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The Volleyball Association of Malawi (VAM) held a week-long National Referees Course in Lilongwe as part of the knowledge transfer programme under the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment
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The course saw 25 referees learn the rules of volleyball and the key practices by FIVB instructor, from coach Sandy Steel of Scotland
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VAM President James Kaunda said the course will usher in a new generation of referees in Malawi, helping to develop the sport in the country
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FIVB has invested CHF 15,000 in the knowledge transfer programmes in Malawi
The Volleyball Association of Malawi (VAM) recently held a week-long National Referees Course in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, from 7-13 October as part of an FIVB knowledge transfer programme.
The FIVB has invested CHF 15,000 in the three knowledge transfer programmes in Malawi focusing on the national team coaches development, referee development and NF administration and management. Another CHF 21,000 being used for volleyball equipment support.
In addition, the FIVB has also allocated CHF 90,000 towards coach support in Malawi with Thulani Maphosa of Eswatini taking charge of their senior men’s and women’s national teams.
As just one of the initiatives that drives the wider FIVB Volleyball Empowerment Programme, the course saw 25 referees taught the rules of volleyball and its officiating practices by FIVB instructor Sandy Steel of Scotland.
The referees were drawn from local clubs, schools and grassroots teams. The VAM President, James Kaunda, said the course will help to usher in a new generation of referees in Malawi, which will help to develop volleyball in the country.
“All volleyball stakeholders were considered for this course. We were targeting those who are starting out as referees and they were the majority, 17 out of 25. The other 8 took it as a refresher course to familiarise themselves with the new rules” said James Kaunda.
“It’s important that we have a holistic approach towards volleyball development. The game is growing at a very fast rate thanks to the support we are getting from the Volleyball Empowerment Programme. We have trained our players, administrators and now the referees so that we can have good officiating during our matches,” he added.
FIVB instructor Sandy Steel (second right) poses with referees during a National Referees Course held in Lilongwe, Malawi as part of the knowledge transfer project under the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment Programme. (Photo credits: VAM)
The course graduates are all set to put their learning into practice during the Raiply National Volleyball tournament from 7 to 10 November in Mzuzu, which will be attended by CAVB President Bouchra Hajij. Mr Kaunda also spoke of the importance of developing referees in tournaments such as this one, so that they can gain more experience ahead of potential future appearances on the international stage.
“We want them to jump into action immediately and the Raiply tournament will be a good place to start. Malawi has got only one international referee candidate and my dream is to see these referees officiate at continental and international competitions in future,” added Kaunda.
This referee course followed another FIVB Volleyball Empowerment course conducted in Malawi by FIVB expert Mxolisi Ndlovu in April this year. This programme saw 26 participants learning about best practices in sports management and administration, covering financial management, strategic planning and implementation, communication, marketing, human resource management, and event management among others.
