“High-quality coaching is vital to an athlete's preparation, which is why the role and training of coaches are decisive elements in the life of an athlete, whether at beginner or international level.” (IOC Olympic Solidarity)
The variety of programmes for coaches funded by Olympic Solidarity provide basic training with technical development courses for coaches, individual training in the form of scholarships and support at national level with the national sports structure development programme.
Technical Courses for Coaches
The technical courses for coaches, which are well established, aim to provide basic training to coaches by arranging a visit by an international expert appointed by ISSF. The expert coach will guide and instruct national coaches in the latest developments within shooting coaching.
Each ISSF Member Federation can apply through their NOC to organise a ‘Solidarity Course’. The NOC will fill out and sign the application form and submit directly to IOC Solidarity for approval.
After the course has taken place report forms from both the NOC and the expert(s) will be evaluated by the IOC and ISSF. An evaluation report established by ISSF may be published on the ISSF Development Website. For this publication we would be pleased to receive pictures, videos and/or articles reflecting the organisation of the Solidarity Course.
 
IOC Solidarity Course in Cameroon (2009) IOC Solidarity Course in Mauritania (2010)
Olympic Scholarships for Coaches
The Olympic scholarships programme offers coaches access to high-level professional development and the chance to acquire experience and knowledge that they can then use to benefit their respective national sports structures.
A candidate for an Olympic Scholarship:
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is an active coach within the shooting sports
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holds the rank of official national coach recognized in his/her country
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is able to prove that he/she has practical experience as a coach at national/international level
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must undertake to pass on his/her knowledge and work to continue developing his/her sport in his/her country after the training
NOCs may submit an application selected from two options:
- Training in Sport Sciences
Offers possibilities to coaches to follow basic training in sport sciences in a recognized high-level sports centre or a university working with Solidarity.
- Sport-specific Training
This option allows a coach to refresh his/her knowledge and increase his/her practical experience by following a medium- or long-term technical training programme.
These scholarships can be used in conjunction with the training courses offered by the ISSF Training Academy. However, applications can only be submitted to the IOC by National Olympic Committees.
Development of a National Sports Structure
This programme is designed to allow NOCs to develop their national sports structure by implementing a medium to long-term action plan (3 to 6 months) for a specific sport under the guidance of an international expert. Applications for this type of project will run through the NOC of each country.
Several development projects have been organised to promote the shooting sport worldwide and to develop the national sports structure. The most recent projects took place in Argentina (2009) and Laos (2010), both were deemed very successful and showed the potential of development in each respective country.
IOC Development Project Argentina (2009) |