By Norman Katende

THE US State Department in conjunction with the International Sports Connection (ISC) has facilitated the training of soccer coaches across the country.

The coaches are getting modern skills at a five-day course that started at Old Kampala Secondary school yesterday.

The training is aimed at producing coaches capable of handling various aspects of the game like grooming youth talents and advising players on nutrition.

According to ISC director Jens Omli, the programme is a result of his four-year research and has brought together some of the best coaches’ trainers from American colleges and universities.

“When I was in Uganda four years back, I found out that there were few women and youth footballers,” Omli explained.

“When I did research about the cause, I found out that it was due to lack of well trained coaches to do the job.

“It is good that both the Ugandan and American federations worked together to put up this course.”

“We are looking at having 2,000 coaches after two years.

Omli added that the successful participants will get American E- certificates.

The course instructors are Ian Barker, Carne Barker, Lisa Berg, Mike Giuliann, Diane Bjornstal and Stacy Ingraham.