It had been years since the pilot course of the BWF/BEC Coach Education Level 3 had been delivered in Holbæk, Denmark. Last week, from 1 to 6 June, 15 experienced coaches representing a varied list of European countries - Scotland, Poland, Lithuania, Italy, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Norway, France, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, the Netherlands, and Sweden – met in the same Danish city to be part of the first official course of this kind in Europe.

It was a great group of participants, all with plenty of coaching experience but willing to expand their knowledge even further. In a course of such level, the beginning can be particularly demanding as participants adapt and digest all the new information, but the group was quick to catch up thanks to their motivation.

- I am amazed by how fast they all picked up the pace of the course. It only took them roughly one day to overcome the initial challenges, but they adapted quickly despite the intensity of it all to deliver excellently, BEC Development & High Performance Officer Mari Carmen Casermeiro said.

- It was a very cohesive and proactive group, willing to discuss deeply any kind of topic. It’s been a very fulfilling experience seeing them all take away the necessary tools to keep developing badminton in their countries, Casermeiro added.

In just 6 days, there were countless topics covered, including the concept of pathway, talent development models, the transition to elite level coaching, goal setting, supporting communication, teamwork, and group dynamics.

- We are extremely pleased that the coaches took on board many of the concepts and experimented with putting them into practice. They challenged each other, thus deepening their understanding, and they showed curiosity, creativity, and a desire to grow. That, in the end, is what we are looking for, BWF Tutor Sharon Springer stated.

Participants got to put all the theory into practice in the hall in Holbæk, but now it is time for our knowledgeable coaches to return to their countries to put their own ideas to use in their countries. If there is one thing for sure, it’s that all participants are more than ready to continue with their ongoing coaching journeys back at home.

- I hope to pass this knowledge forward to the Federation and then, together with the rest of the coaches and clubs, keep on developing badminton in Sweden, Behnaz Pirzamanbein, Sweden, said. 

- Communication with people and self-reflection are critical tools for self-development. This course enabled me to think in other dimensions, Monika Rodovska, Latvia, stated.

 

- The more we get to know each other, the better ideas we can get from each other. This helps the course to evolve and improve, Rainer Kaljumae, Estonia said.