Sixteen new Coach Trainers after World Archery Europe course in Turkey

All 16 attendees left as Coach Trainer candidates, and will work towards standardising archery coaching methods in their own countries.

The event, hosted by the Turkish Archery Federation and funded by the European Olympic Committee in collaboration with the Turkish National Olympic Committee, was the second Coach Trainers course run by World Archery Europe. The first was organised by the French Archery Federation in 2011.

Participants were taught how to educate Level 1 archery coaches in their country and abroad by course experts Mr Pascal COLMAIRE, World Archery Development and Education Director, and Greece’s Coach Trainer Mr Constantine YANTSIOS.

After receiving World Archery’s Level 1 Archery Coaching manual, course presentations and other documents in advance, participants mixed lectures with practical sessions throughout the 10-day course. Subjects included techniques in the coach manual, familiarisation with technical issues, teaching methods, physiology, psychology, breathing patterns, body balance and combining theory and practice in shot execution.

Mr Sirer AYDIN, Secretary General of the Turkish Archery Federation, and Turkey’s participant in the course, Yusuf Goktug ERGIN, made sure the 10-day event ran perfectly, on time and in a friendly environment. The preparation and organisation of the course was at a very high level, and the facilities were excellent.

Participants stayed and the course was conducted at the all-inclusive five-star Xanadu Resort Hotel in Belek, Antalya, which was open mainly just for the course guests! Full-board accommodation, heating and free Wi-Fi, along with a warm atmosphere, excellent service and plenty of good meals made for a hospitable environment, and the local transportation was perfectly organised.

The 16 participants on the course were: Andreas ACHILEOS (CYP), Oguz ATICI (TUR), Angelika BRUNNER (AUT), Andrea CIZMEK (CRO), Emiel CUSTERS (NED), Yusuf Goktug ERGIN (TUR), Sergo GATIKAEV (GEO), Massimo GIOVANUCCI (ITA), David LEKVEISHVILI (GEO), Siret LUIK (EST), Alessandro LUPI (ITA), Eyal NAVEH (ISR), Martin RTACNIK (AUT), Carsten RIEDL (AUT), Jan SIPEK (CZE), Konstantinos VOUROS (GRE).

Reviews of the programme were very positive, with the attendees expressing enthusiasm for the overall experience, appreciation for the teaching methods and satisfaction in developing their knowledge and skills. Here are some of their comments:

Martin PTACNIK (AUT): “What I learnt on the course will change my life and my way of teaching, and it was a significant step in how I can contribute to the sport.”Andreas ACHILLEOS (CYP): “I give this course five stars. It was a wonderful experience and we learnt and tried a lot of new things.”Massimo GIOVANNUCCI (ITA): “Our instructors conducted the course perfectly and we had a very close group. Great project to help standardise teaching methods in different countries.”Costas VOUROS (GRE): “It is always an honour to participate in these programmes. On behalf of my federation, I thank World Archery, World Archery Europe and the Turkish Archery Federation for their excellent organisation of this course. And thanks again to our instructors, Mr COLMAIRE and Mr YANTSIOS.”Angelika BRUNNER (AUT): “Great course! Intensive, extremely well structured and the fantastic content can be applied to national guidelines immediately. Exchanging knowledge with the other participants adds extra value. Being in one venue was excellent and saved time, and the organisation was very smooth. Thank you.”Andrea CIZMEK (CRO): “My experience? Absolutely positive! It was hard and very exhausting at times, but I received an incredible amount of information. Mr COLMAIRE's expertise was admirable and Mr YANTSIOS was very adaptable, full of understanding and calm. Thanks to the Turkish Federation and its Secretary General Mr AYDIN: you spoiled us!”

At the end of the course, all 16 participants were certified as Level 1 Archery Coach Trainer candidates. They need to conduct a successful Level 1 Archery Coaching Course by the end of 2014 to become fully-accredited Coach Trainers, and will then be re-evaluated and re-certified every four years.

World Archery Europe thanks the instructors for their contributions, Evelyn PAPADOPOULOU for her coordination efforts, the Turkish Archery Federation for its warm hospitality and excellent organisation, and the European Olympic Committee for funding this important archery project.

World Archery Communication