The SAFA D-License course, which is aimed at empowering coaches for early football development, will take place the Royal Bafokeng Sports Campus in Phokeng from Monday to Friday next week.
Over 30 aspiring coaches will participate in the five-day course.
Platinum Stars general manager Senzo Mazingiza says coaching is an integral part of football development hence the club is ensuring that local coaches get equipped with necessary knowledge to develop players.
"We are currently the only club in the North West province that is playing in the PSL. We have structures in our club where we have junior teams. We have a number of programmes that are involved in grassroots football. There are a number of requirements to sustain those programmes. We need to uplift the coaches that are helping those kids to go through their stages of football development," said Mazingiza.
For years, Dikwena have been making meaningful contribution to football development in the province through various community uplifting projects. One of the projects is the Platinum Stars Schools Programme, where coaching staff and players conduct soccer clinics at schools in and around the province.
"We have active and vibrant academy Programme. We have a number of qualified coaches within the Programme. If we expand this to communities and the province as a whole, it means our footprint becomes bigger not only by virtue of us pronouncing that we are the only club in the province but also now that we are doing something about the talent on the ground," added Mazingiza.
"Sometime we miss talent because of the structures and the coaches we have in place. The more coaches that we have that are aware of Platinum Stars training Programme the more players we will get coming our way. We are really creating a platform for youngsters to see their dreams of turning professional getting a chance."
Mazingiza says the club, which is in partnership with the Royal Bafokeng Sports and the Royal Bafokeng Holdings for the course, is getting positioned for future prospects.
"It's going to be significant for us. Safa came on board and gave us their instructors to give this course to our people. It's a great initiative and in a few years to come we will be able to have enough coaches to coach the youngsters in the province," said Mazingiza.
Platinum Stars youth female coach Keleabetswe Diale (pictured above) will be one of the instructors. Diale is the coach of the club's MultiChoice Diski Challenge at present.
"Diale's progress in her career is one highlights of our commitment to development. She is proof that, with necessary support, one can make it in coaching. We hope to get more qualified coaches coming through," concluded Mazingiza.
