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As Special Olympics continues to grow around the world, recruiting and training qualified coaches becomes even more important. Recently, Special Olympics Middle/East North Africa and Special Olympics Brazil held coaches training seminars to ensure that Special Olympics athletes receive the best possible instruction and guidance as they train and compete.
Football (soccer) is a priority development project in Middle East/North Africa
By Abeer Anwar, Sports Editor at Al Ahram, the leading daily newspaper in Egypt
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Mohamed El Shafei (center, black shirt) at the Football Head Coaches training session in Syria. [Photo courtesy Special Olympics Middle East/ North Africa] |
Special Olympics Middle East/North Africa has identified football (soccer) as a sport that will help increase the number of athletes in the region by 2005. The infrastructure to support football as a priority sport is already underway with the selection of Mohamed El Shafei as the region's new Football Head Coach.
Working closely with the Regional Sports and Training Managers and Program Sport Managers, Shafei's first objective was to hold a regional Head Coaches Training Seminar for 18 coaches from 17 Programs. As a result of the regional training seminar, Special Olympics Programs in Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine held their own national football coaches training seminars.
Special Olympics Brazil holds its first National Coaches Training Seminar
By Maria Cecilia Grieg, Brazil Initiatives Coordinator for Special Olympics Latin America
The new Special Olympics Brazil Program shared in the anniversary celebration activities of Belo Horizonte, a city in the state of Minas Gerais, by holding its first National Coaches Training Seminar.
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Brazilian coaches receiving practical training in athletics. [Photo courtesy Special Olympics Latin America] |
The December 2002 event included Opening Ceremonies attended by 200 athletes and family members. Honored guests included Emilson Heiderick, the city's Sports Secretary, and Maria Jose Ferez, Social Work Coordinator for Belo Horizonte. Forty-nine coaches from four Brazilian states attended the seminar and received theoretical and practical training in athletics.
During the event, Special Olympics—Lions Clubs International Opening Eyes™ and Special Olympics Special Smiles™ programs held screening clinics for 33 athletes with the assistance of volunteer professionals from the community and athlete parents. | 
