CAF D Coaching Course Takes ZIFA Coach Education Drive to Mashonaland Central

The Zimbabwe Football Association’s nationwide coach education programme has continued to gather momentum, with the latest CAF D Coaching Course currently underway in Bindura, Mashonaland Central Province.

The course, conducted by CAF and FIFA Coach Educator Tafadzwa Mashiri, has attracted 38 participants drawn from different football structures in the province. It forms part of ZIFA’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the technical foundation of the game by equipping coaches with modern knowledge, practical skills and a deeper understanding of player development.

The Bindura programme is the 11th CAF D Coaching Course conducted by ZIFA since November 2025, underlining the Association’s deliberate push to expand access to coach education across the country. In that period, more than 400 coaches have been trained, creating a wider pool of qualified personnel to support football development from grassroots to competitive levels.

The CAF D Course is an important entry point into the coaching pathway, particularly for coaches working with schools, academies, community clubs, junior teams and development structures. Through the programme, participants are being exposed to key coaching principles, session planning, age-appropriate training methods, player safety, ethics, communication and the role of the coach in building a positive learning environment.

ZIFA Technical Director Dominique Niyonzima, who graced the course in Bindura, said the programme reflects the Association’s long-term commitment to building capacity where football begins.

“Coach education is central to the development of Zimbabwean football. If we want better players, stronger clubs and more competitive national teams in the future, we must invest in the people who teach the game every day,” said Niyonzima.

“The CAF D Course is not just about certification. It is about giving coaches the tools to create better training environments, to identify and nurture talent, and to ensure that young players across all provinces receive proper guidance. We are encouraged by the response in Mashonaland Central and by the progress made since November 2025.”

ZIFA has placed technical development among its key priorities, with the reintroduction and expansion of CAF coaching courses forming part of a wider strategy to professionalise football structures and align local coaching standards with continental best practice.

The Association’s coach education programme will continue in the coming days, with the next CAF D Course set for Gweru, Midlands Province, starting this Friday, before moving to Hwange, Matabeleland North Province, next week.

Through this rollout, ZIFA is ensuring that coach education reaches every part of the country, creating stronger pathways for coaches, players and the broader football ecosystem.

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