Hockey Farm, in collaboration with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Sports Department, has successfully concluded a two-day hockey coaching course at the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Pitch, attracting more than 30 participants.
The training programme was aimed at strengthening the capacity of hockey coaches, improving their planning and communication skills, and providing a platform for sharing knowledge and addressing challenges confronting the sport in Ghana.
The initiative forms part of Hockey Farm’s commitment to developing hockey across the continent by equipping coaches with the necessary skills and knowledge to nurture talent and improve performance at all levels.
Mr. Patrick Lartey, Head of Human Resource of GRA, who expressed excitement about the initiative, said the programme demonstrated the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in advancing hockey in Ghana.
“I was very excited when I heard about this programme because Ghana hockey has been doing well over the years. I particularly like the fact that we have come together, putting aside the rivalries we see on the pitch, to combine our competencies and knowledge for the growth of the sport.
“Ghana is currently one of the leading nations in African women’s hockey, and I believe that through knowledge-sharing and bridging the existing gaps, the men’s game can also improve and reach greater heights. Hockey has enormous potential in Ghana, but it needs more attention, particularly in our secondary schools. If we can channel even a quarter of the resources invested in football into hockey, I am confident the sport can take Ghana to greater heights. I therefore urge institutions and corporate organisations to support the Ghana Hockey Association in its efforts to develop the game.”
Hockey Farm Chief Executive Officer Eddie Frimpong explained that the course was organised to provide coaches with refresher training and create an environment where they could openly discuss their challenges and work collectively towards practical solutions.
“As part of our capacity-building efforts, we have realised that our coaches are doing their best, but there is a need to provide them with refresher courses and opportunities to share their experiences. We want to create an atmosphere where coaches can freely express their challenges so that we can come together, discuss them and find solutions. Hockey Farm operates in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Ghana, and as CEO, I believe it is important to motivate our coaches and give them the confidence and support they need to perform effectively.”
Frimpong added that the two-day programme focused on essential coaching principles, particularly planning, goal-setting, effective use of assistant coaches and positive communication. He noted that many coaches had previously worked independently, but the training encouraged them to adopt a more collaborative approach to improve their effectiveness on the field.
“We took the participants through the importance of planning, how to plan, what to plan and how to achieve set goals. We also realised that many coaches had been working independently, and this programme has helped them appreciate the importance of involving their assistants in the coaching process. Effective coaching requires teamwork and positive communication, and we believe these lessons will help them deliver better results.”
Looking ahead, the Hockey Farm CEO said the organisation was targeting improved performances from Ghana’s men’s and women’s national teams over the next two to three years, while emphasising the need to develop the sport from the grassroots.
“Ghana is currently ranked third in Africa in men’s hockey and second in the women’s game, and we want to move higher within the next two to three years. We can only achieve that by empowering our coaches, who are the first point of contact for the players. We have already started engaging institutions that train physical education teachers, including the University of Education, Winneba, and we intend to extend the initiative to the University of Cape Coast. These teachers play an important role in introducing young people to sports at the school level before they progress to clubs and national teams.”
He further called on corporate Ghana to support hockey development, particularly through the provision of facilities, while highlighting the sport’s potential to provide career opportunities for young people.
“Hockey can offer players opportunities to compete internationally, represent their country and secure employment. I am an example of someone who secured a job at the Ghana Revenue Authority through playing hockey. We need to create similar opportunities for others, but corporate Ghana must support the development of the game. At the moment, we have only one international-standard pitch, and building more facilities is expensive. Corporate organisations can help by investing in smaller artificial turf facilities in communities to make the sport more accessible.”
One of the participants, Agatha Benedicta Higgins, described the course as an enriching experience, highlighting the importance of documentation in coaching and the value of the interactions between participants and facilitators.
“I participated in the course to improve my knowledge, and I was also part of the group that designed the programme. I have learnt a lot, but one of the most important lessons for me is documentation. As coaches, we sometimes do things without properly documenting our plans, but we have now been taught the importance of recording what we intend to teach our players and how we plan to do it. The discussions were very interesting, and the facilitators interacted with us in a way that allowed us to share our experiences and learn from one another. I hope we will have more of these sessions in the future.”
The successful completion of the course marks another step towards strengthening coaching capacity and fostering collaboration within Ghanaian hockey.
By: Victoria Kwofie
