MASERU — The Lesotho Football Association (Lefa) is holding a coaching clinic for 28 local coaches in an attempt to professionalise the domestic game.
The week-long clinic which began on Monday in Leribe is scheduled to end this Saturday.
Lefa chief executive officer, Mofihli Makoele, said the Leribe workshop was a Level One coaching clinic intended to impart basic skills to football players.
“It is a Level One coaching course that is intended at teaching players basic skills like how to control a ball and release it,” Makoele said.
“It is basically where we teach them to develop players from schools and our regions,” Makoele said.
He said Level One coaches are specifically recruited to work with children in schools and villages.
“At Level One we recruit coaches whom we want to work with children only,” Makoele said.
He said the workshop was being facilitated by Lefa technical director, Seephephe Matete, Caf instructor Lehlohonolo Thotanyana and guest lecturers Elizabeth Yelimala from Ghana and Fifa referee Paul Phomane.
The course is being attended by teachers and regional coaches from Berea, Leribe, Butha-Buthe, Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka and Maseru districts.
Lefa says the purpose of the clinic is to ensure the game is developed from grassroots levels.
A participant at the workshop, Mokete Tau, said the clinic had made him realise the critical role coaches play in developing football.
“We’ve so far discussed a coach’s qualities, his role in developing football and the importance of planning training sessions,” Tau said.
The ‘Mamathe Community High School teacher said he was going to implement these things beginning Monday.
“I will make sure that I implement what I have learnt from this coaching clinic so that there is improvement at my school,” he said.
Participants will be issued with Level One certificates or certificates of attendance depending on their individual performances during the workshop.
