New IHF Coaching Education Regulations

In August 2023, the IHF Council approved the amendments and extension of the “IHF Coaching Education Regulations”. In addition to the four existing levels of the IHF Coaching Education (D, C, B and A Licence), two new education structures will be offered in the future:

• IHF Coaching Education Structure for Goalkeeper Coaches
• IHF Coaching Education Structure for Multipliers

A few years ago, the IHF introduced the possibility of appointing 5 (instead of 4) officials of the coaching team and support staff for the team benches. At that time, the main objective was to further promote the position of a goalkeeper coach.

The new, two-level licence education, enables goalkeeper coaches to be educated specifically for the different age categories of youth training (Licence Level 1) as well as for the performance-oriented training in the senior category (Licence Level 2).

The new, three-level licence education for multipliers aims at further strengthening the overall development strategy of the IHF to establish the IHF Coaches Licence Structure, especially on the continents and in the Member Federations of the IHF outside Europe.

With this new education concept, the IHF aims to identify and specifically educate talented multipliers who will then organise and conduct D and C Licence Courses for Coaches (= first education level for multipliers) on the continents, in different zones or in their National Federations. In the coming years, multipliers for the B Licence Education (= second education level for multipliers) and the A Licence Education (= third education level for multipliers) will also be identified and educated in close cooperation with the Continental Confederations (see graphic).
 

First IHF Multiplier Course for Africa (CAHB)

In close cooperation between the African Handball Confederation (CAHB), the African Handball Academy in Cairo and the Egyptian Handball Federation, the first IHF Multiplier Course for Africa (CAHB) was conducted from 25 September to 3 October 2023. A total of 22 coaches from 16 African countries participated in this IHF Multiplier Course, which was led by IHF CCM Chairman Dietrich Späte und IHF CCM Member Paul Landuré.

A special didactic education concept was developed for this “education of future educators”. All theoretical teaching units in the morning were organised interactively. In five different groups, the participants worked on, for example, the methodical implementation of contents for the D and C Licence Education, developed new teaching materials, analysed video recordings and discussed possible evaluation methods for participants in a D/C Licence Education Course.

In the afternoon, only methodical teaching units related to training were carried out. In close cooperation with the Egyptian Handball Federation, these units were conducted with players in the age groups of children’s and youth handball that are typical for the D and C Licence.

Again, a new, interactive teaching method was used: each group prepared a typical practical topic from the C Licence for each day. One group member then acted as a “coach” and conducted the main part of the training unit with a team for about 20 minutes. At the same time, another group member acted as a “multiplier”. The task of the multiplier was to manage and moderate the entire practical unit, and if necessary – in case of organisational or content-related problems – to intervene and thus help the “coach”. After the end of the training unit, the “multiplier” provided feedback for the “coach” and, of course, for all other participants via a special observation form. Afterwards, all participants had the opportunity to ask questions about the topic and the methodical implementation and to discuss specific aspects in detail.

At the end of the course, the course leaders provided feedback and a professional assessment. Two important objectives of the education were achieved with this methodical approach: on the one hand, the participants tested their future role in conducting D and C Licence Education Courses in a practice-oriented way; on the other hand, a number of important methodical contents related to training (e.g. selecting contents for specific target groups, methodical structure, recognising and correcting mistakes, approaching and communicating with children and young people, etc.) were covered in practice at the same time.

According to the feedback of the participants, little attention is paid to the defensive training in the coaching education in many African countries. In several theoretical and practical training units, IHF CCM Member Jorge Dueñas (ESP) explained to the participants how individual and cooperative defensive behaviour can be systematically developed in youth training.

Special thanks go to the African Handball Confederation (CAHB), the African Handball Academy in Cairo, the Egyptian Handball Federation and the Champion Academy (demonstration teams) for the excellent, professional organisation (simultaneous interpreting, demonstration teams changing daily) of the first IHF Multiplier Course, which was held in the Dr Hassan Moustafa Sports Hall (one of the venues of the 2021 IHF Men’s World Championship in EGY), an almost ideal venue.

This first education course for IHF Multipliers is only a first step. In the coming years, the IHF will continue to provide this new target group with important information and methodical materials and will also hold a meeting with them at least once a year.

Dietrich Späte, IHF CCM Chairman