Gymnastics South Africa steps up as integral part of FIG Education drive across Africa

A busy agenda of educational activities unfolded in Africa this June and July.

Seven courses in six countries over a span of two months – this is one way of summing up a busy period of educational activities for the FIG in Africa.

From Algeria in the north to South Africa at the bottom of the continent, FIG experts from five disciplines travelled far and wide in June and July, beginning with two Olympic Solidarity Coaches’ Courses.

The first, for Men’s Artistic Gymnastics coaches, took place in Yaounde, Cameroon from 6-12 June. The second, for Rhythmic Gymnastics coaches, was held in Praia, Cape Verde from the 13th-22nd.

Men's Artistic Gymnastics group in Cameroon

Centurion stages two courses

The Matsport Centre in Centurion was the location for the two courses hosted by Gymnastics South Africa recently, including a Foundation of Gymnastics course from 7-10 July. In all 29 candidates from five countries took part in this course which teaches advanced skills for the implementation of recreational and educational gymnastics for the further development of physical education and fundamental movement – and leads to the international Gymnastics for All coaching certificate.

Gymnastics for All group in South Africa

There were 21 participants from South Africa along with candidates from Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Also present at the course were Marco Bortoleto (BRA) – President of the FIG Education Commission and a member of the FIG Gymnastics for All Committee – and Petrina Hutchinson (AUS), who is a member of the FIG GfA Committee too.

From Gymnastics South Africa, meanwhile, Marti Heri, the development and education manager, participation manager Caron Henry and course facilitators Shirley Tsatsinyane and Richard Marshall all lent their expertise.

South Africa Gymnastics president Donovan Jurgens joined participants on the final day and attended a meeting with the FIG GFA Committee members.

This was the second course at the Matsport Centre following a Parkour Academy Level 1 course held there between 30 June and 4 July, which drew 27 participants from the same five countries: Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Parkour in South Africa

Course highlights

Day 1 – 7 July 2022 (Fun, Coach Philosophy, Warm-up activities, Fundamentals, Games, Stationary Positions, Landing, Growth and Aging)

Day 2 – 8 July 2022 (Locomotion, Safety, Springs, Rotations, Physical and Motor Fitness, Ethics)

Day 3 – 9 July 2022 (Swings, Learning and Teaching, Physical and Motor fitness, Music and Movement, Gymnastics for All Abilities)

Academies in Cairo

At the other end of Africa, the Egyptian capital, Cairo, was the venue for two Academy Level 1 courses in July. The Egypt Gymnastics Federation hosted the Academies at its Olympic national team training centre and the first, for Rhythmic Gymnastics, featured 26 participants – coming from Egypt, Cyprus and India – who were led through the course by FIG experts Lurdes Avila-Carvalho (POR) and Nadya Aleksandrova.

Aerobic Gymnastics was the focus of the second Academy, from 18-22 July, which was overseen by FIG experts Olga Kyselovicova (SVK) and Khadidja Zeroc (ALG) and conducted in English and Arabic.

This Academy brought together 21 coaches from four different cities in Egypt and the FIG experts offered their thanks to Mohamed Ali, Gasser Ahmed and Ahmed Ezzat for their technical and administrative support, as well as Egypt Gymnastics president Ehab Amin Essawy.

At the end of July, finally, the Algerian capital, Algiers, staged an FIG Age Group Development and Competition programme for Aerobic Gymnastics between the 26th and 30th. Khadidja Zeroc was again the FIG expert for this course which took place at the training hall of the Algerian national squads and welcomed 30 coaches from different parts of the country. It began with an introduction to Aerobic Gymnastics and looked at a range of aspects: dance, music, group work, aerobic sequences and acrobatic elements.

Aerobic Gymnastics group in Algeria

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