The Gambia National Olympics Committee (GNOC) Monday kicked off a 5-day intensive technical training course on handball, rallying 30 from among the most dedicated coaches and sports officials across regions in The Gambia for training and certification (licensing) in this domain.
The course, taking place at the Seaview Hotel and Resort in Kololi, is being held in line with the GNOC’s strategic aim of ensuring sport for all and promoting involvement at all levels.
The participating coaches are drawn from a range of diverse backgrounds, with some serving as active physical education teachers, team coaches and sports committee members.
King Colley, president of the Gambia Handball Association (GHA) and the first vice president of the GNOC, took the gathering through the developments achieved over the years in the domain of Gambian handball, underscoring significant improvement.
“We are doing everything humanly possible to make sure handball, which was at the bottom of our national sport, emerge,” he affirmed.
Before he took over as the president of the GHA, he noted, The Gambia had played “no worthy international competition or became runner-up”. That is only happening now under his tenure, he said.
He advised the coaches to progressively utilise the knowledge gained from the training, emphasising that the training must serve as a catalyst for the change that would propel Gambian handball to the height at which it deserves to be.
On behalf of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS), the executive director of the National Sports Council, Mahmud Lamin Jawla, extended sincere gratitude to the GNOC for the invaluable initiative, lauding the committee’s commitment to strengthening the capacity of Gambian coaches and uplifting the sport in The Gambia in general.
“This program complements the Government’s continuous efforts to bringing sport and its development to the doorsteps of all Gambians, ensuring that every young person has the opportunity to discover and nurture their talents,” he said.
Mr Jawla equally underscored the potency of the initiative, saying the training is not only providential but also aligns with the National Sports Policy 2024-2034. “It also speaks directly to the broader vision of developing sport for all and ensuring the involvement of our people at every level,” he informed.
Yorro Njie, GNOC secretary general, highlighted that the training marks yet another significant milestone in the collective efforts to building the capacity of coaches, strengthening the technical development of handball and ultimately enhancing the growth of the sport in The Gambia.
He commended the GHA for its proactive leadership in promoting sport and ensuring continuous technical development.
The Egyptian trainer, Dr Tarek Lofti, expressed pride in being in The Gambia to do the training for the coaches, saying no sport can develop without the coaches. “I’m here to help you improve sport in your country,” he said.
