The role of a sport coach in the overall development of sport in Nigeria cannot be over emphasized as it has often proven to be a very fundamental component in the pyramid of sport development in any country. It is often said that the player or athlete’s performance on the field of play is a reflection of his/her coach’s ability. This saying, however, may be challenged by other school of thoughts.
The coaching crew if I may be permitted to use this classification has passed through different phases with time in Nigeria and one is very concerned with the current charade of coaching crew as is presently being experienced in Nigeria. A sport coach is one who has been trained in a specific sport on the concept, psychology, techniques and rules of his/her chosen sport. This goes without saying that the coach must be certificated by a well recognized body which is empowered to provide such specific sport coaching training.
It is unfortunate that these classes of people are only remembered when they might have possibly climbed to the top e.g by either training a gold winning athlete or team on the international stage. Given the above postulation therefore, it is expedient that we take a critical look at the role of coaches and their contribution to the development of sport in Nigeria
While one may not expressly say Nigeria cannot boast of world-class coaches in most sports, it will be unfair if I fail to make the point that most of our coaches in Nigeria today may as well be referred to as “Analogue Sport Coaches.” This is so because today’s sport has gone beyond the trend of usual mechanical training module as was the case in times past. It relies more today on scientifically proven and tested strategies and tactics.
Our coaches today many of whom are either ex-athletes, or ex-bag carriers of past coaches are not adequately prepared for the job they claim to be doing. A classical case is the fact that most of our coaches are not in touch with the current trends and innovations in their chosen sport e.g the use of sport computer training soft ware, internet services just to mention a few. Most coaches despite their non- conformity with the current trends have also failed to update their knowledge in their chosen sport.
Unfortunately, we have these classes of Analogue Sport Coaches parading our various sports councils and sport federations with a Diploma Certificate obtained from the National Institute for Sports (NIS). These ‘Analog Sport Coaches’ are always quick to tell you that they are coaches.
Little wonder we see on the pitch of play the display of dart in comprehending the required technicality of their chosen sport, when in the case of football during half time you still find a coach coming back to the second half with little or no tactical change in their initial game plan, thus exposing their low technical depth or a case of wrong substitution of players.
Any country that fails to define the proper classification and categorization of its coaches through nationally acceptable grading standards for all its sport coaches will give room for mediocrity in sport coaching to thrive, which is a classical case of calculated investment in failed sporting programmes.
It is expedient that we reject as a nation coaches who are not properly prepared for their chosen carreers by this I mean our coaches should be properly informed and adequately certified in their chosen sport. This trend if encouraged will go a long way in ensuring that the very foundation of sports development is properly executed, while also ensuring that the coaching industry is sanitized and professionalized so that we can boast as a nation of having professionals who will help us in the actualization of our sport development programme.
I am convinced that Nigeria has got the capability to be an exporter of sport coaches especially in those sports that we are regarded as being strong, but to achieve this feat we need to address the all important lacuna that has presented itself over time in the area of Analog Sport Coaches taking charge of the implementation of our fundamental sport development programme. A coach ought to be a good teacher, trainer, confidant, psychologist, administrator, strategist, philosopher and planner.
Considering our current sporting trend, it has become very important not to overlook the disappointing scenario which reflects the fact that most of our coaches are either ignorant or out of touch. Without proper coaches, certification and grading we stand the chance of remaining where we are as is evident in the performance of our athletes’ especially on the world stage.
We need to break the current barrier of these Analogue Sport Coaches that has infiltrated the system thereby serving as a clog in the wheel of progress as it relates to actualizing the sport development agenda. There is the need for every sport organization to ensure that anyone who so desires to be employed as a sport coach is able to present a proper certificate and demonstrate a deep knowledge and understanding of the chosen sport with a capacity to be compliant and adaptable to current changes in the world of the specific sport.
There is therefore the need for us to jettison the negative situation which we have over time recognized as the norm, whereby we find people who are employed as sport coaches without any certification except for the fact that they were at one time a professional athlete in their chosen sport. This must be rejected in its totality.
There should be well defined criteria for the assessment and appointment of sport coaches which as a matter of fact will produce competent and qualified coaches that will be employed thus, promoting the concept of coaching professionalism in Nigeria.
