NAIROBI, Kenya, February 20, 2025 – The National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) is confident that their collaboration with the University of Nairobi (UoN) to offer a certificate course will broaden opportunities for many coaches in the country.
NOCK treasurer Eliud Kariuki says the certificate course in sports coaching will build the capacity of many who are naturally gifted in their fields but do not have the papers.
“We realize the coaches are very good at what they do but when it comes to papers they lack, therefore we are very grateful to the University for accepting to collaborate with NOCK on this and we believe that it will enable the coaches to now advance to the next level,” Kariuki said.
His sentiments were echoed by Sam Otieno, a senior lecturer at the university, who said the ‘students’ will benefit from practical knowledge and impartation of relevant skills.
“The initiative is the first of its kind in Africa, marking a unique collaboration between an Olympic Committee and a
university, and has already garnered significant interest from aspiring coaches and existing ones.
“It is the first time we as the University of Nairobi are getting to interact with the industry and we are very glad that will be able to impact the coaches, and we will be very proud to see them apply these lessons and even probably coach some of our teams to the Olympic Games,” Otieno said.
The programme, hosted at the university’s Kikuyu campus, is set to transform the country’s coaching landscape by integrating scientific knowledge with practical expertise.
The six-month program, which has attracted 41 coaches, is designed to provide a holistic understanding of sports coaching.
Thirteen of the participants have received full scholarships from NOC-K, ensuring
inclusiveness and access to quality education in sports science.
The course will be delivered by a blend of university lecturers and industry professionals, providing an enriching mix of academic rigour and real-world coaching insights.
In its first semester, the curriculum will cover key areas such as Sports Pedagogy, Sports Psychology & Sociology, Sports Administration & Management, Biomechanics in Sports, and Functional Human Anatomy & Physiology.
The second semester will dive deeper into specialized topics, including First Aid and Sports Injury Management, LongTerm Athlete Development Pathway, Nutrition and Sports Performance, Principles of Coaching & Conditioning, and Sport-Specific Skills.
One of the students in the course, Jason Gatebu, expressed optimism on sharpening his knowledge on ethics in sports coaching.
“I believe this coarse will help me grow both as an athlete and coach which will mean that my athletes also are to get more, so it’s a win across the board. I am most interested and look forward to getting a lot of insights on the ethics unit,” Gatebu, a fencing coach, said.
Looking ahead, NOC-K aims to have the course certified by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), further cementing Kenya’s commitment to global coaching standards.
