The International Coaching Course is a three-month intensive course organized by the Strategic & International Directorate of Semmelweis University, in cooperation with the IOC (Olympic Solidarity), designed to train and educate coaches from around the world. For the Spring run of the programme, it was held from 29 March to 15 June, with classes being scheduled for the 11 weeks while I was there.

I departed from Singapore on 27 March on a KLM flight (kindly arranged by SAA) to Budapest via Amsterdam and arrived safely on 28 March. I was greeted by the people of the university and brought to my accommodation after. The accommodation was nothing fancy with just the basic facilities and no Internet provided. Meals were provided for the first few days and since all the participants were living in various parts of the city, subsequently, we were given food allowance fortnightly. It was not a hassle to settle meals as there were sufficient food places around the university and there was a shopping centre nearby. I was living with 2 course mates, from Mongolia and Uganda so there were plenty of opportunities to mingle with people of other cultures as well. Most days, we cooked our meals to have food more accustomed to our taste buds!

There were altogether 48 people in the course, majority coming from India. The rest of the class were the IOC scholars, coming from countries like Mauritius, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Zambia, Tanzania, St Kitts & Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica, just to name a few.

The course attempts to promote and develop excellence in coaching by providing a systematic way to improve knowledge and skills in the theoretical, technical and practical aspects of coaching. The programme includes 120 theoretical hours in general subject areas such as:

Examinable modules

Coach in Action, General Conditioning, Sport Physiology, Sport Pedagogy, Sport Sociology, Sport Psychology, Sport Therapy, Training Theory.

Non-examinable modules

Sport Nutrition, Sport Management, Legacy of Sport Education in Hungary, Talk on Olympic Success by an Olympic Gold Medalist (Water Polo) for the teaching of the subject and opportunities to visit the Olympic Training Camp and observe the University Games to catch the athletes in action. Other than the high performance side, we were also brought to the carnival, an initiative by the Athletics Association of Hungary, where the aim was to promote Athletics to the general masses. Assessment for the sports specialization consisted of three components:

  1.   Theory Exam
  2.   Practice
  3.   Study Report (Title: Raising the Standard of Athletic Performance in Singapore:
        Role of Management, Coach & Athlete)

Overall, it was an enriching experience for me!

The idea of having an Olympic Training Camp was particularly useful. The area was built solely to provide the facilities and infrastructure for training for those who are aiming for the 2012 London Olympics. Having a specialized training ground will ensure fewer distractions and also provides a conducive environment for athletes to stay focused on their goals. Being around like-minded individuals provide the necessary motivation for trainings and also friendly competitions can be held frequently to push each other for better improvements in performance, while creating a bond or friendship in the process. It was also an opportunity for the coaches to come together and share ideas or work together towards a common aim of sporting excellence.

Another instance was the sports carnival that was held at the main stadium. There were elements of Kids Athletics together with modifications to the general Athletics events at the event stations. Each participant was given a number tag and was required to complete at least 7 out of 10 events to claim a goodie-bag at the end of the event. In conjunction with promoting London Olympics 2012, a 2012m fun race was organized at the end of the event. It was well supported and there were a mix of individuals, ranging from students with special needs to members of public who came to the event as a family outing. It was definitely a heartening sight to see such support and interest!

Initially, usually being the case when experiencing something new, the place needs some getting used to. The cold weather, different food and the language barrier were some of the challenges I faced when I arrived. I must admit that it was tough having to adapt to a new environment and live out of my comfort zone. However, looking back, it also presented me with an opportunity to rediscover myself and I am thankful for that.

There were also excursions organized over the weekends to visit various places around Hungary. It was through these excursions that we created a lot of wonderful memories with fellow course mates and shared numerous laughter and joy along the way. There was also a welcome dinner organized by the university for the students and lecturers of the course to bond.

Before I started the course, I had 3 objectives: to gain new knowledge, meet new friends and explore a new place. Safe to say, I have accomplished what I set out to do. Doing well for the course was a bonus!

I really enjoyed my time during the course and cherished the memories and friendships made in the process. Being exposed to people from all over the world opened my eyes to the different cultures and personalities. Having been taught by experts in their respective fields gave me new perspectives on knowledge that I had earlier obtained.

I would like to express my thanks to all the lecturers who were generous in sharing their knowledge, my fellow course mates for being such wonderful company, the people in the Strategic & international Directorate Department of the Semmelweis University for making the journey and stay there a smooth one and last but not least, to SAA, SNOC and IOC for the opportunity of a lifetime!

Prepared by: Asmah Hanim (Track & Field)