Liberia: LFA, UEFA Conclude 4-Day Capacity-Building Seminar
Jasper Benflix, one of the seminar participants, receives a symbolic certificate from UEFA Women’s coaching expert Hesterine De Reus.
Forty-three (43) women’s football coaches and former players have benefited from a four-day capacity-building seminar on the growth and development of women's football in schools. The seminar, which was facilitated by UEFA in collaboration with the Liberia Football Association (LFA), was held from June 29- July 2 at the Royal Grand Hotel in Monrovia.
The seminar falls under the Football for Women Project of the UEFA Assist Capacity-building pillar. It seeks to educate women’s football coaches, former players, and school administrators on how to implement effective governance structures to grow women’s football and increase awareness and participation.
UEFA female coaching expert and former player of the Netherlands, Hesterine De Reus served as the lead facilitator for the four-day event which was done through both theory and practical.
She was assisted by her compatriot, Sandra, as both of them illustrated and demonstrated the basic fundamentals of introducing football in schools, including the organization and structure, the fundamentals of planning, how to place players, and key communication and intervention techniques.
“I’ve been to a lot of countries with similar programs but I’ve never seen overwhelming interest as in Liberia,’’ De Reus said.
Making a brief remark on behalf of the LFA, Women’s Football Committee member and Vice President of Lower Female League side Shaita FC, Benita Urey, thanked the facilitators and encouraged all participants to use the skills learned as working tools to grow female football at the grassroots level.
The UEFA Assist is a football development program launched in 2017. The program seeks to share the experience and know-how of UEFA and its member associations outside of Europe. So far, Assist has channeled UEFA’s support to more than 200 football development projects in nearly 60 countries worldwide.
The initiatives focus on four main goals: building capacity, developing youth football, strengthening infrastructures, and supporting UEFA member associations.