder (Blue Bulls), Selwyn January (Golden Lions), Richard van Rensburg (Golden Lions), Henry Stewart (Leopards), Lefty Dakuse (Eastern Province), Nazeem Adams (Western Province), Athol Ontong (Boland), Darren Colby (Free State), Hennie Coetzee (Free State), Wesley Wheeler (Free State), Stephanus Pretorius (Griffons).
Educator Course: Rohan Besseling (Limpopo), Ian van Heerden (Limpopo), Neil Haarhoff (Limpopo), Jaun Pieterse (Pumas), Lucas Meiring (Pumas), Andre Erasmus (Pumas), Shamila Louw (Griffons), Sindile Mayende (Border), Jessica Botha (Boland), Chezery Davids (Boland), Likhona Nkqoli (Border), Lusanda Jam (Border), Kelsey Symons (KwaZulu-Natal), Archie Moko (KwaZulu-Natal), Mark Cameron (KwaZulu-Natal), Tim Qumbu (SA Rugby), Siyasanka Mkiva (Western Province).
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