Update: Football Development Program Bonaire

News by Team NMC Bright

NMC Bright initiated, in cooperation with the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB), the Football Federation Bonaire (FFB) and Dutch Ministry of Health, Well-being and Sport a football development program for Bonaire. The program, which the KNVB supervises, officially started in January 2020. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic progression has been made: several locally stationed employees were appointed, coach education courses started and an infrastructure project is initiated.

NMC Bright designed a procedure for the appointment of several employees for the FFB. Amongst them an officer dedicated to program activities and the professionalization of the football association. Besides a program officer three technical officers with a coach instructor license have been appointed. They support coaches on a daily basis and organize football activities. Activities such as a summer camp and weekly football clinics for children in an after-school program.

The KNVB has deployed an experienced coach instructor for the duration of two full months in Bonaire. Coaches are educated according the Concacaf criteria. Coaches can obtain a coach-license and, with that, follow a WorldCoaches course. WorldCoaches is a program based on the KNVB’s extensive international coaching and training experience. WorldCoaches play a key role in this, by inspiring and coaching children in their athletic and social development. It involves training football coaches in their own community. These educated coaches can act as local trainers as well as role models in their immediate social environment. The WorldCoaches program focuses on three themes: personal development, health and social cohesion.

Currently the KNVB and NMC Bright work with local organizations and the ministry to realize an infrastructure project which facilitates clubs with a home ground. Currently, the clubs in Bonaire share (artificial) pitches and don’t have facilities, such as a clubhouse or dressing rooms, for their own use. With this project we are facilitating clubs with a home base, so they can grow to be more community-based were social gathering takes place.

Want to know more about the Football Development Program in Bonaire? Read about it here of contact me via the link below.