The Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), through its Technical Department, completed the CAF C Diploma Coaching Course at the Association’s Secretariat in Freetown, demonstrating the SLFA’s ongoing commitment to strengthening grassroots football and raising coaching standards nationwide.
The CAF C Diploma programme, which was designed specifically for coaches working with players aged 12 to 16, provided participants with a thorough grounding in contemporary coaching practice. The curriculum covered tactical analysis, training methodology, and player development, and it combined classroom instruction with practical on-field sessions that met CAF standards.
Aspiring coaches from across Sierra Leone attended the course, which included both theoretical and practical coaching exercises.
Senior SLFA officials attended the closing ceremony, including Deputy General Secretary Ismail Saidu Kanu Esq, Technical Director John Keister, Head of Competitions Sorie Ibrahim Sesay, and Female Football Manager Elizabeth Kailey, who emphasised the importance of the Association’s technical capacity building. SLFA President Babadi Kamara and the Executive Committee were also recognised for their support of the initiative.
Deputy General Secretary Ismail Saidu Kanu praised the instruction and specifically thanked Liberian CAF instructor Keatu John Smith for delivering a high-quality program. CAF Instructor Keatu John Smith, for his part, praised the participants’ dedication and ability to grasp both theoretical concepts and practical coaching techniques.
Female coaches who participated in the course received special recognition. National team captain Sarah Bangura and her predecessor Hannah “Matta” Conteh were singled out among the female cohort, while Female Football Manager Elizabeth Kailey praised President Babadi Kamara for providing full scholarships to all female participants, a move seen as progressive support for women’s involvement in football coaching.
Former Leone Stars forward Mustapha “Haji” Bangura also spoke at the event, thanking President Kamara and the SLFA Executive Committee for providing opportunities to develop young coaches and ease the transition of former players into coaching roles. The successful completion of this CAF C Diploma represents another step forward in the SLFA’s efforts to develop qualified coaches capable of nurturing Sierra Leone’s next generation of football talent.
