#development

Uruguay hosts pair of Coaches Courses, Introduction to Refereeing

Thursday, November 17, 2022 - 17:23 By United World Wrestling Press

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MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (November 11) --- Keeping with the series of UWW courses that are taking place in the American continent, on this occasion was the time of Montevideo from November 1 to 7. The courses were: Coaches Course Level 1 and Level 2 and Introduction to Refereeing. A total of 31 participants took part in the course. The majority of the coaches were from Uruguay, but there also were participants from six other countries.

This course is part of the UWW's education program, and the purpose is to provide the coaches with tools to strengthen their professional work. The course consisted of several sessions between theoretical and practical, structured in such a way that what was learned in the classroom was applied on the mat.

This course was made with the support of the Olympic Solidarity, the Uruguayan Olympic Committee, and the Uruguayan Wrestling Federation.

URUParticipants from the Uruguay courses gather for a photo. (Photo: United World Wrestling)

All the activities were held in the brand-new Combat Sports Training Center, founded in 2019, with two mats and a classroom that makes it easy to take the course.

The opening ceremony was held on November 2 and was attended by distinguished personalities such as the President of the National Olympic Committee, Julio C. MAGLIONE, the National Secretary of Sports, Sebastián BAUZÁ and the President of the Uruguay Wrestling Federation, Dante STEFANO.

We had the educators Pedro ROJAS (PUR) for the coaches and Ignacio D'Alessandro (ARG) for the referees. 

"We are very pleased with the outcome of the course. We found a group of participants with a basic level of knowledge of the sport but who were willing to learn and make the most of the concepts and tools provided. We had five days of very fruitful work, and we went back home knowing that we had left the bases for Uruguay to start implementing a successful development program. We want to come back in a while to help them take it to the next level". say Ignacio D’Alessandro, Referee Educator.

The Uruguayan Wrestling Federation is starting to work very hard in the development of the sport in its country. And from the UWW, we hope to continue working in this way with them and accompany them in their growth and institutional strengthening.

Development

REDT in South Africa: Exchange, cooperation to grow wrestling in the region

Monday, January 6, 2025 - 14:23 By United World Wrestling Press

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PRETORIA, South Africa (January 6) -- A week full of initiatives dedicated to the regional development of wrestling took place in Pretoria from 29th to 08th December, bringing together young athletes, coaches, referees, and administrators from six countries in the region. This landmark event, organized under the REDT program launched by United World Wrestling, provided an exceptional platform for training, education, and competition opportunities for various members of the wrestling community - from athletes to coaches, officials and administrators.

With eight countries involved, this event was a full week of education as follows:

  • 29th Nov – 1st Dec - Youth Training Camp 13-15-year-olds, Talent identification with Vincent Aka and Guillermo Menendez Molina.
  • 2nd-5th Dec-Senior international training Camp - U16 years olds till seniors, Vincent Aka and Guillermo Menendes Molina.
  • 1st- 3rd Dec - UWW Level 2 Referee course with Zach Errett, UWW education Manager.
  • 6th-8th Dec - UWW Level 2 Referee course included beach wrestling with Charles Villet, UWW Educator.
  • 1st-5th Dec - UWW Level 3 Coaching course with Vincent Aka, UWW Development Officer.
  • 6th Dec - Administrators course with Deqa Niamkey, UWW Development Director.
  • 7th December - Tournament:  U17, U20 and Seniors  - FS GR WW
  • 8th December - Tournament :  Beach Wrestling  Men, Women - U17, U20 and Seniors

A National Camp for Youth: A Stepping Stone Toward Dakar 2026

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(Vincent Aka and Guillermo Menendes Molina address the Youth Wrestlers at training camp)

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(Certificates on conclusion of the Youth Camp)

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(Certificates on conclusion of the U16+ - Senior camp)

The week began with a national camp exclusively for young talents. The participants, primarily from South Africa, underwent intensive training sessions and enriching exchanges under the supervision of United World Wrestling experts. The goal was to identify and select promising young athletes, with a primary focus on preparing the best youth wrestlers to shine at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

An International Training Camp and Courses for Coaches, referees and administrators

Following this youth talent identification camp, an international training camp allowed wrestlers, from cadets to seniors, to refine their techniques. To support skill development at all levels, several specialized courses were organized:

  • Level 3 Coaching Course, led by Vincent AKA, offering advanced tools for better understanding training periodization and building one's coaching philosophy.

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(Coaches and referees)

In this regard, coach Markus Dekker, head coach of the South African Wrestling Federation, underline: << this program was excellence, I got a lot of positive feedback from the participants>>.

  • Level 2 Refereeing Course, delivered by Zach Errett and Charles Villet, aimed at ensuring high-quality officiating during competitions. Initially led by Zach Errett, the course was later implemented by Charles Villet in real competition settings during the Olympic Wrestling and Beach Wrestling events at the end of the week.

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(Coaches join the referees in a technical rules course)

About the refereeing course, OKOU Timipre, a participant from Nigeria, said: <<The Programme was quite inspiring and apt. However, it will improve the technical and managerial abilities and skills of the Athletes, Coaches, Referees and Administrators in the African Continent and the World at large>>

  • Sports Administration Course, conducted in person by Déqa Niamkey and complemented by a virtual session led by Youssef Bouaziz for national federation and club administrators. Youssef was impressive and demonstrate a high expertise in ARENA by taking control of participants computers and support and guiding them to better understand and act according to difficult situations.

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(Ms. Deqa Niamkey addresses the coaches)

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(Ms. Deqa Niamkey with the RSA Tournament Administration team)

Competitions and Beach Wrestling to Wrap Up the Week

The week concluded with a grand finale featuring an Olympic wrestling tournament that showcased the talent and determination of the participants. A dedicated Beach Wrestling Day, a growing and spectacular discipline, brought the event to a close with a friendly and sporty atmosphere.

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(Wrestlers from different countries pose together for a group photo after the competition)

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(Senior women at the beach wrestling competition)

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(Namibia VS Zambia, women's beach wrestling)

11(Rules discussion at the Beach Wrestling Competition)

A Promising Regional Event

This gathering brought together participants from eight countries: South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Nigeria (represented by a referee and a coach), Zimbabwe, Ecuador and Zambia. This diverse representation highlights the regional commitment to developing wrestling and fostering cooperation among African nations.

Merci Mulenga, President of the Zambian Wrestling Federation, appreciated the REDT and said: “From the Zambian team we would like to send our greatest gratitude to United World Wrestling for giving us the privilege to attend the Intunthuko regional camp and tournament. It is the first time we are attending such an event. I would like to express my appreciation for the good coaching session. It was very helpful and educational to not only us, who are still in the learning phase. but to others as well. On a scale of 10, I would rate my experience at 10/10 and look forward to more amazing programs of the same kind."

For her part, Jeanne-Marié Coetzer, Secretary General of the South African Wrestling Federation insists on the chance brought by the REDT: "This event provided an opportunity for neighboring countries to form a hub that allows their athletes, coaches and referees to gain international exposure and training which would otherwise be very difficult due to finances required for travel to obtain these qualifications otherwise."

The presence of Déqa Niamkey, Director of Development at United World Wrestling, inspired all the participants at this REDT event. By creating training opportunities and strengthening connections among wrestling stakeholders, the REDT laid a solid foundation for the future of the sport in Southern Africa. Participants returned home enriched and ready to share the knowledge gained, making this initiative a model for sports development across the continent.