The ISSF Training Academy organized the D21 course for Rifle and Pistol between the 11th and 14th December last at the ISSF Accredited Training Centre of Foxlodge, Moscow.
37 Russian coaches and specialists from 22 regions of Russia took part in this course which was led by ISSF Training Academy Director Mr. Zeljko Todorovic (MNE) and assisted by guest lecturer Mr. Goran Maksimovic (SRB).
Speaking of the course, Rifle & Pistol coach Elena Abarinova said to the Russian Shooting Union Press Service, “The lectures are very beneficial for the audience because it fills a gap that we have with coaches’ education at the local level. This considerable gap needs to be bridged and that is why this coaches course has been organized by our Federation in Russia, thus taking on the functions that had previously been performed by the Russian universities and we see this as playing a positive role in the future. For us the most important purpose is to bring the coaches’ level in all regions to a common platform.”
“Despite a considerable number of sports universities in our country there are some difficulties attracting shooting coaching staff in our country. While those, who are now working for the benefit of our Olympic sport cannot always afford extension courses for several reasons? Firstly, because of the cost and secondly, because not everyone knows a foreign language like English at a sufficient level, though it is seen as a necessary requirement nowadays. That is why the coaching course organized for us in Foxlodge is a chance for coaches to get additional knowledge,” said the coach of the Russian junior national team in Rapid Fire Pistol, Igor Nabiev.
Also taking part in the course were athletes and members of the Russian national team who are planning to work in the future as a coach.
“It is interesting to listen to our foreign colleagues sharing their experience of working with athletes. They told us about basic preparation of shooters and explained how we can make them interested and involved. So now we can start coaching,” said the member of the Russian national team and the world-class master of sports in Pistol, Rinat Ayupov.
“What I’ve noticed about Russian coaches is their desire to learn. They were taking a great part in the discussions, expressing their opinion and not keeping silent. This is absolutely an advantage,” Mr. Todorovic pointed out at the end of the course.
As a result, all the coaches and specialists who completed the course successfully passed the exam and received the D coaches license.