Namibia: QSB Athletics Clinic Kicks Off in Model

The thirty second Crystal Gold Quinton Steele Botes Athletics Teaching and Coaching Clinic kicked off in fashion yesterday when greater than 200 younger athletes had been taken by way of their paces by some acclaimed worldwide coaches.

They embody prime South African coaches like Jonathan Greyvenstein and Charlie Strohmenger, who’ve each been individuals for a few years and one in all Africa’s prime pole vaulting coaches Louis Nienaber, who has joined for the primary time.

Namibian lengthy leap and triple leap coach Roger Haitengi, who’s now a prime coach on the College of Johannesburg, was additionally again to share his experience with a few of Namibia’s up and coming younger athletes.

Excessive leap coach Greyvenstein mentioned it was nice to be again in Namibia.

“It is wonderful that this course has been working so lengthy, you’ll not discover that in South Africa. It is a fantastic factor to be a part of and personally I’m right here for the larger good of Namibian athletes, particularly the excessive jumpers. It is my seventh 12 months now that I have been coming to this and it is simply getting larger and higher,” he mentioned.

“It is incredible to know that you simply guys are supporting it as a result of then the expertise will develop which is able to make Namibia proud on the finish of the day,” he added.

Greyvenstein mentioned it was necessary to start out teaching at a younger age.

“For us as coaches it is necessary to get these athletes at a younger age, to get them into the correct methodology of leaping. Particularly excessive leap, for those who get harm with that bar as soon as, you’ll by no means come again once more, so we begin with the fundamentals, from the again, simply doing a crab stand and going right into a backflip,” he mentioned.

“At college they normally simply allow them to stand one facet they usually simply say leap, after which these guys assume they’ll do it, however after they get to that bar they do not know what to do. After which they cease or they leap they usually harm themselves or they really feel silly they usually by no means return to excessive leap. So for me as a coach it is necessary that the athletes begin with the proper approach as a result of for those who do it improper, you’ll by no means get it proper once more,” he added.

“For me it is also necessary to teach the coaches, as a result of the extra coaches there are, the extra we can assist the athletes. As a result of they’re right here and they’re hungry. Yearly Leonie (van Rensburg) calls us and you can not say no as a result of it is a privilege to be part of this,” he mentioned.

High pole vaulting coach Nienaber, who has produced quite a few South African and African champions, mentioned it was as privilege to be a part of the clinic.

“I really feel privileged to be right here and to be invited. It is a dream of mine to get pole vaulting began in Namibia. I like Namibia and its individuals and I used to be as soon as at a coaching camp in Swakopmund, however that is my first time at this camp in Windhoek. I am very excited to have the ability to make a distinction within the lives of the Namibian children,” he mentioned.

“I feel there are loads of gifted children right here, the pliability and agility is there, so we should simply develop them and keep near the federation and the membership and I am going to positively do my greatest to develop the athletes right here,” he mentioned.

Haitengi mentioned it was necessary to plough again into the group.

“For me that is the place I began off – on the age of 14 I used to be found and pushed by way of so that is the place my profession began and I simply really feel I’ve to offer again. It is thrilling to see another fellow athletes and simply to offer them some recommendation to get them to the very best stage, so it is all the time thrilling to offer again and plough again into the group,” he mentioned.