Tears as local coach receives honours at the IOC

Among the coaches who graduated with honours distinctions was the Lowveld’s very own Boikie Gama for his “grassroots development programme to attract junior girls from age nine to 16 years to athletics”.

I just could not believe they were so impressed with my development project. I have not stopped smiling since the ceremony,” Gama said.

The ninth edition of the ICECP – an intensive coaching education programme developed by the United States Olympic Committee, the University of Delaware and the International Olympic Committee – included 30 coaches representing five continents, 30 nations and 15 sports.

Read all about it: Local athletics coach heads for USA

Gama headed to America in mid-September last year on a full scholarship from the Olympic Solidarity and the United States Olympic Committee in partnership with the University of Delaware to undergo the ICECP. He returned with a wealth of coaching knowledge and a vision to change the sport from the most basic level.

Gama’s once-in-a-lifetime experience began when he presented his project proposal about identifying talent at grass-roots level to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) at a coaching course in Durban in 2016. Sascoc presented it, in turn, to the University of Delaware.

On returning from the USA, if Gama was able to launch his project and prove it was making progress, he would attend the fourth module of the programme in Lausanne. He certainly made a success of it, holding several clinics and workshops for athletes and coaches alike.
He has also managed to gain the support of some government departments, and he said that Sascoc has declared the project must go national.

“When they gave me that honours certificate, I just couldn’t help crying. It was an incredible feeling. I can feel the gates are opening. This project is not a joke any longer and the exposure from this amazing programme has given me the opportunity to grow my idea,” Gama told Lowvelder.

He added he was grateful to those who had helped him, including Sascoc and Athletics Mpumalanga for helping with his visa costs and a private sponsor who gave him pocket money for the trip.

He wants to make the project successful on the home front first, starting at community level in the City of Mbombela.

“The project will not be successful if we do not have qualified coaches at grass-roots level. My aim is to develop and train a strong base of coaches that have a sound coaching background and credible coaching education in order to produce good female athletes. This will ensure that South Africa produces more female athletes who are able to compete internationally and win medals for the country,” he said.

Also read: Star proves running your socks off is worth it

He added that the non-sport objectives are just as important.

This is not only about athletics. This project is about the identified female athletes developing holistically; by providing full academic support, ensuring a seamless fit in to social norms and values, nourishing their talents and increasing girls’ interest in the sport itself.

“We also want to help combat teenage crime and pregnancy,” Gama explained.

“One thing I saw in Switzerland is that everything happens on time and the people do not waste a single second. I felt so free in an almost crime-free country. I hope our country will be like that one day too.”