The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
SPORTS journalists have been handed an opportunity to equip themselves with the knowledge to effectively analyse, critique and report on football with Zifa organising a Level 1 coaching course for the scribes.
The six-day course, which was initially scheduled to begin on 22 April, will kick off on 5 May at Raylton Sports Club and will be open to other aspiring coaches.
Zifa Southern Region board member Tumeliso Ndlovu said they halved the fees for journalists as they were learning in order to fulfil their writing duties and not to become coaches.
“The fee for journalists has been pegged at $40 and we believe this will entice most of the writers to attend. The Sports Journalists Association (Spoja) (Southern Region) approached us and we realised it would be a noble initiative that would have a big impact on information dissemination when it comes to football.
“The course is open to other coaching aspirants but they will fork out the full course fee which is pegged at $80,” he said.
Zifa vice-president, Omega Sibanda the course will add on to the knowledge journalists have and could lead to better informed match reports.
“Journalists will be able to think from the perspective of the coach; they will be able to relate when a coach is talking about a formation strategy, they will be able to interpret the tactics and the game much better.
“We need to empower football writers so they can write with authority and command respect from their readers. I think they (journalists) can also question and criticise coaches and players better after having gone through the coaching course,” he said.
Sibanda said Zifa would also be working with Spoja to ensure they host a basic referees’ course that would enable journalists to learn the new developments in the laws of football.
“While the courses the scribes would attend are not advanced, I think they would be adequate to ensure they do not write like a football supporter and when the referee flags an offside they can better adjudge whether it was the correct decision and how and why that decision was reached,” he said.
Spoja chairman, Muziwethu Hadebe expressed gratitude towards Zifa for the gesture saying the course is certain to empower football writers.
“We are glad Zifa responded positively to our request and the course is coming after we held a similar rugby course just over a month ago.
“We look forward to engaging other associations and stakeholders with a view of conducting such technical courses so that we not only empower our members but also play a role in the development of sport,” he said.
Former Mighty Warriors assistant coach Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda, a holder of a Caf A Licence badge, will facilitate the course.
