A total of twenty -five coaches in The Gambia have completed an ICC Level 1 Technical Coaching Course funded through the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Solidarity programme, an example of how cricket’s return to the Olympic movement is beginning to reach Africa’s developing cricket nations.
The five-day course ran in Banjul from October 5 to 9, organised by the Gambia Cricket Association (GCA) in partnership with the Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC).
Eleven of the 25 candidates were women, a 44 percent share. The GCA said the course was designed to expand grassroots coaching numbers, develop female leadership in the sport and give emerging coaches technical and teaching skills aligned with international standards.
The funding model is significant for the continent. With cricket included on the programme for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, national cricket bodies now have a route to Olympic Solidarity resources through their national Olympic committees, alongside the International Cricket Council (ICC) development support. The Gambian course shows how a smaller cricket nation can use that channel to build coaching capacity at the base of the game.
Gambian tutor Andreh Jarju facilitated the full theoretical and practical curriculum. The GCA said the complete ICC syllabus was covered.
It reported that the venue had adequate space for technical drills, biomechanical assessments and group presentations, and that accommodation and catering for participants were provided throughout the five days.
The association thanked the GNOC, Olympic Solidarity and the ICC for supporting the course.
Source: Gambia Cricket Association
