Continuing Coaching Education Amidst Covid-19 Lockdowns and Physical Distancing

The Coronavirus global crisis has impacted all activities within the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA), and likewise, every Football Association across the world. Players and coaches have been placed on the sidelines for the rest of spring season, and are meeting changes that the pandemic has triggered head-on. In keeping committed to providing technical support to the TCIFA, the Swedish FA by way of the UEFA ASSIST Programme conducted a webinar series for its first course; which did not include a practical component and was initially scheduled to take place at the TCIFA National Academy in March. The “Match Analysis” webinar series included three sessions moderated by Ramin Kiani and Anders Eriksson, and assisted by Perra Widen. This course concluded on Saturday, 16th May 2020.

Virtual learning and training are part of the ongoing Continued Education Programme organized by the TCIFA’s Coaching Education Department, and it is intended to pick up the threads with coaching development during this period of restriction. The TCIFA is coming into its seventh week with sessions held on Tuesdays at 3:30 - 5:00 pm and Saturdays at 11:00am-1:00 pm. In addition to all full-time members of staff, these sessions have been attended by volunteer coaches, as well as other invited coaches from across the region.

Football, not as we know it, compels TCIFA to find new ways to adapt while observing social distancing protocols. Whilst virtual learning and training for coaches is only a few weeks old, we can expect that it will be diversified and expanded to last however long the Covid-19 pandemic limits social contact.