GRASSROOTS THE MOST IMPORTANT – THONDO

LOBAMBA – Anyone who undermines grassroots development coaches is certainly mistaken as this the most important aspect of the football game in the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).

This was asserted by FIFA Instructor and Mauritius Technical Director of Development Govinden Thondo during the official opening of the FIFA Grasssroots Course attended by teachers from various primary schools in the country at the NFAS Technical Centre.
“You don’t have to feel you are that below just because you’re in development as under FIFA, the World Cup or continental games are nothing without if there is no strong foundation. You are the foundation of the whole pyramid and you have got to hold your heads up high you are in grassroots,” he said to the 30 participants.

However, Thondo decried the minimal numbers of women participating in the course saying the NFAS had to encourage more to be part of the game at the development stage. He thanked the few that were in attendance saying they must never look back as one day they would to be coaches and probably grassroots instructors like him.

He then said the target here was to see Swaziland having at least 2000 coach indicators doing grassroots development throughout the country’s over 800 primary schools as every child must have the opportunity to play. “It’s not about the selection of players with us but giving the children of all age groups the chance to play. We’re not coaches yet but organisers with the basic rules which we must impart to the children as they grow in the game,” he said.

Meanwhile, NFAS’ Technical Director Boy ‘Bizzah’ Mkhonta, Sonnyboy Mabuza and Vice President Nichodemus ‘Ace’ Mashwama were also present for the opening of the course set to run till next Thursday.

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