I coach, you coach, he/she coaches….

Following three days of intensive theoretical and practical learning, five of our Saints Volleyball players successfully completed their UKCC Level 1 Coaching Qualification. A great asset to the Club, this will enable to the contribute even more to the development of their respective teams, as well as to enhance the training of the new Development under the leadership of our Development Officer Sydney Maxwell.

Alexandra Smith (Women’s First Captain), Nikki Proschko, Karol Buda (Men’s First Captain), Alam Zia and Leo Song all look back at the course with pride and enthusiasm: not only did they further their skills in the creation and running of effective drills tackling bilateral integration, spatial awareness, but they were also taught a lot about the evolution of the philosophies of coaching (goal-oriented, moving towards the personal development of the player), the psychological aspects of the sport and their implications for their position as a team leader and developer.

Nikki will be the first to put her newly acquired experience into practice, as she will be taking part in the Zambia Outreach Project, a collaboration between Saints Sports and SportsFirst, through which she will join a team of volunteers to coach young aspiring athletes in more deprived areas.

Congratulations to them – and we look forward to seeing them applying their skills on the courts the upcoming season!