Ghana Hockey to Host Continental Development Forum

The African Hockey Federation (AfHF), in co-operation with the Ghana Hockey Association (GHA) and the International Hockey Federation (FIH), will be hosting a Development Forum in Accra from Thursday 11th to Sunday 14th May 2006.

The Forum will focus on promoting hockey through Club Development and strengthening Regional or National Associations (NAs). It aims to train practitioners (volunteers and officials) to deliver development programmes more effectively in their own countries and across the African continent. It will also include specific components on umpiring and the guidelines for establishing national umpiring development structures and plans as part of the FIH WHUB Scheme.

Further, the Forum will provide an opportunity to share ideas and develop ?best practice? and assist the NAs in their approach to structural development.

Continental Workshops have already been held in Europe, Oceania and Pan America. It is now the turn of Africa, and the AfHF views this as a crucial event to confirm Africa?s commitment to the development of the sport on the Continent. In this regard, and in view of it being an important initiative of the FIH and AfHF, the FIH has specifically voted funds to support the collective endeavors of all NAs in the development arena.

The forum will be conducted in English and the presenters/facilitators will include Gabrielle van Doorn, the FIH Development Manager, Clare Digby, the FIH Continental Development Officer for Africa and Richard Akpokavie, Member of the Development and Coaching Committee of the FIH as well as other guest speakers.

The forum has been designed for delegates who have a background in hockey development, experience in running projects at Club or Association level or who are active in youth, coaching or umpire development and, most importantly, who are prepared to give back to their Associations or Clubs by running or coordinating subsequent workshops.

Delegates will receive a Certificate of Attendance from the FIH & AfHF on the last day of the forum.

In all, 25 participants from Ghana, Zambia, Nigeria, Malawi, Uganda, Kenya, Republic of South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana and Gambia have confirmed their participation.

Under the co-sponsorship arrangements, the AfHF and FIH will cover full board and accommodation (twin room sharing) for the period while the GHA will bear the other organizational expenses.

The Programme would be officially opened by the Honourable Minister of Education Science and Sports would have the following content/outline:

? Introduction to the Forum

Why focus on club development?

Starting out, planning, recruitment & retention, partnerships, facilities Management, fundraising, marketing & promotion

? Umpire development ? structures, systems & plans

? Youth / junior development

Global youth marathon activities ? Presentations by working groups Putting it into practice