14 coaches aim for coveted AFC B License in seminar

COACHES from the different football associations in the country are now down to their final week in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) B License Coaching Course at Don Bosco Boys Home, Liloan.

The three-week program from June 24 to July 25 is the pilot project of AFC Vision Asia for football developing countries, which includes the Vision Cebu program.


Cebu Football Association hosted an AFC License C course two years ago.


In Cebu, only Glenn Ramos from the University of Cebu and Mario Ceniza of Paref Springdale are License B coaches.


The course, which is usually offered in Manila or outside the country, brought together 14 coaches from NCR, San Carlos, Cebu, Masbate, Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, Mindoro and Guam.


Cebu was represented by Dave Gerali and Robert Nicart from DBTC and the University of San Carlos coach Marlou Solon.


The coaches had to attend theory classes in the morning and practical lectures on the field in the afternoon under Bro. Mari Aberasturi and Philippine Football Federation Technical Director Aries Caslib.


“In football, you are dealing with humans, not machines, that’s why you need to upgrade knowledge and skills,” Dave Gerali said.


There will be three practical and written exams plus a dissertation, which involves a situational problem where they are asked to provide a training program or strategy.


The group will have their final requirement, an assessment of the Azkals game against Kuwait, on July 25 in Manila.


Aside from that, the course includes a lecture on sports science under Dr. Randolf Molo, where they were taught the basics of handling injuries and scientific approaches on training the players.


“In football, there are no secrets anymore. As coaches, we need to catch up on the developments,” said Andres Gonzales, coach of the University of the Philippines Football Club.


Coaches were motivated by the facilitators who challenged them to produce the next batch of Azkal players.


Solon, who used to play for the University of San Carlos, flew to Thailand to apply for the License B.


“Ganahan jud ko kay ang akong aim kay makacoach ug international girls Under-13 and Under-16 teams,” said Solon, a former national women’s Under-19 player.


Former national coach Noel Casilao, who handles the Guam Football Association, said professional development for coaches is important.


“It’s very educational, it gives something new to players because learning doesn’t stop even if you’ve been coaching for a long time,” said Casilao.


Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on July 18, 2011.