It is always a good sign when leaders can recognise success in one endeavour, draw the best from it and apply it to another circumstance.

In the midst of disappointment with failure to qualify for World Cup Football 2010 and even in the face of major financial challenges, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has been on an unrelenting drive to “raise” the standard of local coaches through the establishment of the JMMB/JFF/UTech Coaching School.

Football draws on best practices of track and field

The vision of the drive is being led by the Technical and Development Committee of the JFF, but draws on the experience and knowledge of persons both in track and field and football. To date over 160 coaches have sat the Advanced Level One and 60 the Advanced Level Two, the latter course being conducted by a FIFA Instructor.

I guess it is a tribute to those involved that despite the challenges, the commitment to this programme of development is unswerving. And challenges there are. The financial constraints are well known. But there is also the nonchalant response typical to any developmental initiative in sport in Jamaica. But the reality is that a journey of a million miles begins with a single step.

The fact is that focus on the development of coaches has played a major role in the success of track and field in Jamaica.

For too long Jamaica has been impressive at football at the Caribbean level, only to falter below expectations on reaching the critical CONCACAF level where our players (male and female; senior and junior) come up against tougher and in most cases better prepared opposition.

Jamaica was the first English-speaking Caribbean country to reach the World Cup Finals. It has also reached World Cup Finals at the Under-20 and Under-17 age groups. These achievements confirm that the talent exists in the country, as it does for so many other sports. Our inability to repeat much less sustain that level of performance and achievement has raised concerns and has been the subject of ongoing analysis.

Social and economic value of football

Reaching World Cup Finals including the entire qualification period brought significant social and economic benefits to the country as well as the players. Our players by exposure on the international stage, attained long term overseas contracts with requisite impact on the economy. Ricardo Gardner, Luton Shelton, Omar Daley, Ricardo Fuller are just a few names of over 50, who come from humble beginnings and now play for handsome returns as a result of this exposure over the years.

Even more critically, hundreds and thousands of Jamaicans benefit when football is doing well — from the vendors at the community and national levels to the entertainers; the town crier; the public address personnel; the sponsor — benefits untold. These are just the direct beneficiaries. The families and communities feel and know the impact of football on their daily lives.

Despite all the progress, the failure to be consistent in our achievements is due to many factors.

Development of uniform coaching philosophy

The Federation has assessed that a major cause is the underdeveloped and unscientific coaching systems that exist. Despite the best intentions of our coaches at all levels, there is a need for a consistent programme that imparts a uniform set of coaching techniques that are based on a scientific understanding of the entire discipline.

This weakness in our coaching system has long been recognised. However, the JFF has decided that it now needs urgent attention. The strategic objective has been outlined…..

Over a specified period of time no one will be able to coach at any level without being a JFF certified or accredited coach.

Courses at the Advanced Level One, Level Two, Level Three will be held on a continuous basis. Coaches from the recreational level to the national level will be required to attain certification through the school. Failure to receive this certification, or its approved equivalent, will prevent persons from coaching in any JFF approved competition. It is expected that this initiative will result in the application of internationally accepted coaching methods at all levels of Jamaican football. The template below outlines the expected certification levels to be reached over a five-year period with a targeted number of coaches to be affected being a minimum of 600.

There are some interesting and unique developments that have taken place around this initiative.

Partnership with UTech…Non-partisan development of football…at last

Firstly the decision to partner with the University of Technology represents a diversion from how matters of football or football development have taken place in the past. UTech has committed resources not only in terms of facility access (classrooms and fields) but also dedicated faculty and academia. UTech brings to the partnership the level of professionalism, academic injection, and strategic possibilities that the JFF believes is required. This sort of partnership also lays the basis for the school to be institutionalised and to continue in the event of changes in the local football administration (non-partisan we would say in another realm).

Coaches craving for knowledge

Noteworthy also is the level of interest that the courses under the ambit of the school have stimulated. All the courses have been over subscribed, bar none, and the Federation has been under constant pressure to keep the courses going. This pressure has come from all targeted groups; the parishes, the schools; communities; the premier league clubs and indeed persons who are now beginning to think of coaching as a career.

As is the case in situations like these, leadership shows the way and all different possibilities emerge. Since the Federation has shown its commitment to coaching development, there has not only been the response from the coaches but also from other entities which have indicated their wish to assist the Federation. Hence in recent times there has been a plethora of courses. Global Soccer Ministries has been staging courses; Valencia recently staged an impressive course and the network grows. Even more recently we have seen the formation of the Jamaica Football Coaches Association.

We note also recent word from JFF general secretary Horace Reid that by extension, the Federation has committed resources to allow national senior team coach Theodore Whitmore to attend as many international courses as is possible. Whitmore recently returned from Trinidad where he attended the FA Advanced Coaching Course and is soon to attend the UEFA A Course delivered by the Football Association. Said Reid: “This is not an temporary investment. This is a genuine investment in Theodore because we think he has and has shown potential.”

The combination of all these efforts offer immense possibilities. It is up to the Federation to ensure that there is the requisite streamlining and co-ordination in both the timing and staging of the courses, but much more importantly to ensure continuity in content at the different levels. The experience in track and field helps here. After all, the fundamental aim is for the emergence of a coaching philosophy for Jamaica.

In this regard the learning objectives and curriculum has been carefully crafted and is guided by a curriculum committee composed of representatives of JFF’s technical staff and the University of Technology.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Janice Rose-Brownis the director of Operations, PublicRelations and Events at theJamaica Football Federation.