The Sunday Mail
Sports Reporter
TOP sport scientists from the West Virginia University and the Kent State University flew into the country last night to take the country’s sport administrators through high-level sports management courses.
The training, which is organised by the Sports Leaders’ Institute of Zimbabwe (SLIZ), will run from September 16 to 18 in Harare.
SLIZ partnered with the West Virginia University in a deal that will see the organisation running courses in conjunction with the tertiary institution.
Sports leaders will also be sent to the United States on exchange programmes.
West Virginia University’s Professor Denis Jones, who is no stranger to Zimbabwe after being charmed by the country during his previous two visits, will conduct Level One and Two courses.
During a tour of the Victoria Falls, Prof Jones facilitated a three-day course that was attended by teachers, representatives from sports associations, local authorities and Premier Soccer League clubs.
This time around, he will be joined by colleagues in the field of sports science for the sports management courses.
Professor Kimberly Peer, Dr Ellen Glickman and Professor Laurie Wagner, all from the Ohio-based tertiary institution, are expected to touch on the fundamentals of sports science as well as case studies that illustrate sports management as a science and its importance in the development of every athlete.
SLIZ president Russel Mhiribidi is confident that Zimbabwean administrators will be empowered by the courses.
“If one is a serious coach, physiotherapist, match analyst or sports manager, this course is a must for them. A number of key factors that have been glaringly missing in our sport will be explored.
“Our sports managers should be taught the fundamentals, so that, we can easily catch up with the prevailing global trends. One such fundamental is the nutritional aspect.
“This will be the first time in the history of sports management in Zimbabwe, if not Africa, for such distinguished sport science professors to be under one roof for a once in a lifetime course that all serious sport managers and leaders should attend.
“We are looking forward to having sports directors from the country’s tertiary institutions and schools, Premier Soccer League clubs, representatives from sports associations and personnel in the field of sports medicine to be part of the three-day course,” said Mhiribidi.
Since 2014, SLIZ has held various sports management camps that have been used as platforms for administrators to brainstorm and come up with solutions to challenges faced by Zimbabwean athletes and the country’s sports.
