Dubai Sports Council launches initiative to develop sports academy coaches

Council ties up with various international academies at annual agenda for coaching courses

DUBAI: The Dubai Sports Council (DSC) has further stepped up its efforts towards sustenance of the sporting grassroots by launching an initiative to qualify and develop the capabilities and potential of coaches working in sports academies operating in the UAE.

The first step in this direction is an action plan with international and local private academies through the launch of specialised training courses under the supervision of sports experts from various international clubs.

Known as the annual agenda for coaching courses for 2024-25, the DSC assembled a gathering of like-minded sports bodies and private international Dubai-based football academies, including the Barcelona Academy, Real Madrid Academy, LaLiga Academy, Ajax Academy and Juventus Academy in the presence of Ahmed Salem Al Muhairi, Director of Sports Development Department, DSC, Adnan Al Ayouni, a senior specialist in football companies and the CBF Football Management Foundation for training cadres and organising events.

The meeting discussed ways and means of working together on a common platform with a united goal while preparing an annual programme of training courses for coaches in coordination with the Dubai Sports Council.

Ahmed Salem Al Muhairi stressed that the meeting comes within the executive plan for the policy of attracting and developing sports talents through till 2033 in the aspect related to developing national cadres, developing the capabilities of coaches, and learning about the latest developments in the world of training in a way that enhances their technical and scientific gains.

“Science has moved in leaps and bounds and we need to ensure that our athletes and players of the future have this advantage of the latest in the technical and scientific fields of sports development,” Al Muhairi observed.

“At the same time such an exercise will further strengthen partnerships with the sporting private sector and sports clubs over the country,” he added.

The meeting stressed on the basic objectives of the meeting with particular attention on improving coaches’ fundamental skills, tactical and technical knowledge through vital elements of communication, motivation, game strategy, player development, and staying updated on technological advancements.

The second part of the strategy focuses on methods of identifying talented players, setting up training programmes while enhancing player performance in different age categories.

At the end of the meeting, the representatives of the various academies and clubs came up with a few recommendations. These include the need to further strengthen partnerships with the private sector and sports clubs while identifying astute coaches who would share details of the courses prior to the start of the season.

The academies also suggested that there should be prior coordination with the Council regarding organizing trainers’ courses, determining the examination period of players to organize intensive courses for trainers, while keeping in mind the importance of diversifying training courses in all technical fields and sports management.

They further recommended that academy coaches participating in the Dubai Open for Football Academies Championship should be invited to participate in training sessions with the Council promoting coverage of courses on its website and in daily newspapers in the UAE. The Council facilitates the organisers’ task by hosting several coaching sessions in Dubai clubs, while stressing on the importance of conducting a practical evaluation of trainers attending such training courses.