Lithuanian football representatives participated in UEFA organized coaching training conference

2023-09-19 00:18 © lff.lt

On September 19-20, a UEFA coaching conference took place in Nyon, with the main focus being on an integrated approach to coaching.

Two representatives from Lithuanian football also participated in the conference - LFF technical director Reinholdas Breu and the president of the Football Coaches Training Association, Valdas Urbonas.

In his opening speech, UEFA's Technical Development Director, Frank Ludolph, stated: "Our coaching education philosophy is based on principles of empowerment, innovation, respect for national football cultures and histories, and the central theme of this conference - directional collaboration."

Since the last conference held in 2019, there has been a shift towards a common approach to coaching education in European football - 40 out of 55 UEFA associations now offer specialized training programs for coach educators.

It is expected that by the beginning of 2024, associations will have their certification system with a clearly defined philosophy, consistency, and appropriate quality control and evaluation processes.

The conference also heard from the UEFA Fitness4Football advisory group, who presented on the fundamental role of physical conditioning coaches in improving players' performance and well-being at all levels of the game. The group, composed of six men and four women, aims to support associations in creating and providing educational content for football and physical conditioning coaches, as well as serving as mentors for future coaches.

The latest development is the gradual implementation of a new UEFA diploma for physical conditioning coaches, with pilot courses in selected countries scheduled to be held by the end of the 2023-2024 season, and full delivery planned for the fall of 2024.

These courses will primarily focus on the application of sports and exercise science theory in practical situations. By establishing a reliable and recognized qualification, the diploma will help harmonize the learning and certification process across Europe.

Using an integrated coaching method, a large part of the conference was dedicated to the UEFA women's football competency system. The main goal of the system introduced this year is to provide students attending UEFA coaching courses with more insights into the needs of women's football, as well as to encourage more women to obtain coaching and coaching educator qualifications.