The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) will be offering international courses in coaching development, adaptive sports and sports governance starting in January 2022. The courses will be done in conjunction with the United States Sports Academy (USSA).

Applications close on November 30, 2021.

Available only to JOA members, the courses being offered are Level III – National Coaching Development, for head coaches of national teams; International Certificate in Adaptive Sports, for coaches currently working with para-athletes and other special groups, and the International Certificate in Sports Governance, designed for Sports Administrators and Managers.

JOA Secretary-General and CEO Ryan Foster explained that these courses are to be the first steps taken under the Olympic association’s partnership with the USSA to offer more tertiary education opportunities to athletes and personnel and to build an academic base in sports through research, education and service.

The primary objective is to provide the member associations and their stakeholders important educational and practical advancement in sport, sport governance and the diversification needed when dealing with para-sport.

“The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) is extremely excited about the first in a series of activations of the Memorandum of Understanding with the United States Sports Academy, which will commence with three international certification courses in National Coaching Development, Adaptive Sports and Sports Governance,” said the JOA Secretary-General.

“The three certification courses are an extension of the educational perspective of the JOA which also focused on internships. The International Certificate in Adaptive Sports will address the needs of coaches working with para-sport athletes and other special populations as the JOA seeks to provide coaches with a theoretical base for teaching sport and skill with a practical application for adaptive sport,” he added.

Ryan disclosed that the Level III Coach Development Program is designed to provide coaches with the skills needed to be successful at the highest level of sport.

“The courses are focused on planning, advanced sport psychology, testing and evaluation, physical training and conditioning for performance programs, nutrition, and athlete safety,” he explained.

“While the International certification in Sports Governance will concentrate on the key areas of the role of the national federations, structures of accountability, decision-making, communication and transparency.”

The JOA, Foster said, will continue to provide avenues and opportunities for our constituents that will have a long-term impact on sport development no matter the type of sport.