Supporting Sports Coaching in the Western Cape

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) is extremely proud to announce that 12 coaches have successfully completed the three-phase Provincial Coaching Developers’ (PCD) course, which took place at the Shalimar Gardens Hotel and Conference venue during August 2014.

These coaches will be supporting and training sports coaches in all five districts of the Western Cape. By doing this, they will contribute to the “winning nation” ethos of the National Sport and Recreation Plan, in accordance with the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) coaches’ framework. SASCOC aims to develop over 2 000 coaches by 2016 using the PCD methodology.

The Western Cape PCDs are Aboebaker Williams, Kamaal Sait, Deon Warley, Ayyob Gester and Marion February – all from the South African Football Association (SAFA), Danlee Mathews and Mildred van der Ross (netball), Anzel Solomons (chess), Bridget Visee (tennis), Loet Groenewalt (volleyball), Louis Fourie (gymnastics) and Cedric Finch (swimming). These PCDs are now qualified facilitators, assessors and moderators who will be working with experienced coaches and experts to develop and support coaches in the districts. As coaches in the districts continue improving their skills, they will steadily be able to support the athletes they work with to reach their potential.

February said: “I would like to thank the department for providing the necessary funds for me to complete PCD Phase 2 and Phase 3 training. The PCD training is different to the coaching education offered in SAFA courses. The coaching education covers 'what' we coach and the PCD training covers 'how' we coach. After completing Phase 1 and 2, I applied some of the PCD principles to coaching of the Western Cape U/19 women’s team.”

“The PCD course is a new approach to coaching with more emphasis on the players/athletes”, according to Van der Ross. “The ‘how’ to coach is more important than the ‘what’ to coach. PCDs will be able to provide better support coaches in the districts of the Western Cape and make sure that learning takes place. The sooner this is implemented the better. South African players will soon be a force to be reckoned with,” she said.