Luxembourg Hockey Club hosted a self-sustained level 1 coaching course via an EHF Solidarity Grant under the Twinning Programme with the KNHB.
Nacho Gomez Acedo Diaz, former technical director of Luxembourg Hockey, developed the course in conjunction with the federation and the local government.
The EHF linked Nacho up with educator and former Argentina international Cecilia Rognoni for the course. Previously, she also acted as Nacho’s mentor during his time on the EHF’s Coaches 4 Europe programme.
They joined together for the course at the Sport Centrum of Luxemburg for a two-day course.
The first day saw a theory session targeted at parents involved in the hockey club, 14–18-year-old players and the two trainers already responsible for the club in Luxembourg.
Day two offered the chance for a practical session. This time, the Hockey Club group from the first day was combined with 12 sports teachers from different schools across Luxembourg. These teachers had no experience of hockey but were willing to try hockey in their schools.
For the schoolteachers, a focus was placed on grip basics and creating safe environments for their school sessions.
In total, they spent 6 hours on the field working with the group, correcting their technical skills, rules, and grip.
“To grow our sport, you have to put your energy into countries who are not developed yet,” Cecilia said of the course and the efforts being made to develop the game in smaller nations like Luxembourg.
“It is very important. The EHF and the FIH are doing a good job [to work on this] and this is a first step.”
“I worked with kids here who are interested in being coaches in the future. There were 12 sports teachers here and I am very happy to share all my experience with them and hope, next time, there will be even more people taking part.
“Starting with the schools, we can get more children involved and show them hockey is a really beautiful game. When you do that, I am sure hockey will grow.”
Luxembourg currently compete in the Belgian and German adult leagues as well as running a corporate league. The club also run youth coaching and games for those aged 5 to 18. Go to https://www.hockey.lu/ for more information.
** For more information on EHF Solidarity Grant’s, click here: https://eurohockey.org/ehf-solidarity/
