In preparation for the start of season five of the Elite League, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) hosted a one-day refresher course and information session for the match officials and head coaches who will be participating in the event.
This was disclosed in a statement from the GFF. The referee’s session was held on Saturday at the National Track And Field Centre, Leonora and was attended by 21 officials. The course was facilitated by Member Association Instructors Ingram Johnson, Abdullah Hamid and Tyrone Tyrell. Among the areas covered and discussed were the changes to the laws of the game, understanding the Offside and Misconduct rules and the importance of fitness.
Meantime, the information session for the coaches occurred on February 7th and was conducted by the Technical Department of the GFF. The forum addressed the importance of a pre-season programme.
According to the release, “A strong pre-season programme is geared towards ensuring the players are in the right shape to maximize their chances of avoiding injury when the season starts. Injury prevention work is crucial and should form a large part of club training, especially early in the pre-season.”
Meanwhile, Technical Director Ian Greenwood said, “Pre-season is a great opportunity to overload the players to give them a superior base of fitness; you have six weeks to get everyone in shape – each individual is different so they need bespoke training plans and diets that progress at the right pace.
“Running that extra yard during a game could be the difference between winning and losing. A poor pre-season could see a team make a slow start because they won’t be up to speed fitness wise,” Greenwood added.
He further stated, “Successful managers set expectations and clarify their vision during pre-season. It’s an opportunity for them to establish relationships and build understanding so when the going gets tough, everyone understands their jobs and has a solution to combat and overcome. All of this provides a road map for future success.”
