Hundreds of teachers across Papua New Guinea are undertaking formal training as rugby league coaches for the first time, through the PNG NRL Academy program, supported by the Australian Government.
Support for this program also reflects the strong and enduring partnership between Australia and PNG, with rugby league continuing to be an inspiring bridge between the two nations - leading into PNG’s 50th independence anniversary next month.
With school competitions increasingly becoming the focus of talent identification and pathways for male and female players, building the capacity of teachers as rugby league coaches is crucial to unearthing future rugby league stars.
As a key step on the journey to PNG’s NRL franchise, the PNG NRL Academy has partnered with the PNG Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) to deliver a groundbreaking two-day coaching course for teachers in six regions.
The course features classroom and hands-on practical sessions and is based on the level 1 coaching curriculum used in elite rugby league systems in Australia. It is led by PNG NRL Academy Coaching and Pathways Manager Joe Grima, supported by three experienced pathways coaches from Australia and PNGRFL Coaching Manager Stanley Gene.
This week more than sixty teachers and school team coaches from 24 schools took part in the Goroka course, and 60 attended in Mount Hagen.
Grima said: “We cover the theory of how-to coach, what to coach, who to coach and discuss some things that have worked for the coaches that we have invited here from Australia, as well as Stanley Gene. The energy (of our participants) in Goroka has been excellent, and it has been a pleasure to be here.”
Jennifer Dalepa, a schoolgirls’ rugby league coach from Kainantu Technical Secondary School, said the course taught her to focus on coaching basic skills. “Simple skills like ball grip, catch and pass – these are things that we currently ignore, but those are the mistakes that are made on the field, so it’s good to learn that these basic skills build up a player,” she said.
Participating schools receive a set of jerseys and, in line with the PNG NRL Academy’s target to train more female teachers as rugby league coaches, schools that identify a female teacher to participate receive additional equipment.
The first courses took place in July in Lae and Rabaul, attracting around 100 teachers from 50 schools. The final courses will take place in October in Central and NCD.
More than 50 participants took part in the course at the National Sports Institute in Goroka.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100