20 coaches graduate from AIBA Star 1 boxing course

Some 20 coaches from across the country have graduated from a five-day virtual Aiba Star 1 coaching certification course held at a city hotel.

Speaking upon the completion of the course, BFK president Jamal Otieno hailed Aiba and Nock for organising the training saying it will form a part of  the realization of Ndondi Mashinani program.

The occasion was also graced by National Olympic Committee of Kenya treasurer Anthony Kariuki, Hit Squad head coach Musa Benjamin and the Boxing Federation of Kenya secretary general David Munuhe.

“Thank you so much for doing this(training) to our boxers and coaches. The Federation appreciates that the number of coaches who wanted to do the course was very high but we will organize more courses both (national and international) to give an opportunity to majority of the coaches at the grassroots to get formal coaching training,” said Jamal.

AIBA assigned two of their most experienced instructors to conduct the course in Terry Edwards from England & Mervin Kade from Finland.

Former boxer and Public Relations Officer of BFK Duncan ‘Sugar Ray’ Kuria said there was need to build the capacity of local coaches since most of them do not have Aiba certification.

“Thank you for these five days course. The learners are very happy and it was a good gesture from you and Aiba at large,” added Munuhe.

Former boxer and Public Relations Officer of BFK Duncan ‘Sugar Ray’ Kuria said there was need to build the capacity of local coaches since most of them are not Aiba certified.

“I appreciate Aiba through its president for going out of his way to make sure the coaches are booked for this course… Nock has been very supportive to us and we say thank you. Boxing is number two to athletics as far as Kenyan success in the Olympics is concerned – having seven medals. We are also planning transition of boxers that are about to retire from active boxing and that’s why veteran pugilists like Nick Okoth and Elizabeth Andiego have done the course,” explained Kuria.

The federation expects the coaches to impart new coaching ideas when they go back to their respective clubs across the country.

The referees and judges course was to start in mid-November this year but organizers had to reschedule it due to lack of international standardized functional Swiss Scoring System(SSS) which the federation has since embarked on importing in order to facilitate the rolling out of the referees and judges Aiba Star 1 certification course, which will take place next year to enhance a competent Aiba certified ring officials in the country.