One of the students of the just concluded basic coaching programme, Chukwu Patrick has revealed many benefits he got during his time at the National Institute for Sports as echoes of excitement continue over the end of the programme this week at the Lagos centre.
The Benin City-based youthful tactician disclosed in a chat with Sports247 that he used to ‘patch things up’ as a fledgling football coach, but he can now do things properly.
Among the basics that Patrick believes will now make him a better coach are how to organise training, check injuries, time matches and monitor various changes in the body system of his players.
Patrick added, “It’s been interesting, and I enjoyed most of it. Not everything was fun, but it was generally interesting. The beginning was tough but, once I settled in, the full term became amazing, and I got all that I needed.”
The soft-spoken gaffer added that he was able to achieve the aims and aspirations that inspired him to enrol for a course at the sports school located on the premises of Lagos National Stadium, Surulere.
Patrick disclosed, “I came here because I wanted to get things right. For you to be a good coach, you need proper education, which they provide here. You need the certification as well. So, that was something that I planned for and I worked towards achieving.”
He then went into the specifics of different values that have now been added to him as a person and a coach. “I’ve gained a lot that makes me a different person. Before, I used to patch things, but now I’ve seen how well-structured everything should be.
I now know why things are done the way they are and, going back home, I will do things better. I am now fully prepared to organise myself much better and arrange my club properly.
I was already coaching a football club in Benin City and doing quite well before I came here. But, I will now do things differently. Now I know how to organise a training session much better, ensure proper timing of a game and undertake all other necessary routines.
I also know how to check various injuries, monitor the body system, manage human anatomy, and handle my players in different ways they come. I understand all of that much better now and, going back home, I’ll be able to impact this knowledge to my players.
I’ll be able to help them perform better over a long period of time,” Patrick explained at length.
He concluded with a charge to all men and women interested in taking coaching as a profession to enrol for a course at the NIS, because he believes their various programmes will add technical value to any natural talent in all areas of sports
