Some of the region’s leading coaches, including All Whites head coach Darren Bazeley, have attended the latest module of the OFC Pro Licence course in Auckland.
Bazeley said the four-module course, run over the past year, had helped develop as a person, as well as a coach.
“It’s already changing me as a person and as a coach and we’ve already implemented quite a few things within the All Whites environment that we’ve discussed on this course,” he told OFC Media.
“I think everybody should be learning, constant learning, and developing themselves and upskilling themselves and their knowledge.
“Helping people learn is our game. We’re coaches but it’s it’s really about helping people learn and developing culture and leadership.”
Main photo: Attendees at the OFC Pro Licence course at AUT Millennium Institute. Photo credit: OFC Media.
Other participants included national U-17 men’s coach Martin Bullock, Wellington Phoenix Women’s A-League head coach Paul Temple, Fiji Football Association technical director Tim Jankowski, and Fédération de Tahitienne Football technical director Patrice Flaccadori.
The fourth and final module of the course, held at the AUT Millennium Institute, focused on the ‘Business of Football’.
It’s the first time a course of its kind has been held in the Oceania region, with the licence representing the pinnacle of the coaching pathway.
Subjects covered included media, technology, skill learning, ethics, and professional behaviour and featured a number of guest speakers, including Paul Barber, CEO of English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.
Previous modules covered Leading Self, Leading Others and Leading Culture.
OFC coach educator Sean Douglas facilitated the sessions and was keen to stress the importance of elements that weren’t focused on football.
“I think a lot of the topics are outside of football. So we’re looking at particularly their leadership skills and personal development leadership skills,” he told OFC Media.
“Many of the coaches probably haven’t experienced something in this area before, so it’s been really eye-opening.”
Acknowledgement
Friends of Football acknowledges the assistance of OFC Media with this story.
Darren Bazeley: ‘It’s all about learning’
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