SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — More than 30 coaches are now engaged in a three-week Concacaf D Licence Course being staged by the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) in Savanna-la-Mar, as part of efforts by the federation to certify roughly 2,000 untrained youth coaches across the island.

Wendell Downswell, the director of football at JFF, noted that uncertified coaches can be detrimental to the athletic development of youths.

“Having uncertified individuals coaching our youngsters can be very detrimental. The fact that we have started the course, we have seen an improvement in all the coaches disseminating information,” said Downswell.

The course, which is being held at the Manning’s School, entails practical and theoretical sections and will conclude with final exams.

Downswell, who is also the technical director at FC Reno, argued that while participants have expressed gratitude for the programme, the hope “is to start seeing a trend in how western Jamaica recapture its glory days in football.”

Leaford Pearce, a participant, who is the coach of the Manning’s Under-16 and Under-14 teams, has been an uncertified football coach for several years.

He told the Jamaica Observer West that he has learned a lot for the ongoing training.

“We have actually seen that some of the things that we are doing now are outdated because research would have changed the game somewhat. So, now we are seeing where science is actually being applied to change the game as well as improve the players,” he argued.

Philmore Thompson, another participant, expressed gratitude for the course as he urges uncertified coaches to participate.

“We need more certified coaches in Jamaica. We need more coaches stepping up to a higher level than they are capable of so that we can step up the football because we want to go to the World Cup again,” stated Thompson.

“It is up to the coaches to implement what they have learned and that we think should enable us to have a calibre of players in the future. I know I will be using mine very effectively.”

The Concacaf D Licence courses form part of the JFF coaching education drive initiated in 2010.