FIFA development officer Patrick Jacquemet is confident his recently completed coaching course program in Marquisas Island will leave a strong legacy.
Jacquemet led five Federation Tahitienne de Football (FTF) coaching course programs throughout five small islands on Marquisas from 18 August to 30 September and is now beginning to see the fruits of his labour.
“One week after we completed the Ua-Pou course, the coaches picked up the initiative and the skills we taught them and set up a new course with 112 kids on it,” Jacquemet said.
The program involved educating coaches, both theoretically and practically on how best to teach children at Junior (6-11) and Youth (12-16) levels.
“The courses each ran for two days and were more practical based then theoretical. Each course ran for 16 hours and that included 10 hours on the pitch and 6 hours in the classroom.”
Across the five islands the courses reached 81 Coaches and there were 14 clubs represented.
“The Legacy of this course will be determined by what happened after we left Marquisas Island,” said Jacquemet.
“This course is part of the FTF program – they do this every year four years. We have had a positive response from all islands so far. In one year we reach over 300 coaches in Tahiti.”
Jacquemet said many of the difficulties involved with coaching in the small islands of Tahiti were proximity based.
“At times it can be difficult with the distances involved but we receive valuable feedback from the coaches we teach along the way and we can relay messages and developmental techniques through them .
The courses ran through the small Tahitian islands of Hiva-Oa, Nuku-Hiva and Ua-Pou.
