1 month ago
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FOUR JAMAICAN coaches — Cavalier’s head honcho Rudolph Speid, former national coach Theodore Whitmore, national assistant coach Merron Gordon, and head of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) coaching school, Andrew Peart — are part of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association’s (TTFA) groundbreaking Pro Coaching Diploma which started on Monday.
The course, which it is said, will redefine the landscape of football coaching across the Caribbean, is an elite programme that brings together 14 of the most talented coaches from across the region, with each to undertake an intensive, 12-month journey focused on elevating their expertise, leadership, and tactical acumen.
The course will combine in-depth theoretical instruction with practical, on-field application, all guided by leading minds in the global football community.
Speid, also the JFF technical committee chairman said for Jamaica to have four coaches at the first-ever pro licence course in the Caribbean speaks volumes of the country’s advancement in coaching education.
“It’s a big achievement. There are about 14 persons on the course, and it’s a big achievement for us to have four there.
“Every study that we do, all the factors that help a country to improve, apart from the ability of players, the number one is coaching education and number two is competitions.
“We try our best with competitions. But we have never done as well as we can with coaching education. So it is something we have zeroed in on.
“For us, it is to get our Pro Licence and the knowledge to be had and the application of the knowledge. That’s what we are looking forward to. So that we are better able to compete with coaches around the world,” he said.
The course will be led by its principal facilitator, Dr David Adams, chief football officer and technical director of the Football Association of Wales Trust’s coach education programme.
Dr Adams has a wealth of international experience and has played a major role in the UEFA pro licence journeys of top-tier coaches such as Mikel Arteta, Thierry Henry, Roberto Martinez, and Patrick Vieira.
His involvement signals the TTFA’s commitment to world-class standards and transformative learning.
“Our educator is someone who has educated a long list of top coaches,” Speid continued.
“We are the trendsetters and it gives the other Jamaican coaches something to aim at.
“When we pioneered the first set of courses for the B licence, everybody wanted to get one. And it was the same with the A licence. So it’s a continuation of the educational process of coaches in Jamaica.”
He added that the JFF will host its first A licence course this year, from August 15-19, and that the intention is to have the first pro licence course in Jamaica next year.
“We are looking for next year. So we are moving,” he stated.
The course is structured to develop the advanced competencies needed to coach at the highest levels. It places a strong emphasis on leadership, tactical innovation, and evidence-based coaching methods.
Through immersive field sessions, ongoing mentorship and applied learning, the TTFA aims to set a new regional benchmark for coaching education, and TTFA Technical Director and course presenter Anton Corneal, like Speid, said it’s more than just the certification.
“This course is more than just a certification — it’s a bold commitment to lifting the standard of the game across the region. By developing our coaches, we’re investing in the future of our players, clubs, and national teams,” he commented.
English (US) ·