Local archery coaches have been challenged to use the knowledge and skills acquired from a newly introduced coaching course to identify, nurture and develop more athletes across Tanzania.
The call was made by Tanzania Archery Federation (TAF) president Kelvin Fernandez at the conclusion of a one-week beginners’ coaching course held in Dar es Salaam and attended by 24 coaches from different parts of the country.
The course, which was conducted in Tanzania for the first time, culminated in the awarding of Level One coaching certificates recognised by World Archery, the sport’s international governing body.
“Archery is not new; it is one of the traditional games in the country. However, we need you to use the knowledge you have gained to nurture and develop many young athletes through modern skills and techniques,” Mr Fernandez said.
He thanked the Government for supporting the training, saying the course marked an important step towards strengthening the development of archery in Tanzania.
Mr Fernandez said Sri Lankan coach and course instructor Hewa Perera would remain in the country for another week to conduct practical training sessions with local clubs and support efforts to establish national teams.
“Archery is an individual sport. You can have one athlete representing Tanzania as a national team member. Currently, we have two national teams, and Coach Hewa will remain here to assist clubs with practical lessons and help in forming a third national team,” he said.
TAF vice-president Innocent Mallya described the inaugural course as an important milestone in the development of archery, expressing optimism that the graduates would apply their new skills to identify and nurture talent at the grassroots level.
“The maiden Archery Coaches Course ended last Friday in Dar es Salaam. We thank everyone who attended the course, and it is our hope that the knowledge they gained will be used to develop the sport in the country,” Mr Mallya said.
The federation has also tasked the newly trained coaches with taking archery to grassroots communities, particularly by identifying young athletes and creating opportunities for them to develop their skills.
The training was the first beginners’ coaching course organised by TAF since the federation was registered by the National Sports Council (NSC) in March.
Archery has a long history dating back thousands of years, initially serving as a tool for hunting and warfare before evolving into a competitive sport practised globally.
It later returned to the Olympic programme, becoming one of the established disciplines in international sport.
