Executive director of National Sports Council (NSC) has underscored that coaches are the backbone of athlete development in sport, underlining them as invaluable instruments for strengthening national sport.
Mahmud Lamin Jawla made the deliberation during the opening of a 5-day intensive handball training course, organised by the Gambia National Olympics Committee (GNOC).
Emphasising this fact, the NSC boss added that coaches are the mentors, the motivators and the builders of discipline and character.
“By investing in coach education, we are investing directly in the future of our athletes. A well-trained coach not only teaches the rules of the game but also nurtures values such as teamwork, perseverance, and respect,” he said, adding: “The knowledge and skills that will be imparted during these five days will therefore have a long-lasting impact, not just on handball as a sport but on the lives of the athletes and communities you serve.
“To our coaches, you are at the heart of this journey. Learn, unlearn, and relearn. Absorb the techniques, strategies, and philosophies you will encounter, and apply them with passion in your clubs and communities.”
Mr Jawla emphasised the true value of coaching knowledge, saying it is to inspire and uplift others.
Reaffirming the significance of building coaches, he stated: “As the saying goes, ‘When you build people, you build nations.’ Let us therefore continue to invest in people, in coaches, in athletes, and in communities, for they are the foundation of a thriving sporting future.”
