The first WFDF course was held this month, bringing the Girls Positive and Safe Coaching Pathway to Flying Disc participants in Africa. Dr. Jane Gakuru of Uganda, who currently plays and coaches for Impala Frisbee Club, hosted the course via a series of online sessions which were attended by 36 coaches from the countries of Kenya, Uganda, Mali, Tanzania, Rwanda, and South Africa. In partnership with The Association For International Sport for All (TAFISA), Dr. Gakuru, Bénédicte Audet of Canada, and Camila Paiva Freitas Costa of Brazil completed training on the Coaching Pathway earlier this year. This WFDF course and its sessions will now pass that learning on to coaches and players within the Flying Disc community.
The goal of this training program is to leave participants empowered to create a positive and inclusive environment that inspires female youth and adults to participate fully in Flying Disc sports and create a path that encourages them to be confident, strong, and successful in their sport. During the course sessions, participants benefited from both top-down presentations and peer learning, sharing knowledge and experiences and introducing good practices. There were also bottom-up interactive sessions that involved group work and brainstorming activities. With a focus on addressing the obstacles that female youth and adults face in sports., these sessions are designed to help participants reflect on their situations and create practical applications in coaching that will positively affect the experience of female youth and adult athletes in their communities.
“Ultimate is my first sport.” shares attendee Winnie Atuhaire of Uganda. “I never really knew how fast I could run until I started playing, so I believe a lot of young boys and girls have talent and just need help to discover it. As a young girl growing up in a society where gender stereotypes in sports is common, Ultimate gave me confidence and helped me discover my talent. It definitely helped me keep fit and motivated me to take care of my body. My goal and motivation in participating in this course is to learn different coaching skills in order to introduce the sport to young boys and girls of different age brackets, mostly to encourage young ladies in order to stop gender stereotypes in sports.”
“My motivation for joining this course stems from noticing that many women join the sport but leave soon after.” states Israel Momanyi, a participant from Kenya. “I believe this may be due to the lack of a welcoming environment, and I’m eager to learn how to create a more inclusive and supportive community for all players.”
Another attendee, Fiona Mbwali of Uganda adds, “During the time I’ve played, I noticed there are few ladies in the sport. And so, this motivates me to find out ways to coach and get more knowledge about the sport, so that I can be confident in training and inspiring other ladies in my community.”
In addition to these online classroom sessions focused on the African continent, future in-person and online courses will be offered by Bénédicte Audet and Camila Paiva Freitas Costa, the other WFDF trainers participating in the TAFISA program.
“WFDF is proud to be able to provide training and education to coaches within the Flying Disc community in Africa, and to promote coaching tailored to girls and women.” states WFDF President Robert “Nob” Rauch. “We are grateful for TAFISA’s partnership and financial support as we move forward with our mission to support and promote the inclusive growth and development of all Flying Disc sports.”