Football coaching in India for people with intellectual disabilities

Special Olympics Bharat (SO Bharat) and Tottenham Hotspur Foundation (THF) are delivering a unique project that will improve the quality of football coaching in India for people with intellectual disabilities.

• Unique two-stage project to deliver quality coaching for people with intellectual disabilities.
• More than 2,000 Special Olympics Bharat football coaches in India will receive training from Tottenham Hotspur Foundation (THF).
• Partnership is driven by a common goal to create social change through the power of sport.

Special Olympics Bharat (SO Bharat) and Tottenham Hotspur Foundation (THF) are delivering a unique project that will improve the quality of football coaching in India for people with intellectual disabilities.

Supported by the Premier League, this unique two-stage project will see 30,000 people with intellectual disabilities across India gain access to the sport.
From mid-September, the Club’s Foundation coaches are in India to carry out football training for Special Olympics Bharat coaches in Kolkata and Gurgaon, continuing a program initiated in Goa and Gujarat earlier this year.

The training will take place in Kolkata at the Sports Authority of India-Netaji Subhas Eastern Centre from September 13-15, and in Gurgaon at the Scottish High International School from September 18-20. 100 coaches will be involved from 21 States across the Northern, North East and Central regions of India.
The Special Olympics and Tottenham Hotspur Foundation partnership is driven by a common goal to create social change through the power of sport. Special Olympics is the leading voice on intellectual disability, building social inclusion for this marginalised group through opportunities in Sports, Health, Education and Community Building for more than 4.4 million athletes, 1.3 million volunteers and millions more people worldwide in 170 countries.
Tottenham Hotspur Foundation is the first in the Premier League selected by Special Olympics for its expertise in delivering high quality sports programmes for athletes with disabilities.
With over 10 years experience in developing grassroots to elite level disability football opportunities, including a long history in working with Special Olympics, THF is a leader in the field of disability football.
As part of the Club’s Global Ambassador role with Special Olympics, THF works in partnership with the organisation to support the growth of football for people with intellectual disabilities across the world.
The coaching programme, designed by THF and based on the expertise and vast experience of its staff, will consist of a three-day workshop combining football coaching and strategy development training sessions.

Course details:

Day 1 – Role and Quality of a Coach; Developing inclusive and appropriate Session plan; THFC Master class; developing Coaching philosophy.
Day 2 – Theory & Practical sessions including analysis, motivation, goal setting and putting learning into practice while removing barriers.
Day 3 – Student-session delivery; evaluating delivery.

Grant Cornwell MBE, Chief Executive, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, said: “After successfully delivering high quality disability football coaching sessions in collaboration with Special OIympics Bharat in Goa and Gujarat, we are delighted to once again be working with this fantastic organisation to deliver further training to local coaches and volunteers in Kolkata and Gurgaon. Taking elements of our existing UK-based programmes, and in partnership with Special Olympics, we have designed a unique project that can be rolled out on an international level.
“Sport plays an important role in supporting community development and cohesion across the world, and we are delighted to be working with Special Olympics Bharat in India to deliver a coaching legacy capable of training over 2,200 coaches, who are using their new skills to provide sporting initiatives to 30,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities. ”