Media Release: 30 August 2010. Mossel Bay Tourism

IMAGE: (From left) ISAF Trainer Rich Percy, schools sail training consultant Hannah Percy, ISAF Training and Development Manager Dan Jaspers, and South African Sailing’s National Training Manager, Mossel Bay-based Rob Holden.

IMAGE: (From left) ISAF Trainer Rich Percy, schools sail training consultant Hannah Percy, ISAF Training and Development Manager Dan Jaspers, and South African Sailing’s National Training Manager, Mossel Bay-based Rob Holden.

ISAF Visits Mossel Bay to Train South African Sail Trainers

Two of the International Sailing Federation’s highest-ranked Coach Trainers are currently visiting Mossel Bay to train South Africa’s own Entry Level Coaches.

Dan Jaspers, ISAF’s Training and Development Manager, and ISAF Trainer Rich Percy will work with Mossel Bay’s Rob Holden – the holder of the first ever ISAF Training Scholarship, and South African Sailing’s National Training Manager – to train eight Coach Assessors over a five day period.

Mr. Percy’s wife, Hannah, is also visiting Mossel Bay, and has come to South Africa to look at how sail training can be integrated into cross-curricular school programmes.

“Coach Assessors are the people who will implement our National Sail Training Scheme, so this is a ‘Train the Trainers course,” said Mr. Holden.

“Up to now, everyone who is involved in sail training in South Africa has been working without structured guidelines, but our new National Training Scheme will improve standards, create a unified approach and strengthen our growing legacy through increased access and opportunities – and it’ll turn out a better quality of sailor.

“The end result for everyone will be that we’ll be able to issue internationally recognised certificates to both participants and coaches, which will create job opportunities for South Africans in the sailing industry,” he said.

Development and the inclusion of people from previously disadvantaged communities are important aspects of the new South African Scheme – and also an important part of Mr. Jaspers work internationally.

“I’m very encouraged by all the support and hard work that the South African Sailing Federation has shown in assisting the International Sailing Federation in its efforts to develop a National Scheme that will help to increase participation in sailing for all people worldwide,” said Dan Jaspers.

Mr. Holden said that eight Coach Assessors – two from each of South Africa’s four sailing regions (the Western Cape, the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Northern Region, which includes the provinces in the centre of the country) – are taking part in the current course.

“The International Sailing Federation is working with South African Sailing to deliver the Course, which has been funded by the South African National Olympic Committee through the International Olympic Committee’s Programme for Coach Development,” said Mr. Holden.

“What we’re working towards is a safe, robust Scheme that will meet recognised international standards ahead of the planned International Accreditation Inspection of our Sail Training Scheme in early 2011,” he said.

“This five day course may not seem like a great boost for tourism, but we see it as another step in our dream of establishing Mossel Bay as the premier sailing destination in South Africa,” said Mossel Bay Tourism’s chairman, Neels Zietsman.

“The Mossel Bay Yacht and Boat Club is the ideal venue to host sail training because of Mossel Bay’s brilliant sailing conditions.

“Rob is also working with the official ISAF Training Partner Rockley International to set up a permanent training centre in South Africa that will attract students from around the world; the town has experience at hosting a number of national and provincial regattas; and we have already announced our intention to bid for the Dart 18 Catamarans world champs in 2014 – all of which will contribute to positioning Mossel Bay as the premier sailing destination that we know it to be,” said Mr. Zietsman.

ENDS

Tags: Coach Assessors, Coach Trainers, Dan Jaspers, Entry Level Coaches, International Sailing Federation, ISAF, mossel bay, National Training Manager, Rich Percy, rob holden, Sail Trainers, sail training, South Africa, South African Sailing