A new platform that will open opportunities for coaches in all sporting codes to grow and extend their knowledge, will soon be available in the Free State.
CoachConnectED, an e-learning platform specifically aimed at coaches, was launched in Bloemfontein on Saturday, 29 March.
Dr Celesti Jansen van Rensburg, deputy director of the Free State Sport Science Institute, said the platform had been developed by the institute, in conjunction with the Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, to aid the development of sport in the province.
Dr Celeste Jansen van Rensburg at the launch of
CoachConnectED. Photo: Lientjie Mentz
“Thanks to the skills in online learning that we acquired during the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw a wonderful opportunity to improve the skill sets of local coaches,” she explained.
Being a tennis coach for the past 25 years, Jansen van Rensburg believes the modules are very practical, aimed at easy learning and taking it into practice immediately.
At the launch, 67 courses were uploaded to the platform.
“We plan to upload new courses every week, from 1 May onward.”
CoachConnectED is the very first online education system for coaches on all levels, from development to elite, which is completely free of charge.
This is an online learning platform through which coaches are able to further their career through continued and value-added education in the form of Sport Science,
Coaching Science, Sport Nutrition, Sport Psychology and more.
“We want to grow sport in the province, and we are starting with the coaches, giving them a free opportunity to improve their skills continuously.”
Jansen van Rensburg said this new venture would add to the efforts already
made to boost the development of Free State sportspersons at the Free State Academy of Sports.
The guest speaker at the launch was Dean Price, high performance manager of Swimming South Africa. He spoke on the importance of coach education.
He shared stories from his more than 40 years in coaching, seeing some of South Africa’s top swimmers winning medals at the Olympic Games.
Price started out as a swimmer of note, being able to swim before he could walk. He swam competitively from the age of 11 years and was awarded national colors for swimming at the age of 13.
At the age of 18, he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy – and although he was treated, his swimming days were over.
He however stood fast in his love for the sport and took up coaching to become one of the top coaches in the country.
He explained that coaching was like giving an athlete a map of how to get from point A to point B.
“Coaching is a holistic approach that includes mental preparation, having the right mindset, as well as the physical training.”
Price said that if coaches wanted to make a diffirence in athletes’ lives, they had to keep themselves informed.
“Technology is there for us to use. It is a wonderful tool in every athlete’s preperation and training.”
Coaches can visit coachconnect.fsacademy.co.za to join with the platform expected to go live on 2 May.
For more information, contact Jansen van Rensburg on 066-479-1782 or send email to celestivr27@gmail.com.
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