In the space of just a few weeks in April and May 2026, two IHF coaching courses made their way to South America, bringing together coaches from across the region in Santiago, Chile and Antioquia, Colombia. Guided by Prof. Dr. Pablo Juan Greco, both programmes reflected the IHF's sustained commitment to raising coaching standards on all the continents.

Santiago sets the stage for the C-Licence

The Chilean capital hosted the IHF C-Licence Coaching Course from 5 to 12 April 2026, welcoming 34 participants at the national Olympic complex, a fitting venue, given that its courts also served as training ground for Chile's cadet and junior national teams during the course. All 34 coaches successfully completed the programme and received their IHF C-Licence.

 

Rather than applying a conventional written examination, Prof. Dr. Greco structured the assessment around a practical approach. Participants were divided into pairs, each receiving a booklet centred on positional play. Within 15 minutes, they were required to perform the activity and introduce variations, with close attention paid to decision-making, group management, and the quality of individual technical-tactical corrections. Small group work then extended the learning further: six groups of six coaches each developed their own digital booklets, compiling daily activities and theoretical material via a shared online space.

The quality of the work was excellent. According to Prof. Dr. Greco's report, the level of knowledge demonstrated throughout consistently exceeded C-Licence standard, and he formally recommended that several participants be fast-tracked towards a B-Licence course.

The Chilean Handball Federation's manager, Manuel Alarcon, was present throughout the week, handling logistics and providing daily support to both participants and the lecturer. 

Antioquia takes on the D-Licence

Just two weeks later, the focus shifted to Antioquia, Colombia, where the IHF D-Licence Coaching Course ran from 26 April to 3 May 2026. A group of 27 coaches completed the programme, and all 27 were awarded the IHF D-Licence.

The Antioquia Handball League (LABM) was central to the course's success, providing the venue, the well-equipped facilities of Colegio Corazonista, and managing daily logistics.

Practical training sessions were held every morning and afternoon, with school and youth handball teams present throughout to serve as demonstration groups. Their willingness to participate contributed directly to the quality of the hands-on learning environment. On the final day, the group had the opportunity to observe three official championship matches at junior, adult male, and adult female level, consolidating practically what had been learned across the week.

The participant group in Antioquia arrived with strong practical experience already behind them. Prof. Dr. Greco noted that their existing knowledge warranted work at a higher level than the D-Licence alone, and he recommended that a C-Licence course be organised for this group as soon as possible.

Across both courses, the energy was high, the exchanges genuine, and the results strong. In Santiago and Antioquia alike, coaches arrived motivated and left better equipped, with new methods, shared material, as well as with a new licence awarded.