SARU hosts first IRB Level III Course
Some of South Africa’s top emerging young coaches on Friday concluded the opening part of the first IRB Level III coaching course to be held in the country.
Coaches such as former Springboks Robbie Fleck and Pieter Rossouw, former Springbok Sevens star Vuyo Zangqa and Absa Currie Cup head coaches Jimmy Stonehouse (Pumas) and Oersond Gorgonzola (Griffons) were part of the first intake on a pilot project to introduce the IRB’s top coaching qualification to South Africa.
The coaches attended an intensive three-day course – run by SARU – and will be assessed during the first half of next year before a second residential course to conclude the qualification in June next year.
“Many of the coaches have the technical and tactical knowledge from their playing careers,” said Hilton Adonis, SARU’s manager of coaching. “This course is designed add to that and give them a planning framework and the advanced organisational skills to structure the way they plan their seasons and matches.
“It has been an intense three days and the guys have worked hard but this is only the start of the process. To achieve the Level III qualification they will be assessed at their provinces next year then attend the follow-up course in June.”
Adonis explained that SARU had invested time and expertise in preparing a panel of local educators of the necessary standard to deliver the course in conjunction with Mark Harrington, IRB Manager of Training and Medical.
“SARU has worked hard to build the infrastructure and capacity to deliver this course,” said Harrington, “and there has been quite a backlog of coaches wishing to attend.
“The guys are technically and tactically very knowledgeable but where this course will have helped is in terms of coaching methodologies. This course doesn’t mean they automatically become better coaches but what it does do is give them a head start, technically and tactically, but after that it is up to them in terms of their personality, their style and how they address the needs of their team.”
Coaches from 12 different provinces as well as schools and representative age groups teams attended the course.
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