Africa-Press – Uganda. Salfish Swim Club coach Joseph Kabogoza has been there and done that.He was with Kirabo Namutebi in Tunisia when she won the Africa Junior Championships gold in Tunisia in 2019 and also led Uganda to it’s second most impressive away performance in Sudan during the 2018 Cana Zone III Championships.However, it was not always like that. He started out as a learn to swim coach with an almost poor attitude towards learning new things. “I found learning anything apart from the technical aspects boring,” Kabogoza, who now doubles as general secretary Uganda Swimming Coaches Association (Usca) told Daily Monitor.Real experiencesHe speaks for many of his colleagues, especially those that have kept away from the newly established Usca professional development trainings that have been running on Zoom for five weeks now.Rather than concentrate on stroke techniques that have dominated swimming coaches’ clinics over the years, Usca has tapped into the knowledge and real experiences of some of it’s most experienced members like Tom Mpuuja – father to Namutebi and Tendo Mukalazi, Tonnie Kasujja, Max Kanyerezi, Gilbert Kaburu, Williams Buyondo, Cariana Karugireyo and guest coach from India Rajib Dey.These have delved into communication skills, coaching methods, fitness training, coaching philosophies, and dealing with problematic parents and administrators.“But over time, some things begin to make sense so you run back to your notes. That is what most of the people will realize going forward,” Kabogoza shared.Over 36 coaches have embraced the training, some of them drifting in and out of sessions depending on how “appealing some topics are to them” but Usca will “move with those willing to stick it out.”In future, the association, which has fluctuated between being very active and dormancy, hopes to streamline its training program with a course outline shared on their website, proper certification and proper assessment of its members.Meanwhile, Uganda Swimming Federation through president Moses Mwase, logging into the Zoom in the second week, promised to be “very supportive towards Usca.” USF is still charged with establishing a coaching manual for its coaches.[email protected]
