Hockey coach back from Holland

Malawi Hockey Dreams Academy coach Ulemu Ngwira is back from Netherlands where he underwent a four-week advanced coaching seminar.

He was the only African among 50 coaches that were called, courtesy of Sports Ways, to train over 200 children while being monitored and replenished with high level techniques from the world’s best hockey trainers and players from Spain, Belgium, France and the host country.

Ngwira, who had an opportunity of watching some games in the on-going Euro Hockey Championships, said the trip helped him to learn new tricks on how to train children, organise youth camps and officiate games.

“I have learnt new styles of organising youth camps. Before getting this international exposure, our camps had no themes, lacked proper transition on the next drills and there were no elements of social initiative to keep the children interested in the camps. Thanks to the skills I have acquired, things will no longer be the same,” he said.

The coach, who is also Genetrix Hockey Club player and national team vice-captain, has also brought equipment, including 15 hockey sticks, two sets of uniforms, three sets of goalkeepers gear, 80 balls and a laptop, to be used to establish an under-18 ladies’ team.

Hockey Association of Malawi (HAM) general secretary Chigomezgo Thindwa said they will take advantage of Ngwira’s knowledge to change the landscape of grassroots coaching.

“Exposing local coaches abroad is part of our hockey development strategies and we feel blessed that we already have one in Ngwira. His knowledge will be integrated into our system as we would use him to impart advanced coaching skills to other youth coaches,” he said. n