Introduction:
Premier Skills is an initiative of the British Council and Premier League in England, focusing on Football Coaching. The course emphasizes on the use of Football to develop leadership skills, communication skills as well as “fun” soccer coaching sessions. Premier Skills can be used to train all players in different age categories, ranging from under six years old to senior teams – above 18 years old players.

                                                            
One of the groups listening for instructions from Premier Skills Community Coaches during 7 days training session organized by SEP. The facilitators included Jonathan Onginjo of moving mountains – Ulamba, Maurice Nyagwara and Festus Juma both from SEP. On the right are the participants during a cool down session.

In the month of October 2009, Society Empowerment Project (SEP) - Kenya benefited from the first ever Premier Skills (PS) trainings held in Nairobi, Kenya. SEP sent in two representatives who were trained with certificate level / trainer of trainees. It’s the skills conceived from this grand training in Nairobi that was replicated by SEP to other organizations and sports leaders within Nyanza Province. A total of 54 participants registered for the trainings, but only 50 out of the registered participants received their certificates, upon participating through out the workshop, covering the acceptable time schedule. The other four either dropped or just missed some sessions, hence did not qualify to be certified.

                                                               
Trained Community Coaches during 7 days Premier Skills Training workshop organized by SEP display their certificates in satisfaction of the comprehensive training. A total of 50 participants were awarded certificates. Far end is Cynthia Nyaridi from SEP, receiving her certificate in a smile, as SEP director Festus Juma looks on.

The workshop overtly demonstrated the power of networking relations, with Moving Mountains – Ulamba, through their Nairobi Office, sent a facilitator to support SEP efforts throughout the event. Moving Mountains is one of the organizations among others who attended the Nairobi training, and since then has indicated the possibility of networking with other organizations.

                                    
Judith of Galatico Girls Football in Kisumu City receives her certificate at the end of the training. The certificate was presented by Victor Mbaka, SEP Board Representative. Galatico was represented by 5 participants, 3 girls and 2 males. At the centre is an evaluation session, players had the chance to give their inputs /assessment of the training, and suggest way forward. Far end is Coach Maurice, instructing the community coaches during a training session.

The workshop hence was conducted by three qualified facilitators namely:
  1. Maurice O. Nyagwara; SEP – Kenya
  2. Festus Juma; SEP – Kenya
  3. Jonathan Ong’injo; Moving Mountains, Ulamba

The workshop lasted for 7days, 7th - 13^th December 2009.

Methodology:
SEP hosted leaders meeting in their office, including all the local and away teams. The leaders were briefed a bout Premier Skills, and how it would improve football standards in the region. It then progressed to discuss way forward on ho the idea would reach other organizations and clubs in the region, either present or absent in the meeting. It was resolved that every organization to send in 5 participants, with SEP giving 9. Of the 5 participants, it was agreed that at least two were to be girls, an idea that was accepted by all. A total of 10 organizations were reached, and attended the training/ workshops, with 24 girls in attendance.

Attendance:
The training attracted different sports based organizations within the Province, with some participants coming as far as Kisumu. It comprised of homogeneous age limits for both boys and girls. The age was set such that any body undergoing the workshop would have the ability to replicate the skills back in her/his community, through their respective organizations. The age limit was therefore set t be above 16 in age, for all participants. (These were trained as coaches, so they could also train more people in their community, and also help in training sessions in their various organizations / football clubs).

Training Delivery:
During the 7 days’ workshop, all players attended practical and theory sessions. The training topics were well defined and delivered. They included the following Workshop Session:

This was always conducted in the afternoon sessions.

• Planning of a training session
• Good diet and Nutrition
• Qualities of a good coach.
• Code of conducts expected from players
• Role of parents in motivating their children who are also players.
• Community Development through football
• Tournament Planning and management

Practical sessions were always conducted in the morning sessions. It comprised of the following topics; Warm ups and cool downs, ball control skills, dribbling skills, passing skills, attacking and defending skills and goal keeping skills.

The above said topics were delivered with much fun and educational component in it. It worked out well, especially for the unskilled upcoming coaches/players. Planning and preparation became the most thematic core of the course, encouraging the coaches always to remain time conscious.

The afternoon sessions also provided room for open discussion among coaches, evaluating the morning session as well as comparing of their understanding of the course content.

The teams were divided into four different groups for their team work. Each team hence was a warded a role, on daily basis. The roles ranged from Equipment team, First Aid Team, Environment team and security team, in charge of all training facilities.

                                        
Festus Juma explaining point during workshop session as Maurice looks on. Jonathan handling a class on training session and nutrition. Far end, Jonathan demonstrates appoint to the coaches. This is one of the qualities of a good Premier Skills coaches, demonstration.

Training Cost:
For effective training session, vital logistics had to be in place, demanding a certain degree of expenditure. SEP organized for accommodation of the participants coming out of Oyugis region, food and transport.

                                                      
Community coaches during a practical session, working on ball control, dribbling and passing techniques.

Achievements:

• Turn out was generally encouraging, with only six people missing from the expected number. This implies one organization did not turn up, resulting to only 54 participants and not 60 as was planned.
• The participants actively took part in practical and theory classes, indicating active involvement.
• The facilitators were adaptive, including the participants, hence made good use of few football equipments available for trainings.
• The players upheld high standard of discipline through out the session/workshop, hence no loss of equipments was reported.
• Only 4 participants defaulted due to personal reasons.
• Girls’ participation was encouraging. This is the first Soccer clinic in the region with big slots for girls!
• Safety was observed through out the training duration, 7 days.
• All players attending the scheduled classes were awarded certificates.

Challenges:

• There were limited sports equipment for the workshop such as balls, bibs, cones and markers.
• There needs to be a budget for the workshop for effective participation and delivery.
• The training field was not well leveled, causing physical problems to the players.

Way Forward:

• There is need for another workshop, so as to reach the 100 community coaches target.
• There is need for sufficient sports equipment such as balls, boots, bibs, cones and markers.
• The field condition needs to be improved.
• There should be a reasonable budget for the trainings, so participants don’t strain so much especially on food, transport and accommodation.
• The trained community coaches should replicate the skills to their club and community members.
• British Council (B.C) Kenya, in collaboration with SEP, should visit the trained organizations / clubs as a follow up activity.

Conclusion:
The workshop was a success. Follow ups to the trained coaches need to be carried out as soon as possible for effective evaluation of the entire process.

Extra Information on SEP:
A week after the Premier Skills training Workshop, SEP hosted a staff from Kicking Aids Out ( KAO) Network, Cape Town, South Africa. SEP in the past months had applied to be included in the KAO network. The secretariat in South Africa hence sent the training coordinator, George Nange to asses the viability of SEP to that effect. 

Left – Right: Festus Juma during a meeting with George Nange in his office, Ruga Shopping Centre. On the right; George Nange from KAO Network, Maurice Nyagwara, SEP sports Manager and Everline Ochieng, KAO leader in SEP and Joan Agutu (far end) during a visit to one of the SEP beneficiaries in Agriculture programme, Cynthia Nyaridi. George had the time to interact not only with SEP beneficiaries, but also some of their parents. 

The coordinator managed to visit different programmes carried out by SEP, including Agricultural programme and football trainings. He also got the chance to freely interact and discuss with SEP beneficiaries on different issues, including how KAO skills are used in SEP football programmes.

The two days visit by George was encouraging, and we are looking forward to a report from KAO secretariat in relation to the application SEP had submitted.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In relation to the successful Premier Skills Training Course by SEP, we wish to acknowledge the following parties for their in puts:

• Football For Hope (FFH): Made the trainings possible through funding.
  
• SEP staff and volunteers for their tireless support during the planning and implementation f the course.
• British Council Kenya Office. For their support during training planning.
• Premier League Coaches in England – for their continued follow up and sending of training manuals on different topics.
• Moving Mountains – For their show of networking spirit, hence sent over a volunteer facilitator to help in the course, Jonathan Onginjo.
• Alive and Kicking - U.K and Kenya Office - For their quality balls that were used through out the session.
  
• Local football clubs and organizations within Oyugis region, for their participation in the workshop.
• Evans Odero – British High Commission – For his support towards designing and printing of certificates to the participants.
• Kotieno Primary School – for free field facilities and class rooms for the workshops during the training.
• Area Sub Chief, Kanyango Sub location- for voluntarily writing the certificates in the names of participants.
• Entire Community of Oyugis region – for their cooperation and love to the visitors who traveled from a far, to attend the workshop.
• streetfootballworld: For the technical support in publishing this information in the website.
  

Special acknowledgement also goes to the KAO Secretariat in Cape town, South Africa, Linda and George, for the consideration to send one of their own, to visit and asses SEP programmes.

You can read much about SEP at http://www.streetfootballworld.org/network/all-nwm/society-empowerment-project/

Contact us:

The Secretary General,

sepkenya@yahoo.com

Tel:  +254 720 864 715 

P.O. Box 75 – 40222

Oyugis, Kenya.