Saturday, 23 Nov 2024

News | BWF World Championships

Ten female coaches from around the globe have arrived in Copenhagen to take part in the Female Coach Mentor Program, which will be held during the World Coaching Conference on August 24-25, 2023. This program aims to empower female coaches by providing them with the necessary tools to become leaders and role models in their field. It is part of the Badminton World Federation’s (BWF) initiative for gender balance and diversity.

During the program, the coaches, two from each Continental Confederation, will attend an expert session focused on coaching and sports science. They will also have the opportunity to participate in the World Coaching Conference and witness the TotalEnergies BWF World Championships 2023.

The participating coaches come from various regions, including Barbados, Brazil, Iran, Armenia, Australia, Northern Marianas, Slovenia, Nigeria, and Uganda, where badminton is still in the developing stages. Additionally, two club coaches from Denmark will be part of the program.

Funding for the program is provided by Olympic Solidarity, and it will be coordinated by BWF Staff members Tracy Tan and Sharon Springer.

Sports science will be one of the key areas covered in the program, with a session conducted by Dr. Mark King, a member of BWF’s Sport Science & Medical Research Commission. Dr. King is a Professor of Sports Biomechanics at Loughborough University.

Tham Khảo Thêm:  Shuttle Time Dubai - Celebrating Five Years of Badminton Development

Dr. Sawsan Mohammed Taqawi, Chair of BWF’s Gender Equity & Diversity Commission, highlighted the importance of initiatives like this in inspiring more girls to pursue leadership roles.

“While we have achieved good gender balance among players, with equal events and equal prize money, we still have quite a lot of work to do to get more women involved in areas like coaching, officiating, and governance,” said Dr. Taqawi. “It is important that our workforce represents the diversity of our membership. If we want more girls to aspire to leadership positions, they need to see strong female role models. The Female Coach Mentor Program, as part of the World Coaching Conference, aims to help talented women take advantage of this opportunity to advance their knowledge and their connections within the coaching community.”

Dr. David Cabello, Chair of the Development & Sport for All Committee, emphasized the significance of the conference in the professional development of coaches.

“Having dedicated and well-qualified personnel is key to the development of our sport. Our coaches can benefit from a clear progression through different levels of national and BWF education programs. This professional development pathway is further strengthened by opportunities such as the World Coaching Conference, which allows them to learn from specialists in the field, stay updated with new developments, and network with peers from around the world.”

For more details on the World Coaching Conference, click here.